Get Started Kayaking With Your Grandchildren

Advice for novice paddlers from the expert kayaker who wrote the book, literally

Even if you have fond memories of canoeing at camp when you were younger, kayaking may be new to you. Here are some tips for getting started from Karen Blom, coauthor, with her husband, Bruce Lessels, of Paddling with Kids (Appalachian Mountain Club Books, 2002).

1. "Don’t take children out on the water unless they (and you) know how to swim." It seems like a no-brainer, but Blom says, "Sometimes you have to spell things out."

2. Start on flat water, a quiet lake or pond. Blom says, "Streams or brooks which may be babbling in summer can be a raging torrent in spring or after a heavy rain."

3. Wear a properly fitted personal flotation device (PFD) at all times on the water. "That’s been proven over time to save lives," says Blom. "It won’t help you if it’s in the bottom of the boat."

4. Get some training. Blom, co-owner of Zoar Outdoor Adventures in Charlemont, Mass., says it’s imperative to learn the basics from a qualified instructor.

5. You don’t need to be able to perform an Eskimo Roll to kayak safely. But you do have to know how to self-rescue — how to flip out of your kayak, right it, and get back in. This may be as simple as swimming to the shore and climbing back in the boat.

PFDs are generally sized by the weight of the paddler. Susan Connor, assistant manager of the L.L.Beans Outdoor Discovery Schools, describes how to check if a PFD is properly fitted: "Tighten all the buckles until they are snug. Hook your hands under the shoulder seams and lift up. Your thumbs should not reach your ears. If they do, the life vest is too loose and won’t keep you safe in the water."

On the water, wear the PFD fully zipped and buckled. If it’s hot, take a dip while wearing the PFD before you get in the boat. Connor also suggests drinking a lot of water, and swishing a hat in the water and putting it on your head to cool off.

Traditional kayaks have cockpits where you sit inside the boat. There may be space for a youngster to sit in front of you. Blom likes these boats because there’s plenty of storage capacity in the bow or stern for food, drinks, and other gear.

Sit-on-tops are just that, you sit on top of the plastic boat. Blom says, "You're going to get wet, so wear paddling gear."

Both traditional kayaks and sit-on-tops come in single and tandem configurations. The lighter paddler usually goes in front. Blom likes the tandems. She says, "Kids tend to tire out. In the tandems, they don’t have to paddle all the time. It gives the kid a chance rest." By the time children reach 10 or 12, years old, they'll probably want to paddle their own craft.

When possible, Connor says she likes to start children and grandparents out in solo boats. That way, novice paddlers don’t have to worry about synching their strokes. L.L. Bean accepts children as young as 8 on its two-and-a half hour Walk-On Kayak Adventures.

Recreational kayaks made of durable plastic are wider than sea kayaks, and they have flat bottoms. They are stable in the water, and getting in and out of them is comfortable. Though heavier, they wear better when dragged in and out of the water. L.L.Bean uses the Old Town Dirigo model for its kayaking clinics.

Just like a life vest, a paddle should be fitted to a paddler. Connor says standard charts are available to gauge paddle size by a person’s height, experience level, and the type of boat they’ll be using. She says children starting out in a recreational boat tend to do better with a longer paddle, say 220 centimeters rather than 210. The longer paddle gives them more reach in wider boats.

Aluminum paddles are heavier and cheaper. Paddles with carbon shafts are lighter, more expensive, and less tiring to use, especially if you’ve got shoulder or arm problems. Connor says, "A paddle can make or break your day if it’s too heavy."

Other gear you might need:
• A cell phone for emergencies
• Water bottle
• Quick-drying shorts and top
• Closed-toe shoes to get in and out without stubbing your toes
• Sunscreen
• Hat

Here are a few short kayak adventures around the country suitable for grandparents and grandchildren.

Guests as young as 7 are welcome on the Bioluminescent Night Paddle in Maine’s Penobscot Bay with Castine Kayak Adventures. Castine Harbor’s waters sparkle at night with glow-in-the-dark phytoplankton called dinoflagellates. The two-hour paddle is offered every Friday night June through mid-October.

If you’ve read Misty of Chincoteague, you’ll get a lot more from a two-and-a-half hour paddle with Virginia’s Oyster Bay Outfitters. Guides take guests of all ages in single and tandem kayaks between Chincoteague Island and the national wildlife refuge where the wild ponies graze. "I've never been out there and haven’t seen the ponies," says grandmother Patty Ellison of Oyster Bay Outfitters.

San Diego’s Family Kayak Adventure Center hosts a three-hour paddle for ages 2 and up through Mission Bay, home to wild pelicans and sea lions. Fitting life vests and safety instruction takes a half hour. Guests then head out on the water for two-and-a-half hours in kayaks that seat two in one large cockpit.

Jeff and Marcia Rohr of Rohr’s Wilderness Tours in Conover, Wis., say their strongest group of customers are ages 50 to 70. The Rohrs paddle the headwaters of the Wisconsin River, a gently flowing wild stream. All ages are welcome for everything from a 45-minute self-guided float to a multiday escorted trip. Paddlers may see eagles, beaver, otter, and the occasional bear.

Susan Tigert, a state park interpreter, leads kayak trips on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas. She suggests the Kayak Coving adventure for novices, where paddlers spend one-and-one-half hours on the lake close to the shore, exploring coves. Children younger than 12 ride in a tandem with an adult.

Similarly, you may also enjoy the article Kayaking With My Grandchildren and a guide to exploring the outdoors in 4-Season Fun in the Mountains. Also, check out this New York City Things To Do listing: Kayaking in the East and Hudson Rivers.