Lots of factors come into play when considering which K1 to paddle: boat stability, volume, weather conditions, comfort, how much time you’ve spent paddling recently etc.

A lot of club members paddle our most stable boat, the Tercel (stability rating 10), and there’s nothing wrong with that. However it is interesting to see how many people are able to competently paddle less stable boats than they are used during our ‘Try a Faster Boat’ sessions. Paddling a faster boat means that you can cruise along with less effort and it’s more fun as well!

Another thing to consider is that if a small person paddles a high volume boat (e.g. Viper 55), the boat will sit relatively higher in the water than it would with a larger, heavier person paddling the same boat, as less of the hull is in contact with the water. It would therefore make sense to try a lower volume kayak designed for lighter people such as the Raven. Although this is a less stable kayak on paper, it may actually feel as stable as a higher volume kayak as it will be lower in the water with more of the hull in contact. Another advantage is that it will be less affected by wind.

On the other hand, it doesn’t make sense to paddle a boat you feel so unstable in that your paddling technique is compromised. So it’s a good idea to progress from stable to less stable boats gradually. You might also want to paddle a more stable boat over winter or in windy conditions.

You may find that if you haven’t paddled much over winter you feel initially less stable when you start paddling again. The key is to stick with it, stability comes with time in the boat.