Editing Kayaking (section)

==Equipment==
[[Image:Glow worms hig res 003.jpg|thumb|Glowworm Kayaking at Waimarino Adventure Park]]
There are many types of kayaks used in flat water and whitewater kayaking. The sizes and shapes vary drastically depending on what type of water to be paddled on and also what the paddler would like to do. The second set of essentials for kayaking is an off-set paddle where the paddle blades are tilted to help reduce wind resistance while the other blade is being used in the water. These vary in length and also shape depending on the intended use, the height of the paddler, and the paddler's preference. Kayaks should be equipped with one or more [[buoyancy aid]] (also called flotation) which creates air space that helps prevent a kayak from sinking when filled with water. A life jacket should be worn at all times (also called a personal flotation device or PFD), and a [[helmet]] is also often required for most kayaking and is mandatory for [[white water kayaking]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kayak Safety – Essential Paddling Safety Tips|url=https://globooutdoors.com/kayak-safety-paddling-safety-tips/|website=Globo Outdoors|access-date=19 January 2018|archive-date=25 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225093113/https://globooutdoors.com/kayak-safety-paddling-safety-tips/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=gb>{{cite book|last=Bigelow|first=Jodi|title=Kayaking for Fitness|url=https://archive.org/details/kayakingforfitne0000bige|url-access=registration|quote=Kayaking.|publisher=The Heliconia Press|date=2008|access-date=13 July 2015|isbn=9781896980379}}</ref> Various other pieces of safety gear include a whistle for signaling for help; throwing ropes to help rescue other kayakers; and, a diving knife and appropriate water shoes should be used depending upon the risks the water and terrain pose. Proper clothing such as a dry suit, wetsuit or spray top also help protect kayakers from cold water or air temperatures.<ref>{{cite web|title=American Canoe Association: Paddling 101: A Newcomer's Guide to Safe Canoeing and Kayaking|url=https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.americancanoe.org/resource/resmgr/sei-educational_resources/paddling_101-aca.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.americancanoe.org/resource/resmgr/sei-educational_resources/paddling_101-aca.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Types of kayaks===
"Sit on top" kayaks place the paddler in an open, shallowly concave deck above the water level. This style is usually used for non-white water activities as most find it harder to stay inside the kayak while also preventing them from "rolling" which allows the user to upright themselves if they flip over. There are some benefits to sit on tops such as the ability for a "dry hatch" these are a compartment, that usually runs the length of the kayak, which in addition to providing more buoyancy allows for the kayaker to store various equipment. "Sit on top" kayaks often use "through holes" which allows any water that got in the boat to make it through the deck and dry hatch to drain.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why a sit-on-top kayak?|url=http://www.oceankayak.com/innovation/why_a_sit_on_top/|publisher=Ocean Kayak|access-date=July 18, 2015}}</ref> "Cockpit style" involves sitting with the legs and hips inside the kayak hull with a [[spray deck]] or "spray skirt" that creates a water-resistant seal around the waist. There is a wide range of "cockpit style" boats which usually allow for more user control of the boat as they are able to push against the walls of the boat to tip in order to complete maneuvers. A common variant of "cockpit style" kayaks are "play boats" these are usually very short kayaks in which the user does tricks and maneuvers: "Inflatables" are a hybrid of the two previous configurations; these boats have an open deck, but the paddler sits below the level of the deck. These boats are often subject to more instability due to the way the boat sits higher in the water. They are often used in a more commercial setting, they are often affectionately called "Duckies". "Tandems" are configured for multiple paddlers, in contrast to the single person designs featured by most kayaks. Tandems can be used by two or even three paddlers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kayaking News|url=http://www.paddlelakeerie.com|website=Paddle Lake Erie|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref>