The Weird and the Wonderful of the Paddling World - Seven of the Best
Bored of bog standard kayaks? Need something with a little stamp of individuality? Well if variety is the spice of life, these kayaks are the Red Savina habañero of the boating world.
Stand up please for the catamaran kayak
Designed primarily for kayak anglers, the WaveWalk has to be one of the most peculiar looking kayaks on the market. The twin hulls offer excellent stability - the idea being the kayaker can stand up confidently in the boat while fishing. The cockpit is large and spacious enough to store the catch. Although designed for anglers, WaveWalks have really caught on and are being used by kayakers who want the incredible stability and comfort the craft offers. What's more, it looks pretty snazzy too.The kayak sailing boat
At 18ft long, the Triak is half kayak and half sailing boat and it can convert between the two in a matter of seconds. Trimaran in design, its makers - Triak - claim it is the ultimate sailing kayak. And who's going to argue? It features a patented wing and dual-outrigger design with a foldable sail rig for a unique and versatile sailing and paddling experience. It is, quite simply, a stunning bit of kit. But at about £3,000 it's not cheap.The cutest canoe in the world?
When it was first unleashed on the world, many paddlers looked at the Cu Fly and thought "what the hell is that". A few years on and Robson's ultra-short freestyle playboat has admirers the world over. At 6ft 10in long, it is one of the shortest - and cutest - boats out there. What makes it especially unusual is the fact it is technically a canoe, what with its open cockpit and all. It is designed to be pushed to the limits and its moves rival pretty much any kayak - including cartwheels and spins. It comes with airbags, adjustable footrest, foam pedestal and knee cups. The kayak that flies
Its builders claim it is the fastest kayak in the world. Why? Because unlike most boats this one flies. Built by Foilkayak, the boat glides along on a foil. As such, it can only be used for shorter distances - say 100m to 2,000m. To get it airborne, the paddler paddles and the front of the boat lifts off. As momentum is gained, the rear lifts off as well. At this point the hull is entirely clear of the water and maximum speed can be gained. While the average fit kayaker might get 6m/s out of their boat, the Flyak will do 13m/s. To get the best out of the Flyak, Foilkayak recommends a long paddle - 225cm is a minimum and the paddler needs to be fit.
The kayak you can get in a backpack
2009 will see a new generation of lightweight portable kayaks and canoes being unveiled. Although the skin-on-frame idea is not new, its portability certainly is. This boat fits into a backpack! As Foldlite President Charles Griffin explains, the idea was to combine a great portable kayaking system with space-age technology. Boasting the highest strength-to-weight ratio in foldable craft, Foldlite uses polypropylene corrugated panels for a hull that is 10 times stronger than the standard rigid-shell material. This material also provides the safety and durability of a double-layer design, offering the unique advantages of high-impact shock absorption, strength and flexibility. In addition, Foldlite kayaks and canoes condense into a custom water-resistant backpack with a total carrying weight ranging between 20 to 24 pounds, and are easily assembled in about 15 – 30 minutes. It will be launched next Spring. We can't wait!Make sure you're wearing underwear
No, it is not quite like the see-through Aston Martin in Die Another Day...but if James Bond ever goes paddling, he might well choose this kayak. The world's only folding transparant kayak, the Napali from Clear Blue Hawaii has to be one of the most unusual forays into boat design. The Napali is supported by a high-tech, durable and corrosion-resistant internal Carbon Kevlar frame system that comes equipped with a transparent military-grade Urethane skin, keeping the weight at a minimum. Why would you want one? Well, not only would be great if you lost your keys in it but if you can see the sea life beneath you - not bad if you're in the red sea!
Speaking of James Bond...
Okay, so this is a system rather than a kayak. But if you need to preserve your shoulder and arm strength and kayak silently, the Stealthdrive might be just the thing. The SD30 from Stealthdrive, is a near-silent computer-controlled electronic motor designed specifically for kayaks. It consists of an integrated rudder/motor mount, a main unit that houses most of the control circuitry and safety sensors, and a handset that is used to control all aspects of the system. It can be mounted permanently or temporarily and while the basic model comes only with forward propulsion, other options include a reverse unit. Best of all, if you capsize you motorised kayak won't carry on without you.
