Picking the Perfect Kayak or Paddleboard for Boaters

 For us, cruising is a way to spend more time on and near the water. We've always lived close to the ocean, and our first liveaboard boat was purchased because we realized that it was silly to own a home and dream of the few days each month we got to spend on the water. Why not combine the two? 

We've been paddling enthusiasts for decades. Matt got his first Ocean Kayak in California back in 1991. Since then, we've gone through a steady stream of paddle-powered craft, some have served us well, and some have been terrible. 

Our purpose here is to share what we believe are essential considerations for paddling craft for cruising boaters. Most boats we see, especially those in popular cruising spots like the Chesapeake or The Bahamas, carry some form of fun paddle craft. 

Overall, the four primary considerations for selecting the best kayak or paddleboard for a boater are:

1. Ease of storage. Where are you going to put it on your boat? Will it be in the way, or unsightly, more often than it's enjoyed? It should earn its keep.

2. Ease of use. How much setup is required? If it takes more than 10 minutes to set up, it will get used less often.

3. Usability in the desired location. Can you enter and exit easily from your boat at anchor? If you want to hop off and go swim, can you get on and off easily? Can you easily beach it without damaging it? 

4. Glide and tracking. A paddle-powered vessel should not be difficult to control; it should have a good balance between maneuverability and stability. When rowing, it should not change direction with each stroke–the boat should glide true between strokes, yet require only minimal effort to turn with the need arises. Good glide and tracking also mean the vessel will hold her course better when the wind picks up. We find that very short kayaks (11 feet and below) fail this measure. 

Let's take a look at the various styles of craft available and how you might use them. The brands listed here are ones that we've used or that have caught our eye. It's not an endorsement so much as a recommendation of brands and models worth further research. We have no affiliation with any of these companies. Unlike most lists you'll find online though, we are familiar with these brands and paddlesports in general. We aren't just sharing Amazon stats and affiliate links. 😉

Kayaks

Sit-In Kayaks

Kayaks are sit-down vessels and use two-sided paddles. Compared to canoes, they are usually lower-profile and sleeker. They come in two main styles–sit-in and sit-on-top.

"Classic" kayaks are sit-in. You sit on the bottom of the hull, so your center of gravity is low, and they are very stable. For very cold or rough water, you can add a spray skirt over the hatch, keeping the hull more or less dry and buoyant. Sit-ins require a little practice to ensure you can safely get out or rollover should you tip. 

Sit-in kayaks can be elegant and beautiful vessels. They usually built of fiberglass, but there are plenty of plastic ones out there too. Check out Current Designs for some of the most beautiful boats around. 

We owned a tandem sit-in kayak before liveaboard life. It was a Seda 21, and it was a monster at 21 feet long and over 100 pounds. But you could load it with gear and take off camping for up to a week. Many Keys and Everglades adventures were had. 

Sit-ins are generally not ideal for the type of paddling we like to do. First off, they are bulky to store on deck. Secondly, they're challenging to get on and off from the boat and the water. You can't swim or snorkel off of a sit-in kayak. We love paddling them, but they are more for expeditions or camping trips than for the casual paddling around anchorages we like. We might change our tune if we were boating in the Pacific Northwest, but we stick to warm waters. 

Another great kayak we owned was a small 14-foot tandem sit-in. These styles of boats are much closer to canoes than kayaks, but they have at least a partially enclosed deck. Matt liked this boat, and Lucy hated this boat. It was small for two people, but it tracked well and paddled nicely. It held a lot of gear, and the seats were comfortable. It would definitely be an option for keeping on board if you didn't plan to get in and out from the water for swimming, and you had a low swim platform on your boat. 

