What to Paddle

CANOE

Modern canoe types are usually categorized by the intended use. Many modern canoe designs are hybrids (a combination of two or more designs, meant for multiple uses). The purpose of the canoe will also often determine the materials used. Most canoes are designed for either one person (solo) or two persons (tandem), but some are designed for more than two persons.

Touring and Tripping canoes.	In North America, a "touring canoe" is a straight tracking boat good for wind blown lakes etc. A "tripping canoe" has a larger capacity for wilderness travel and is designed with more rocker for better maneuverability on whitewater rivers but requiring some skill on the part of the canoeist in open windy waters, when lightly loaded. Touring canoes are often made of lighter materials and built for comfort and cargo space; whereas Tripping canoes (such as the Chestnut Prospector derivates, and the Old Town trippers), are typically made of heavier and tougher materials, and are of course usually a more traditional design.
Prospector canoe	A generic name for copies of the famed Chestnut model, a popular type of tripping canoe marked by a symmetrical hull and a relatively large amount of rocker; giving a nice balance for wilderness tripping, of the ability to carry large amounts of gear whilst being maneuverable enough for whitewater. This makes it a superb large capacity wilderness boat, but requires skill on windy, broad waters when lightly loaded. Made in a variety of materials. For home construction, 4 mm plywood is commonly used, mainly marine ply, using the "stitch and glue" technique. Commercially built canoes are commonly built of fibreglass, HDPE, Kevlar, Carbon Fiber, and Royalex which is although relatively heavy, very durable.
Long Distance Touring canoe	A long-distance touring canoe is mostly covered with a greatly extended deck, forming a "cockpit" for the paddlers. A cockpit has many advantages: the gunwale can be made lower and narrower so the paddler can reach the water more easily, and the rim of the boat can be higher keeping the boat dryer. With a rounded hull shape and full ends there is less for turbulent water to work on.
Whitewater canoe	Also known as river canoe - typically made of tough man-made materials, such as ABS or Kevlar, for strength; no keel and increased rocker for maneuverability; often extra internal lashing points are present to secure flotation bags, harness, and spraydeck. Some canoes are decked and look very much like a kayak, but are still paddled with the paddler in a kneeling position and with a single bladed paddle.
Playboating decked canoe	A subgroup of whitewater canoes specialized for whitewater play and tricks. Most are identical to short, flat-bottomed kayak playboats except for internal outfitting. The paddler kneels and uses a single-blade canoe paddle.
Whitewater slalom canoe	Decked canoes which look very much like a kayak, but are still paddled with the paddler in a kneeling position and with a single bladed paddle.
Square stern canoe	An asymmetrical canoe with a squared off stern for the mounting of an outboard motor; meant for lake travel or fishing.
Racing canoe	Also known as sprint canoe - purpose-built racing canoe for use in racing on flat water. To reduce drag, they are built long and with a narrow beam, which makes them very unstable. A one-person sprint canoe is 5.2 meters or 17 feet (5.2 m) long. Sprint canoes are paddled kneeling on one knee, and only paddled on one side; in a C-1, the canoeist will have to j-stroke constantly to maintain a straight course. Marathon canoe races use a similar narrow boat.
Inflatable canoe	Similar in construction and materials to other inflatable boats but shaped like a canoe. It is meant for serious whitewater and is usually difficult to use for flat water travel.
Outrigger canoe	A canoe with an attached float, called an outrigger (or ama), to provide stability. Commonly used for racing.

KAYAK

Lately, the image of a kayaker has become that of a young daredevil plunging over an insanely high waterfall. But this doesn't represent all kayaks. Like canoes, kayaks come in numerous shapes and sizes. Recreational kayaks are primarily touring boats but may handle nicely in moderate whitewater of Class II or less. They have a mild rocker with a cutting bow narrow enough to penetrate waves. These boats are generally shorter than traditional touring kayaks and measure less than 15 feet. Touring kayaks are high volume boats designed to carry lots of gear and handle well on moderately rough waterways. Most touring kayaks have excellent directional stability. Many have high peaked decks to shed water. These boats are fairly beamy (25 inches or more) and stable. Solo touring kayaks generally run 16 to 18 feet in length. Tandem boats can be longer than 20 feet. Sea cruising kayaks are long (17 feet or more), high-volume boats designed to easily cover long stretches of unpredictably rough open water. These boats are shaped similar to touring kayaks, but many feature hulls that flare rapidly from a sharp cutting bow in order to increase lift when penetrating big waves. Others have upswept ends. Peaked decks add to a dry ride and a low hull profile minimizes wind. Skegs or rudders maximize directional control in currents or crosswinds. Downriver kayaks are built for straight ahead speed. Racing specifications generally limit these kayaks to a 15-foot length and 60-centimeter beam. Most have a radically asymmetrical "Swed" hull form with the widest part of the boat well aft of the cockpit. Needle-like cutting bows and vee or rounded-vee hulls make downriver kayaks speedy but hard to maneuver. Olympic flatwater kayaks are built for straight ahead speed. These sleek, tippy racing boats are built of wood or fiberglass for singles, tandem or four paddlers. The cockpit is open allowing for significant leg action. Whitewater slalom kayaks are highly maneuverable. Some designs have extremely low volume with very sharp edges to keep the deck low when running gates in competition. These ultra-light boats are limited to 13.2 feet by racing specifications. They're often built so lightly that long-term durability can be a problem. Whitewater playboat kayaks are medium- to low-volume and built for playing in rapids. They frequently have lots of rocker to aid in quick turns and on-water tricks. Most have relatively rounded sides to make them forgiving when crossing strong eddy lines or surfing waves and holes. Playboats are available in a large variety of lengths and volumes to match the size of the boat to the size of the paddler. Durability is important to their construction, as hard play in whitewater can be tough on boats. Squirt boats are a combination of whitewater playboat and slalom boat. They are intended for ease in burying the ends of the craft for "stunt" play. Whitewater touring kayaks are high volume so the paddler has plenty of storage space for gear without having to sacrifice responsiveness on the river.