Water season is in session, and now is the time to start exploring Arkansas' lakes, rivers and streams in a paddlecraft.
Paddlecraft is any boat that is propelled by paddles, including canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. All have their strengths and weaknesses, and all have general and specific applications.
Kayaks
Most kayaks have room for only one person, but some fishing types are tandem models.
Most retail grade kayaks are nimble, fast and light, making them ideal to lash atop a car or into a truck bed for a day on the water.
A pilot propels a kayak with a long, double-bladed paddle with adjustable, offset blades. The paddling motion is side-to-side. You dip the blades as opposed to digging with a canoe paddle.
Many kayaks have a seat that's recessed inside the hull, which means the pilot sits inside the hull. These boats are most popular for whitewater enthusiasts, but they come in many different configurations. Some are "play" boats designed for intense whitewater. Casual touring kayaks are more stable and are suitable for whitewater up to Class III.
Ocean kayaks are fast and stable, perfect for inshore and offshore saltwater. They are also great for exploring big inland lakes.
Sit-inside kayaks usually do not have enough room to store anything larger than a small dry bag containing lunch, a few bottles of water and maybe a change of clothes.
Sit-on-top kayaks have become wildly popular among recreational paddlers and especially among anglers. The pilot sits in a seat on the deck or in a seat that's molded into the hull. This allows full range of upper body motion. Most boats have a storage well behind the seat that can hold a small amount of gear. Some also have a storage well at the bow. They also have at least one hatch that provides access to the hull interior, allowing a paddler to store tents, sleeping bags, lanterns, propane bottles and other gear.
Most sit-on-top kayaks also have integral rod holders to store two fishing rods, one on each side. You can mount additional rod holders or buy accessory boxes that contain additional rod holders.
Sit-on-top kayaks are so popular that many outfitters now rent canoes only as an afterthought. Paddlers like them better than canoes. They are easier to transport. They are easier to paddle through rough water and around obstructions, and they are more durable.
You can buy a serviceable kayak that will tolerate a substantial amount of abuse for surprisingly low prices at Walmart, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's and even Tractor Supply Co.
You can buy dedicated fishing kayaks at specialty outdoor shops like Ozark Outdoor Supply in Little Rock and Ouachita Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs.
Canoes
As with kayaks, there is a canoe for every purpose and every kind of water.
Old Town is the most popular retail canoe. Its Discovery model is tough with ample room for plenty of overnight gear, but it is also very heavy, slow and unresponsive to a paddle compared to some other models. It comes multiple lengths, including a popular solo model.
Buffalo canoes, made in Jasper, are based on the O.C.A. Blue Hole mold. Blue Hole was one of the most beloved canoes in its day. A Buffalo is suitable for intense whitewater, but it is also a very stable boat that can hold a lot of gear for overnight or multi-day trips.
Old Town's higher end canoes are superb. The discontinued Appalachian is one of the best mid-level "tripper" type canoes ever made. It is 16 feet long and can hold, according to Old Town, 1,441 pounds of gear. That is suitable for a long foray into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota as well as a full-length expedition on the Buffalo National River.
It has sufficient rocker for maneuverability in moderate whitewater, and its flared ends provide excellent dryness and buoyancy. It has excellent initial stability and secondary stability. This combination of qualities make it suitable for whitewater up to Class III.
The discontinued Adirondack had similar qualities, as does its successor, the Penobscot.
There are also solo whitewater canoes. They are short and narrow with a sharp taper. Large flotation bags wedge into recesses at the bow and stern. The only open space is amidships, where the pilot sits on a saddle mounted to the floor. The late Philip Ward, who founded Arrowhead Cabin and Canoe Rental at Caddo Gap, loved to solo in his whitewater canoe down small streams that got swollen after heavy rain in the Hot Springs area.
For many years, Royalex was the preferred hull material for canoes. When it went out of production, Old Town, Buffalo, and other manufacturers switched to a material called T-Formex. Many manufacturers still make aluminum canoes. They are durable, but they cling to rocks instead of bouncing off the way non-metal boats do.
Paddleboards
Designed for use on flat water, paddleboards are very popular among fitness buffs that like to exercise on the water. The operator stands on top of the platform, which resembles an oversize surfboard, and paddles with a vertical downsweep.
Paddleboards are excellent for building and maintaining upper body strength and core, as well as thigh and calf muscles. They also help develop and maintain balance.
Inflatable paddleboards are easiest to transport, and they inflate quickly with a motorized pump. Hobie's paddleboards are well-conceived multi-use platforms that are highly esteemed among fly fishermen.
As with other paddlecraft, paddle boards are available at many different outlets. The selection is dazzling, so do plenty of research before buying.
Safety
Because of their size and because of the nature of the environments in which they are used, paddlecraft entail some inherent risks. They can flip and become trapped in obstructions. A user can be thrown from a sit-on-top kayak or trapped in a sit-inside model.
If you are ejected from a kayak or canoe in moving water, stay upstream of the hull. This will prevent you from drowning by being pinned against a log or tree in swift water.
Wearing a personal flotation device is a common-sense lifesaving precaution. If you are paddling in intense whitewater, wear a helmet. Always paddle with a companion, and carry a lifeline should a water rescue become necessary.