Last Updated on July 3, 2022 by Cristina
You love to paddle on the water. You like it the more when you have a kayak for paddling to and from your favorite spots. Indeed, life seems to be all about bliss when the wind pushes your vessel along the water, and all you do is to paddle and tone your muscles. There’s no point arguing that kayaking has much fun to bring to you.
Yet, you have to be wary of the circumstances that can cut the fun short and have you gnashing your teeth for setting sail in the first place. You have to consider many factors before you decide on kayaking. Realizing all there is to the weight capacity can make all the difference in your quest for a hassle-free kayaking trip. You would be learning the essential things to look out for, especially the indices that can help you in discovering how much weight can a kayak hold.
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Understand the Kayak Weight Limit
Why do many paddlers select more kayaks over the conventional boats? Why has there been a continuous quest to purchase both the barely used and new kayaks? The fact is that kayaks offer better flexibility on the water and can be easier to mow. Also, you can bring in as many gears as the vessel can hold without sinking the kayak.
While at it, you must understand that there are limits to the weight the kayak can hold. Hence, understanding the actual weight capacity of the kayak can make all the difference in confirming the gross weight it supports.
As a general rule, the weight capacity of the kayak is broken down depending on the type of kayak you’re using. For instance, the tandem kayak has a weight capacity between 500 to 600 pounds. The sit-on-top kayak’s gross weight capacity is pegged between 350 to 400 pounds; that of the recreational kayak is pegged at 300 pounds (maximum), while the sea (touring) kayak’s weight capacity is between 320 to 350 pounds.
What Does the Kayak Weight Limit Mean?
Now that you’ve figured out the gross weight capacity of each of the kayaks available in the market, you can now take the next step of figuring out what is meant by the “kayak weight limit.” There are three words there, which are “Kayak,” “Weight,” and “Limit.” In summary, the concept looks at the maximum weight that a kayak can hold.
In essence, the kayak weight limit implies the figure or number that the manufacture, after concise evaluation, put down as the maximum weight capacity a kayak can hold. Also, outlining that helps the paddlers/anglers to be meticulous when selecting their gears because a higher weight than recommended might not turn out to be a wise decision in the end. Therefore, the kayak weight limit or maximum capacity is the most weight or load that the kayak can support/hold and still keep afloat.
That is not leaving out the fact that the lack of industry standards had led many kayak manufacturers to assign the weight capacities as they deem fit. Such a move is disastrous because it doesn’t only confuse the kayakers, but can also cause them to add more weight than necessary, which can capsize the vessel.
How Do You Know You’ve Overstepped Your Boundaries
So, what are the clues that show you have added more loads or weight than your kayak is meant to support? The first is that you would find it challenging to paddle the vessel. More weight means more difficulty in paddles. The second is the loss of maneuverability and stability. The third and most crucial is the tendency of the kayak to capsize when it can either not be appropriately paddled or when the weight begins to tell on it.
How to Calculate the Weight a Kayak Can Hold
Worthy of mention is that the maximum weight capacity notwithstanding, kayak manufacturers also go the extra mile to use other factors to outline the weight capacity. Some of those factors are the width, the length, and the displacement (volume) of the kayak. You can also rely on the tips offered below to unearth how much weight can a kayak hold.
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The Paddlers’ Size
The paddler or kayaker has many roles to play in the weight of the kayak. The rule of thumb is that the paddler must never weigh above the kayak. Also, there should be some significant distance between the kayak’s weight capacity and that of the paddler.
For instance, a paddler that weighs about 300 pounds has no business using a kayak that has a weight capacity of 350 or less. That is because by the time the gears and every other thing you’d be bringing with you on the kayak. So, you need to keep a “respectable measurement” of about 70-100 pounds to be sure that the kayak can fit you and your gears.
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Weight Limit vs. Dry Kayak
Just as you’re struggling to find out and meet the criteria for how much weight can a kayak hold, you also need to understand the role of the weight limit in keeping you dry. From the specifications of the paddlers’ sizes correlating to the weight of the kayak, it is also imperative to note that the distance between the weight of the paddlers and the kayak can also be extended.
If your kayak must not be too close to the water (which can cause water to come into the boat), then you have to allow about 50 percent off the weight limit of the kayak. For instance, if you’re using a kayak that has a maximum weight capacity of 350 pounds, then you should be aiming to have about 150 pounds in the boat – which includes your weight and every other thing you intend bringing into the kayak.
Figure Out How Much Weight Your Kayak Can Hold
You now have some ideas on the factors that can influence the weight of your kayak. Do you have any other tips or clues on how much weight can a kayak hold? We would love to know about them if you can make them known through the comment section!
