Water Sports

Despite the possibility of drowning, surfers are rarely seen wearing life vests. The surfboards themselves act as an excellent flotation device, and remain strapped to the surfer's ankle with a...

The air tank is a key part of a diver's gear bag. A thorough visual inspection of the tank will ensure the safety and longevity of the unit, the dive and you. Usually, this inspection is done by a...

Prized for its flavor and highly regarded by sport fishermen, the chinook salmon is a favorite on the West Coast. Also known as king salmon or red salmon, chinook are found in rivers, lakes and...

Shorty wetsuits and triathlon wetsuits offer very different features and benefits. By understanding what these types of wetsuits are designed for, you can choose the right wetsuit for your needs.

Skimboard style and technology has evolved tremendously since the inception of the sport in the 1920s, when Laguna Beach lifeguards were said to have used wooden planks. A plethora of materials...

The best way to get yourself into kayaking shape is, obviously, to paddle and to paddle often. There are, however, many land-based exercises you can do to boost your performance and increase your...

Kayaks are designed to be fast, highly maneuverable, lightweight watercrafts that feel as if they are an extension of your person when paddled. For such light watercraft, they can be remarkably...

Building your own Kayak paddle is a relatively simple project which requires a few tools, a little time and a willingness to experiment. Traditional paddles tend to be narrower and lighter than...

Standing in a canoe can be a very useful position, especially when fishing. It can allow you to better read the water, look for openings in weed beds or between rocks, and sometime it can simply...

Many water enthusiasts appreciate activities on the surface and underwater, like boogie boarding and scuba diving. Well-fitting fins for scuba and boogie boarding optimize enjoyment and safety....

Kayaks are relatively small and light; however, they can be awkward to move or load by yourself. Although some people have the capability of simply lifting a 75-pound boat onto the top of a car,...

Storing a kayak is a task every kayak owner faces. Although kayaks are small and relatively light, they seem to be uniquely challenging to store. The best way to store a kayak is to hang it in a...

Proper kayak fit is a product of body dimensions. For best balance, safety and performance, a kayak must properly fit the body that is in it. If you are buying a kayak, taking the time to find one...

Building a skin-on-frame kayak can be accomplished with fairly basic hand tools and 30 to 40 hours of labor. There are several ways to build skin-on-frame kayaks. One fairly simple building...

Walleye provide one of the most challenging sport fisheries in the world. The mystique of walleye is in trying to catch them, and nothing is as important as the line on your fishing reel. Though...

Proper kayak sizing is a product of body dimensions. For best performance a kayak must properly fit the body that is in it.

Canoes are notoriously susceptible to winds being light and high-sided. If you are fishing from a canoe and trying to keep from being blown away from your fishing spot, the solution is a sea...

Storing a kayak is a task every kayak owner faces. Although kayaks are small and relatively light, they seem to be uniquely challenging to store. The best way to store a kayak is in a protected...

Kayaks have many advantages. They are easily transported, cheap to operate and can navigate almost any waterway. Their only real drawback is stability. Kayaks are legendary for their propensity to...

Fishing from a canoe can be very rewarding. Canoes are simple, lightweight, and relatively inexpensive watercraft, and the emerging popularity of small boat angling has led to a merging of some of...

A skeg is a brace which extends down into the water from the keel of the kayak, generally in the stern. It is used to trim the boat in less than ideal paddling conditions and can assist in...

All recreational boats in the United States are required to have one life vest per person on board, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Even though it's safe to always keep life vests handy, they...

A scuba diving mask, which can be worn just as easily for snorkeling, protects the wearer's face from ambient water pressure touching their eyes as well as from sediment in the water. It also...

Nautical flags carry a variety of meanings, depending upon how they are used. There are flags for sending messages, posting distress signals, and even providing directions to racing participants....

Regardless of the design, whether its full foot or open heel, dive fins serve one primary purpose: underwater propulsion. This propulsion comes from the different kicks that scuba divers or...

