Whitewater Kayaking Basics

How To Choose A Whitewater Spray Skirt

A whitewater kayak spray skirt is an integral component of the kayak-kayaker system. On whitewater kayaks, the spray skirt welds kayak and paddler into a single watertight unit that can pierce through waves, plunge down waterfalls, and roll over and up again with impunity. To achieve these things, the skirt must fit both boat and paddler properly and be of suitable construction for the task at hand. Whitewater spray skirts are made out of a heavier, more durable material than touring skirts, and provide a snug fit around your waist, keeping moisture out, and warmth in. You want to ensure your skirts compatibility with your body, your boat, and you style

A kayaker needs a spray skirt. It keeps the sun off your knees, keeps the water from dribbling down your paddle into your lap, and keeps errant waves from splashing into the cockpit and swamping your kayak. It should fit snugly on the cockpit coaming, but be easy to release in the event of a capsize.

Tunnel

This is the tubular, vertical part of the spray skirt that goes around your torso. It can be made of fabric or neoprene.

Neoprene tunnels for whitewater are warm to wear and can't be vented. However, neoprene stretches to create a seal along the full length of the torso, providing excellent water-tightness. Adjustment straps on some touring skirts let you loosen the tunnel for comfort in calm conditions and cinch it tighter in rough weather. (As a bonus, they also accommodate weight gain or loss.) Whitewater tunnels are usually precisely sized instead of adjustable, for a wrinkle-free fit and the most watertight seal possible.

Deck

This is the flat, horizontal part of the spray skirt that runs from the coaming (rim) of the kayak cockpit to the bottom of the tunnel. Like tunnels, decks can be made of waterproof fabrics, or neoprene.

Neoprene decks for whitewater and some touring models, are warmer and bulkier, but stretch taut like a drum skin to shed water. The surface fabric on neoprene can vary; decks intended for heavy-duty use may be partially or entirely covered with abrasion resistant fabric. Some decks are also reinforced with an implosion bar – a sewn-in batten that stiffens the deck and increases its resistance to being staved in by a wave.

Deck Attachment

The deck of a spray skirt is secured under the lip of the cockpit coming with an adjustable shockcord, a sewn bungee cord, or a rubber rand.

Sewn bungee cord is attached to the neoprene for a tighter fit and better seal than shockcord. This system can be slightly difficult to release from fiberglass coamings.

Rubber rand is essentially a very stiff, rubber band, about an inch wide and an eighth of an inch thick, attached around the deck’s edge. Rands are used only on neoprene decks, and almost exclusively on whitewater kayaks. When the spray skirt is attached, the rand lies flat against the underside of the coaming lip. The wide seal and wrinkle-free fit provide a watertight closure and resist being torn off by water. The disadvantage is lack of adjustability. The size and shape of the deck must be matched to a particular cockpit.

Sizing

• Tunnels can be one-size-fits-all, or sized to fit various waistlines.

• To fit a deck, consult the manufacturer's list to see if which decks fit which types of boats.

• You can also measure the longest and widest parts of your boat's cockpit coaming, and match these dimensions to those given for the spray skirt deck.

• To check the fit (before you go paddling) put on the spray skirt, get in your boat, fasten the spray skirt, and lean forward, back, and to each side, making sure the skirt stays firmly in place. Push down on the front of the skirt, as though a wave were landing in your lap. Make sure the skirt does not slip off the coaming.

Last, but far from least, check that you can reliably release the spray skirt in case you have to bail out after a capsize.