Have a kayak transported with United Airlines?

Choosing your kayak is not easy and you have to take a lot of parameters into consideration. Transport is a predominant criterion which will undoubtedly determine the frequency of your outings.

The difficulty of setting up your boat can be a brake, as opposed to launching, or easy transport can encourage you to go out more.

The regulations are important to know before transporting your kayak on a United plane

United Airlines advises its passengers that the carriage of Kayak on board its aircraft as checked baggage is not possible, thus, the passenger only has the option of carrying it with the United Cargo freight service.

What is the difference between a canoe, a kayak and a sea kayak?

Originally, canoes were boats used by North American Indians to travel through many of the great lakes and torrential rivers of Canada. These boats were intended to be handled by several people, on their knees and equipped with a single paddle. Today, boats have evolved somewhat and we differentiate between several types of boats: the traditional canoe and the whitewater canoe.

The traditional canoe is a long, slender and open boat, intended for long journeys on relatively calm rivers. It is practiced with several people, sitting and kneeling with a single paddle.

The whitewater canoe is also practiced on the knees but it is smaller in order to gain maneuverability in the descents of rivers.

Then the kayak … It was originally used by the Inuit to hunt seals and whales from the Aleutian Islands on the east coast of Greenland. The kayaker was still seated in a hole closed by a skirt and used a double paddle for propulsion. These boats were very long, very thin and very light. Today, we can differentiate two main types of kayaking: kayaking and sea kayaking.

The kayak is a short and very manoeuvrable boat. It is practiced seated with a double paddle. Sea kayaking, on the other hand, is a very long and fairly thin, fast and stable boat. It can also be removable, foldable or not, single-seater or two-seater. This is the type of boat that we use at Nomade Aventure on certain trips over the water.

What are the five things to know before going on a kayaking trip?

– First, how should you dress?

It all depends on the climate, where you are going and the temperature of the water, of course. But as a general rule, synthetic materials are preferred, which absorb less water and dry faster. Closed shoes must also be worn.

In the Mediterranean and in hot weather, you can bring your swimsuit, shorts, short-sleeved or long-sleeved t-shirt to protect yourself from the sun, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and closed shoes.

In our latitudes, in spring as well as in autumn, it will be necessary to provide something to protect yourself from the wind, rain and cooler temperatures. We can bring a lycra, a waterproof windbreaker, and depending on the temperature one to several layers of fleece. We can also opt for a hood or a fisherman’s hat in oilskin, very appreciable.

In boreal regions or in winter, wear a full drysuit, very comfortable in harsh conditions, but above all which will allow you to stay dry after a fall in freezing water, an essential safety element! You can protect your hands with neoprene sleeves and add a cap under the rain hat. On the feet, thick warm socks in the wetsuit and on the outside, very wide neoprene boots, shoes or booties will be required. In Spitsbergen, for example, part of the equipment to face the polar cold, is provided by Nomade Aventure.

– Where do we sleep on a kayak trip?

Most often in a bivouac in a tent or under the stars on the beach, in a pine forest, on a flat rock or near water, to give you a few examples, in the Ionian Islands, we sleep directly on the beach and the tent is usually folded up inside the kayak. In Venice, we prefer small hotels in the heart of the lagoon. In Sweden, we sleep in wild camping on small islands, and a guide’s secret, … on some of these islands, we even find, as a bonus, saunas in the countryside, open to all.

How are baggage transported during the trip?

Clothing, sleeping bags, tents and food are transported in the kayak, distributed in small waterproof bags and slipped into the hull of the boat. You should know that a kayak can carry between 120 and 150 kg of load for a single-seater and between 250 to 350 kg for a two-seater, allowing you to roam with 15 days of food and 3 to 4 days of autonomy in water.

What are the specific safety rules for kayaking trips to know?

It is important to always take into account the weather, the tides, the state of the sea, the physical level of the group in order to adapt the course and the equipment of the trip. When you travel in a kayak, you only form a single crew and sail in a close group. Each limb is useful for everyone’s safety and it is therefore essential to practice basic maneuvers: desalinating, emptying the boat, getting back in without having your footing, towing another kayak, …

During the trips, the fleets are always made up of single-seater and two-seater kayaks. Kayakers are distributed among the boats according to their physical power and their current form, so that the speed of all the boats is uniform.