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So after spending a few family days on the beach (Cornwall and south coast) I think I'm getting the watersport bug. Have been mainly swimming and bodyboarding but now have the itch for a SUP and/or kayak and/or dinghy.
Checked out some random pricing last night but don't know where to begin and what to look for. Nearest decent bit of coast (Brighton along to West Wittering) is 60-100 mins away, so I'm mindful of the time commitment. Not sure about messing about in lakes as I prefer the expansive/explorative element of being out in the sea.
Methinks this'll be mainly for me but my 9yr old son might well tag along.
So, what have you got ... what should I be looking for ... where should I start?
Cheers all
EDIT: Is this mainly a 3-season pursuit? Not sure I can see myself out there in the rough in the middle of winter.
Some of the best days on the water are in the depths of winter.
2xs at West Wittering for a course in SUP/Windsurfing and watercraft should be a base point.
Decide from there which of the activities you enjoy most, then buy decent stuff and decent wetsuits.
I have a sit on top, my mates just bought an inflatable kayak. He keeps up with me and keeps it in his car boot. Reckons it's 20 mins car to sea,
Best thing is after I have to keep the kayak on top of car in view, his is hidden in boot, so he can go out anywhere,or go to work...
Novelty may soon wear off so buy secondhand you will get your money back. Used kayaks are c 50% new price and sell quickly, I got a carbon paddle from decathlon, an old sailing life jacket and a decathlon shorty for 20 gbp.
So all in cost a grand for 2 sit on top kayaks, wetsuits, roof rack and j bars, carbon paddle. Easily get it back and used them c 20 x this year.
I’ll leave this here regarding dinghy sailing. You could learn on a lake and then stretch those skills on the sea.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/dinghy-sailing/
Kayaks probably most accessable , price wise and second hand availablity. plus will go on a roof rack. Quickest to set up and break down too. But SUP rigid comes a close second, inflatable a few minutes longer
Dinghy lots more commitment, cost , time , est up , dismantle, tow bar / trailer, maintenance..
SUP will probably get you most TOW as conditions are favourable most days, plus you can canal them with the appropriate ticket so no need to drive all the way to the sea.
Kite sufing? Easier to learn than windsurfing, expensive though , potentialy more dangerous then all of the above, but also more gnar
Budget around £200 for a suit that will do 9 / 12 mths. More for a 4 seasons .
Ta for the feedback chaps - certainly food for thought as I'm kind of narrowing down my demands but also identifying more questions.
The missus doesn't fancy joining us so a decent 2 seater will suffice.
iSUPs seem very expensive for what they offer. Not enough justifiably affordable ones going secondhand in the SE for me to really consider one right now.
So an inflatable kayak seems the way to go.
Did think about a secondhand Z-Pro Tango but a few negative articles re seams blowing and poor warranty has me less than keen.
A new Itiwit is maybe the best option. Loads of spares available and people with issues have generally had refunds/replacements. However, I'm 6'3 and the seats look piddly. Reckon I'll need something more suitable. Carbon paddles - can't justify the upgrade quite yet and nothing really doing it for me on eBay.
Itiwit seems sensible enough for cruising along the south coast. Taking monkey jnr means hugging the coastline more than I would if going solo in a hardshell. Understanding tides seems a pre-req too.
For rivers, eg Adur, Arun, Mole and the Wey, I assume a license is needed? Seems better buy a national one and be done with it?
We already have shorties and BAs, just need to look a couple of 4/5mm jobbies.
Good point about taking a lesson. Am shortlisting WW along with a couple around Brighton/Shoreham.
Any other pointers?
Cheers all
The difference between a hardshell kayak and an inflatable is much bigger than the difference between a non-folding bike and a folding bike. The Itiwit isn't much more than a KSO; it will be OK on gentle rivers, lakes with not much wind and the sea near a beach with an onshore wind, but I wouldn't want to use it for coastal touring.
So far as licencing goes, you generally need a licence for canals and other artificial or artificially modified waterways. You buy individual licence or join British Canoeing - membership covers most of them. So far as natural rivers are concerned, the situation is disputed, most paddlers think there's a right of navigation and most anglers think there isn't, see riveraccessforall.co.uk
If you're going on the sea, understand tides and weather (inflatables are particular vulnerable to wind) and carry at least one phone (that you expect to be able to get a signal on) in a waterproof cover.
I'd love to kick start this potential adventure with a hardshell but the logistics of sourcing one and storing it are not in my favour. The missus will see it as another big toy to go with my 3 bikes. Whereas an inflatable won't be so 'in yer face'.
So I reckon I might have to start with the latter, use it a few times and see if that provides justification for a hardshell.
Re the Itiwit, I'll defo be hugging the shoreline but only after I've at least got the basics of tide knowledge. Rivers and lakes mainly to start with.
Checking out that river access site, it seems our waterways are frowned upon by various parties just as much as our byways are by the anti-biking fraternity. Sounds joyful.
I have open canoes and have been doing a bit of SUPing this summer.
I used to windsurf and will get back to that this year.
Id not be taking an inflatable kayak on the sea, a sit on top is way safer and easier to manage.
SUP is good for light winds, most now come with Windsurfing mast tracks for a bit more variety too