All sailboats have their own peculiar qualities. A captain learns over time and experience what setup works best to get the most out of his craft. No two captains agree on what setup works best...

Kayak styles are defined by the hull. A kayak can be a single, a tandem or a tri-yak, to accommodate the number of paddlers. In general, kayaks have the following characteristics: limited cargo...

As small boats, kayaks get bumped around and eventually will need repair. If a small hole occurs during an outing, simply patch with duct tape and enjoy the day. Upon returning home, a small hole...

Kayaks are built to be lightweight, fast, and highly maneuverable watercraft which were initially designed by northern Native peoples for the purpose of hunting whales and seals in the northern...

The key to entering a kayak from the shore is balance. As Joe Glickman says in "The Kayak Companion," the kayak is much less stable when it is not in motion. Getting into a kayak from the shore...

Mussels are various species of bivalve mollusks with an oblong shell. They live in both freshwater and saltwater. Freshwater mussels sit partially covered in the sand or dirt whereas thread-like...

Touring kayaks are designed to travel across long distances of open water and be stable in rough conditions thanks to their general length of 12 to 16 feet. Most have sealed hatch covers that...

Thinking about purchasing a kayak or taking a kayaking trip? With all of the options available, some guidance can make your decision easier. Choose the right kayak for your needs, based on where...

A kayak can provide a boating experience like none other because of the maneuverability and proximity to the water. Because of the high center of gravity created by the boat and paddler and as a...

Hauling a canoe on top of your pickup can be problematic. Simply strapping it to the roof and bed puts the canoe at an upward angle toward the front and causes a lot of lift as you are driving...

Car-topping a canoe can be tricky. A canoe bottom is curved and can act like a wing, lifting the body of the boat and making it dance around on top of your car when you're driving at 50 to 70...

It is always recommended to kayak in groups, because a number of kayak rescue techniques not only save lives, but time as well. When a kayak capsizes, it fills with water, and before the swimmer...

Need to hang your kayak up so you're not stumbling over it on the garage floor or on the back porch? You can make a homemade kayak hanger in several simple ways that are inexpensive, sturdy and...

Between trips to the river you're going to need a place to put your kayak. Unless you want to fish out snakes and bugs every time you use your boat, you'll need a storage place up off the ground....

A kayak is a small boat that is paddled with a two-sided oar and usually manned by just one or two people. Over the years, kayaks have become not only a means of transportation but also a source...

Unless you're lucky enough to live on a lake, carrying your kayak on your car when you want to paddle is a fact of life. Good equipment and technique for tying down your kayak keeps it safely...

The idea of wearing swimming goggles is to keep water out of your eyes. They allow you to see clearly underwater, whether you are snorkeling, playing a competitive water sport or simply swimming...

Most SUVs and other vehicles suitable for transporting kayaks to the kind of places kayaks need to go come with a simple luggage rack. Unfortunately, kayak hulls and decks are curved and don't...

A steel-hulled boat is a durable and long-lasting investment, provided that the owner is precise in attending to normal routine-maintenance cycles. One essential task is repainting the hull. Over...

Life vests, also referred to as personal flotation devices (PFDs), are a very important piece of equipment when on the water. Not only is it a requirement by the United States Coast Guard to have...

Using a gas pool heater can help extend your swimming season an extra couple of months. However, because it needs large amounts of fuel to operate, it is also one of the more expensive ways to...

First Time Fishing?This Guide Will Help you get Every Thing you Need to Make your First Trip a Great One!Fishing Has been Americas past Time and will also remain like that for Hundreds of more...

Getting your PADI or NAUI Open Water certification takes a little work and a little study, but once you've successfully demonstrated the necessary skills, adventure awaits. While there's plenty to...

Hurley Clothing Company was established in the late 1970s in Costa Mesa, Southern California. Initially, the company sold surfboards to local surfers. Now, almost 50 years later, Hurley Clothing...

Scuba diving is a sport for all ages, genders and sizes of people. There are few limitations in scuba when it comes to size, except in finding appropriately sized gear. With the average size of...