Favorite Brands

Perception–https://www.perceptionkayaks.com/us/

Eddyline Sit-ins–https://eddyline.com/kayaks/recreational-kayaks 

Current Designs–https://www.wildernesssystems.com/us/

Wilderness Systems–https://www.wildernesssystems.com/us/

Sit-on-Top (SOT) Kayaks

Sit-on-top kayaks are where it's at for boating and playing on the beach. Some say that serious paddlers disregard them, to which we say, "Codswallop!" They are stable and watertight. They are more often than not plastic, which is hardy on beaches. If you fall off of a sit-on, you get back on. Don't let me convince you that it's easy, but it's a whole lot easier than getting in and out of a sit-in. They are flatter than sit-ins too, so they take up less space if you're storing them along lifelines. 

Not all sit-on kayaks are created equally, and there are several kayak brands to avoid. Several companies made well-designed, quality sit-on-tops in the 1990s that become extremely popular. In the 2000s, knock-off brands popped up everywhere with designs that tracked poorly and were terrible to paddle in any sort of chop or wind. Some had plastic too thin that cracked easily, especially after UV exposure. A good rule of thumb is to shop in kayak shops–not at big-box retailers. 

We have owned many sit-on kayaks over the last 20 years. My absolute favorite was my Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro. OK no longer makes the Scupper Pro, but the molds were bought by RTM, who now sells it as the Tempo. At 15 feet, it's the perfect length to carry heavier paddlers and lots of gear. The seat is extremely low to the water, it was stable and fast, and it had just the right mix of stability and maneuverability.  

Lucy had an RTM Disco for awhile. This was the prettiest sit-on kayak we've ever seen, with lines similar to a classic sit-in kayak. It was nimble and fun to paddle, but it was on the small side. It was great for playing at the beach, and we did camp off of it occasionally (but I was carrying most of the gear in my Scupper Pro!)  

Another great sit-on-top kayak I once owned was a 15-foot Futura surf ski. Surf skis are popular on the Pacific, but unheard of on the Atlantic coast. A regulation surf ski for racing is 21 feet long and 21 inches wide. They're fast as lightning but also tippy and not very maneuverable–they're built for racing or exercise. They are all about weight savings, so they are always fiberglass or carbon fiber. The Futura isn't made anymore, but it was a sweet ride and combined the litheness of a surf ski with the usability of a recreational sit-on-top. Since they're so long with incredible glide, surf skis usually have rudders like longer touring kayaks do to help their maneuverability.

When shopping for a sit-on kayak, you want to look at the quality of construction (how thick is the plastic?), the shape of the hull, and how comfortable it is to sit on will help you know which kayak brands to avoid. You want something that looks like a boat, or at least like a classic kayak. If you want something flat to save space, think about looking into a paddleboard. 

We are not fans of very short and very wide kayaks because they paddle slowly and are uncomfortable to row. The perfect length for a single person kayak is somewhere between 13 and 15 feet. If it looks like a foam boogie board, that's precisely how it will paddle. It will be no good with any amount of wind or chop, and it will require constant work to keep it tracking on course. 

Lastly, your kayak should be comfortable to sit in for a long time. Kayaks give you the option of going off for a half-day or full-day of exploration, so make it easy on yourself. Some sit-on boats are dryer than others, but if you don't want to get wet, consider a good set of scupper plugs and drip catchers for your paddle. 

For whatever reason, most of the best recreational kayaks are now marketed as fishing kayaks. While fishing from it might not appeal to you, the boats probably will. They have nicer hull shapes and more storage capacity. It's all in the marketing, so remember you can use the kayak however you see fit. The sit-on-top market seems to have fragmented into 1) inexpensive, short and fat beach kayaks, 2) nice load-carrying "fishing" boats, and 3) paddleboards. 

The only disadvantage we see with sit-on kayaks is the space they take up on your boat. Some vessels may have space, especially trawlers with upper decks or catamarans that don't mind them on the lifelines. They're fun, and since you can just throw them in the water, you'll probably use them more. Since they are more seaworthy than other options, you can use them for quick trips to shore as an alternative to a dinghy. A nice one will allow you to get there and back in chop and wind. 

