Kayak diving - plongée en kayak

Kayak Diving	Plongée Sous-Marine en Kayak

Kayak diving image courtesy of Jim Spears, www.kayak-diver.com
Open-deck kayaks, such as our Aire inflatables, are excellent platforms for diving, snorkeling, and swimming: - open decks allow easy exit and re-entry, as well as ready access to gear without having to remove hatches (open hatches are a hazard in open water; they can fill with water and sink the kayak) - very stable, and easy to re-enter, even from the side. - built-in flotation, with multiple air cells for redundancy in case of puncture - air cells are protected by an external hull (which protects against puncture, abrasion, and ultraviolet degradation) - floors are self-bailing, so even if water enters the boat (such as from large waves, or following a capsize in surf), it automatically drains from the bailing holes - most of the Aire solo kayaks have sufficient capacity and stability for a single diver - tandem kayaks provide a very large carrying capacity for a single diver, but for two divers it is best to use the larger tandems (Sea Tiger, Super Lynx, Traveler, PakCanoe 170)
PakCanoes can also be used for diving, but Outriggers should be used to increase stability (see the PakCanoe Accessories page). In addition, PakCanoes are not self-bailing, and any water that does enter the canoe must be removed using a bailer, pump, or sponge. The inflatable sponsons and the foam floor of PakCanoes provide stable flotation if the canoe does get swamped. Removable spray covers can be used to provide some protection against waves, although they are not suitable against large waves.
There are several websites dedicated to diving from Sit-On-Top (SOT) kayaks. Inflatable kayaks (IKs) have all the advantages of SOTs, but in addition are much easier to transport (via any means) and to store than rigid kayaks. Note that conventional sea or touring kayaks, with their small, confined cockpits and lower stability, are not suitable for diving.
Links to kayak diving websites: www.kayak-diver.com http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles/FishDive/index.html http://www.kayakdiving.com/
Although this page is dedicated principally to Scuba diving, the principles also apply to snorkeling and swimming.
Kayaks vs Surface Swim
- much less exhausting to reach the dive site by kayak than by surface swim; being less tired, the diver also consumes less air during the dive
- can carry extra tanks and gear
- kayak provides a larger, more visible dive marker
- rudder-equipped kayaks (such as the Sea Tiger) can also be propelled by kites or makeshift sails to conserve energy - motor mounts can be constructed for Aire IKs (see our Tips page); motor mounts for PakCanoes are available as an optional accessory (see PakCanoe Accessories)
Kayaks vs Motorized Inflatables
Many divers use motorized inflatable boats (Zodiac-type) for diving. These are clearly advantageous for covering long distances, or for carrying a larger number of divers. Kayaks however have several advantages, depending on the conditions under which they are used:
- easy to put into the water; don’t require a special boat launch (which are often crowded by other boaters)
- much smaller packed size and weight; easier to transport and store
- don’t require a trailer (which is more expensive, difficult to maneuver in traffic, and difficult to store)
- being much lighter and smaller, inflatable kayaks can be propelled by much smaller, lighter, and less expensive motors (2 HP gas motors or electric motors)
- two kayaks can be lashed together at the dive site, providing the additional stability of a larger motorized boat; when moving to and from the dive site, they can be separated, maintaining the advantages of smaller size and ease of paddling
Other Considerations
- dive kayaks should be in bright colours (red or yellow; not white, blue, purple) - important to be seen by power boaters - when resurfacing, it is much easier for the diver to find a low kayak in waves if the kayak is brightly-coloured
- use your kayak as a dive marker; install a dive flag, as well as a card indicating that the boat has not been abandoned
- the kayak can be anchored to the bottom (provided this does not damage fragile coral life); see our Tips page for how to make an anchor kit - alternatively, the kayak can be tethered to the diver (it is light and small enough to be pulled easily); also makes it much easier to find the kayak when re-surfacing
- the numerous cargo loops which are buit into Aire inflatable kayaks, or the frame members which provide the structure of PakCanoes, can be used to tie down gear inside the boats, as well as to attach tethers - tethers should be used to secure gear (such as mask, fins, weight belt, dive tanks), greatly facilitating re-entry; note that they should not be used when approaching the shore, particularly in surf conditions, as they can entangle the diver if the kayak capsizes in heavy waves

Picture courtesy of Jim Spears, www.kayak-diver.com
- paddles should be tied to a quick-detach paddle leash when diving, to prevent loss (as stated previously, do not use a paddle leash in surf conditions) - spare paddles can be secured to cargo loops, or carried in Cargo Holds (see Aire Accessories)
- the Shred paddle (see Aquabound Paddles) provides the most power for inflatable kayaks, particularly in surf
Re-Entering the Kayak
Re-entering the kayak with a 40-lb tank and 25-lb weight belt may seem difficult if not done properly. However, this can easily be achieved by using the proper procedure, as described in Jim Spears’ website (see link at http://www.kayakdiver.com/kayakdiving/gearingdown.htm ). Tethers attached to the cargo loops of the Aire IKs, or to the frame of the PakCanoe, greatly facilitate re-entry by allowing equipment to be removed first and retrieved separately.

Thanks to Jim Spears for providing some of the ideas and pictures used on this page.

Kayak Diving page

ã Canada Portable Kayaks, inc

Last update: 3 jan 2004

Page Plongée sous-marine en kayak

ã Kayaks portatifs Canada, inc

Dernière mise-à-jour: 3 jan 2004