Last Updated on July 27, 2022 by Ecorf
Absolutely nothing beats spending time on the beach on a sunny day. In fact, I strongly feel the word “beach” is synonymous with “ending fun time with plenty sand, sun and water”.
However, the best part of everything is that despite the great number of fun that could be had on the shores, there are twice as many interesting activities on the ocean itself. The ocean is where surfing, swimming, and most importantly, kayaking goes on. To make things much more interesting, there are special kayaks that serve the occasion perfectly.
These ocean kayaks are built in such a way that they could easily ride the ocean waves, and to fit all persons. However, it could be quite tough to select the best ocean kayak for yourself as there are lots of great options out there in the market. But don’t worry, my list of the best kayaks for ocean waves has got you covered.
Table of Contents
A Short Guide
Before I proceed to start giving you a list, it is really important that you know what you are looking for. This guide helps you to choose a great ocean kayak for yourself.
Things to Consider
Here are some things you really need to consider before you get yourself any kayak.
- Sit-in or Sit-on: Kayaks often come in these two categories. Sit-in kayaks have front coverings where you can hide your feet in while sit-on kayaks don’t have such.
- Budget: The first thing you really have to consider is your budget. You could do a rough search of kayak prices on the internet so that you would have an idea of how much money you should prepare the kayak. You definitely do not want to go to the store and return home empty-handed because you didn’t budget enough money for the kayak of your choice.
- Other preferences: There are also other things to consider, such as the storage capacity, width and length, and some others.
Defining Features of Ocean Kayaks
- Strong knee straps: Obviously, you don’t want to be thrown into the water every now and then. Strong straps would keep you fixed in the kayak.
- Small kayak size: Small kayaks are always to go for pulling off quick and easy maneuverers. The only drawback is that tracking on flatwater is going to be really hard. But if what you want is to ride the white waves of the ocean, then, by all means, get yourself a small kayak.
- Strong hulls: The waves may be fun for you to ride but they can also be hard on the hull of you kayak, leading to cracks and leaks. For this reason, you need a sturdy plastic hull that can withstand the assaults of the ocean waves.
- Convenient leg room: If your legs aren’t well placed, you would find yourself being unstable, thereby effectively making your experience horrible.
- Right paddles: You also need light paddles to help guide yourself on the waves. Carbon or fiberglass paddles are really great paddles for this purpose.
- Life vests: Life vests are really useful equipment and you really shouldn’t go kayaking on the ocean without it. Even if you fell in the water, you would remain afloat with a life vest. And that is exactly what you need, especially when the waves are really turbulent, trust me.
Why You Can’t Use Just any Kayak Type
Apart from the fact that the features of ocean kayaks are specifically made to perform excellently on the ocean waves, using just any kind of kayak would just make your ocean wave riding more stressful than enjoyable.
The size of ocean kayaks is small so that they can easily and quickly make a sharp turn when needed. Their hulls have to be strong for the ocean. If you used a kayak that doesn’t have a really strong hull, the kayak would suffer from cracks and leaks.
Do you now see why you have to use only ocean kayaks on the ocean waves? Don’t put a square peg in a round hole.
Special Maintenance Needed?
You don’t really need any kind of special maintenance to keep your kayak in great condition. All you have to do is the normal maintenance routine of cleaning your kayak and storing them well. However, kayaks deserve some special treatment too, so you should take good care of yours.
Now, to the List!
Advanced Elements Advanced frame Kayak
This 13-foot long kayak is really great when it comes to easy and quick maneuverings. It is an inflatable kayak with a foldable aluminum frame so it is definitely lightweight. So, you really wouldn’t need much help carrying it to the ocean.
Also, it has just enough storage space to keep some other gears but not enough to hold much equipment. It has a total weight capacity of 450 pounds, making it able to take just as much load as you can put on it. Because it is inflatable, it is sure to always stay on top of the waves without stress.
Although ocean kayaks are generally not so good when it comes to tracking, the Advanced Elements Advancedframe Kayak isn’t quite bad. It has skegs that help its stability and tracking. A low center of gravity also ensures that you stay balanced on the ocean.
Overall, the Advanced Elements Advancedframe Kayak is really a good ocean kayak
Pros
- Aluminum frames make it sturdy
- Lightweight
- Remar tracking
- Great storage space
Cons
- Inflatable means puncturable
- Not large enough cockpit size
Old Town Recreational Vapor 10 Kayak
This kayak is sturdily made with polyethylene with a comfortable plastic seat. Also, the knee and thigh pads in the kayak are testimonies to the fact that the Old Town really put in a lot of thought and consideration for the sake of user convenience alone.
There is an open compartment on the rear of the kayak that allows you to keep a little stuff, and a hatch covered storage location at the front too. To add to these already fantastic features, the Vapor 10 has a larger enough cockpit that can hold up to 300 pounds of total weight capacity.
Another factor that endears the kayak to the heart of kayakers is that it is not expensive at all, but you would have to buy a paddle separately.
Pros
- Really durable
- Large cockpit
- Comfortable seat
- Cheap
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a paddle
- No webbings to hold your equipment in the rear storage compartment
Perception Kayak Swiftwater 10.5
Swiftwater is not only sturdy and durable, but it also tracks remarkably and hits a really high speed. These features alone make it perfect for both touring and ocean wave riding.
With a maximum weight capacity of just less than 300 pounds, the sit-in kayak makes a really wonderful choice for beginners in ocean wave kayaking. It also has really convenient seats and strong webbings to help hold your stuff firmly as you ride the waves.
It even gets better with its adjustable foot braces which are there to make sure that almost all leg lengths would fit inconveniently. In fact, it is safe to say that people of all heights can use this same kayak conveniently.
Pros
- High speed
- Excellent tracking
- Great buoyancy
Cons
- Quite expensive
Ocean Kayak Venus 11
If you find yourself not being able to easily get out of sit-in kayaks when you roll over while riding the waves, a sit-on kayak is better for you. With a V-shaped hull, you can easily move at a really high speed on water.
The venus 11 may be shorter than some other kayaks but you are sure to have enough space to place your feet conveniently. The seat is quite lowered so that stability is sure. And it has a total weight capacity of just 175pounds.
The Venus 11 is usually fancy colored and is most suitable for ladies. However, if you are a guy and you feel you are convenient in the kayak, then, by all means, knock yourself out. You should know, however, that the sturdiness of the kayak compromises its weight.
Pros
- Fast on water
- Easy to get out of in case of emergency
- Large cockpit
- Convenient seat and legroom
Cons
- Quite heavy
My Pick
All of these kayaks are really great and would hold their own effortlessly on the waves. But of these all, my pick is the Swiftwater 10.5 kayak. Although it may be quite expensive, it would save you a lot of expenses in the future as it is of very great quality.
Also, unlike other ocean wave riding kayaks, this kayak does really well when it comes to tracking. With this, it could also double as a great touring kayak. Its maximum weight capacity also ensures that you and your stuff can make it in and out of the ocean without sinking.
However, all other mentioned kayaks are really great. You could even find some kayaks that are not on the list to be just as good as these. It’s mostly all about preferences.