Favorite brands:

Ocean Kayak–https://oceankayak.johnsonoutdoors.com

Vibe Kayaks–https://vibekayaks.com

RTM–https://www.rtmkayaks.com/en/rtm/canoes-kayaks-2/ 

Wilderness Systems–https://www.wildernesssystems.com/us/ 

Eddyline Caribbean lineup–https://eddyline.com/kayaks/sit-on-top-kayaks 

Folding Kayak

Oru Kayaks now sells a line of folding kayaks, which look interesting for boaters. They fold up into suitcase-sized cases and set up reasonably quick. This looks like a great idea, and we'd love to try one out sometime. I came close to buying one but decided on a paddleboard instead. Maybe next time!

Neris Kayaks from Ukraine makes several folding models, as well as a hybrid folding/inflatable. Their boats look sleek and fold small; they're certainly worth investigating if you're looking for a folding kayak. 

Oru Kayak–https://www.orukayak.com

Neris Kayaks–https://neriskayaks.com/?l=en

Inflatable Kayaks

There have been several brands of low-pressure inflatable kayaks around for decades. We've never invested in one because they look basically like pool toys. We know Out Chasing Stars enjoyed one on their circumnavigation but eventually sold it in favor of inflatable paddleboards. They are certainly easy to store and a cost-effective way to have a water toy. Many are made by towable or pool toy companies like Surveyor and Intex. 

One boat that has interested us is the high-pressure kayak available from Sea Eagle called the RazorLite. We had a Sea Eagle dinghy once, and they are average quality products that should be fine for occasional use. The high-pressure parts of this boat make it interesting since theoretically, it should be able to handle a little bit of chop and wind. Still, it's a flat bottom boat and far less seaworthy than a nice plastic boat. 

Also, check out the newest offering from Bote, which is a combination of kayak paddleboard. It's a really innovative design and from a much better brand. 

Sea Eagle–https://www.seaeagle.com/inflatable-kayaks

Bote–https://www.boteboard.com/collections/kayaks

Tandem Kayaks

For cruising couples, a tandem is a fun idea. You should know that not everyone likes tandem kayaks, and like anything else in boating, there are compromises involved. 

Some tandems have moveable seats or a seating position that allows for one paddler to take it out. These seldom work well, in our experience, just because the boat is designed to carry two. With only one person, it suddenly becomes awkwardly long and wide. 

We've tried them, and have found ourselves much happier with two separate kayaks. Your results may vary. 

Favorite models

OK Malibu Two–https://oceankayak.johnsonoutdoors.com/kayaking/tandem/malibu-two

Perception–https://www.perceptionkayaks.com/us/kayaks/tandem-two-person-kayak

Paddleboards

Paddleboarding took off about ten years ago, and nearly all recreational paddling has shifted from kayaks to boards. As hardcore paddlers, we resisted as long as we could. But on close analysis, the concept is just too good to pass up. The boards are flat, so they store easily. When standing up, you can see more things underwater (fish, manatees, dolphins, rays, corals, whatever!) 

There are two types of paddleboards–planing hulls for sport and exercise, and displacement hulls for touring and carrying stuff. Both rely entirely on a fin for directional stability, but the displacement boards have a bit of hull shape and are generally much more pleasant to paddle. Displacement boards are just surfboards in disguise, which is excellent if you want to surf with them. 

It's essential to get a board that fits you and the load you want to carry. If you are near the max weight for the board, it will be very tippy. You want to start with a board that can handle much more than your weight and then move down. You'll enjoy the experience a lot more since you can spend your time paddling and exploring rather than just trying to stay upright.

Another thing to remember about paddleboards is that you don't have to stand up. Most people learn by kneeling at first. You can also sit cross-legged or sit on a bucket or seat. There are no rules other than to have fun. 

Hard paddleboards are made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. Either way, they are somewhat delicate, and you need to be careful around rocks and sand. They're easy to repair, but it's easier just be nice to them. If you leave them in the water, they will bang against the boat, which can chip them easily. They're easy enough to haul out of the water, so it's best just to keep them on deck. There are a few options made of plastic, but these are usually much too bulky and weirdly shaped.

On our catamaran, my toy was a Boardworks Kraken. It was a 12'6" displacement board, now discontinued. The Kraken was so beefy that all three of us (me, Lucy, and the dog) could take it to shore in calm anchorages. It fit perfectly when hung underneath our cockpit hardtop, where it became a part of the decor. Some of these boards are so beautiful that it's nice to appreciate them all the time. It did get a little beat up from the cruising lifestyle, but with a little care, it performed flawlessly, and we loved being able to grab it and go on a whim.

There aren't any specific brands to recommend here, because there are many many fiberglass paddleboard companies in the world today. And beyond the aesthetics of the veneers, there seem to be very few differences between them. Many of the best paddleboards come from small boutique builders, so try to shop locally. 

Inflatable Paddleboards

Inflatable standup paddleboards, or iSUPs, are made of one high-pressure drop-stitched air chamber. They usually inflate to between 12 and 17 psi, which takes some effort on your part (most dinghies are inflated to about three psi for reference). When properly inflated, these are nearly as hard as regular boards and are easy to stand on. They handle fine, and they're a lot of fun. 

Our current water toys are a pair of inflatable paddleboards. We have a love-hate relationship with these guys. At the moment, we are delighted. But we also had a pair of iSUPs on our catamaran, and they died tragic deaths. Not from hitting rocks or floating away, either. They died when their seams failed after less than a year of light use. The first pair got replaced under warranty, and then the second set died just after the warranty ended. One death was shocking, as the board literally exploded while in the water behind the boat. It had overheated in the sun, and the explosion was thunderous! Thank goodness we weren't on it at the time! All of those failed boards were Isle brand, purchased on Amazon.

When we downsized for monohull life, we struggled with the idea of buying more of these things. But the concept is too good to pass up, so we invested in two much higher-quality boards. Lucy has a Boardworks Verve, and Matt has a much bigger Bote HD Aero. The Verve is nice, but the Bote is fantastic. We've had them both for over a year now, and they've performed flawlessly. Hopefully, they'll keep going. If you're interested in an iSUP, we strongly encourage you to purchase a higher-end board that will last longer than the inexpensive bargain-priced ones.

We enjoy the paddleboards as vehicles to travel to shore and back on, and we like to leave them in the water when swimming as a sort of "poor man's swim platform." They're super fun, and we love having them aboard. 

Favorite Brands

Bote–https://www.boteboard.com/collections/inflatable-paddle-boards

There are probably others that are just as good, but get the best warranty you can find and avoid Chinese/AliExpress knock-offs!

One Final Note–Paddles

Don't skimp here. We have found that how much we enjoy a boat is directly linked to how nice our paddle is. Paddles come made out of three material options–plastic/metal, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. Plastic/metal paddles are for rental boats and not for enjoying your paddling experience. Don't do it.

The best value paddles are all fiberglass or a blend of a fiberglass blade and a carbon shaft. All carbon paddles are the lightest, but they're also the most expensive. You can get a very nice paddle for $200-300. Make sure it is sized correctly for your boat and your body!

Several brands have incorporated pedal-power systems. We have no experience with these; we have always preferred old-school paddling. The advantage of having your hands free is obvious for kayak fishermen, though.

Favorite brands

Werner–https://www.wernerpaddles.com 

Boardworks–https://boardworkssurf.com/collections/paddles 

Most paddleboard companies have lines of high-end paddles, but be wary of those that come with the board as a "kit."

Conclusion

Unless you use it as your primary tender, a kayak or paddleboard is a luxury on board a cruising boat. But what good is life on the water if you can't spend time enjoying time on the water? Most of us are out here on the water because we love it, making a paddle craft a perfect water toy. Finding the one you'll enjoy most is a balancing act–like nearly all choices involving boats–of space constraints versus desirable features. 

We find that kayaks are better options if you need to get to shore on choppy or windy days. If you just want a toy for when the water is calm, and the swimming is good, paddleboards are where it's at.