Choosing the Right Whitewater Boat

By Scott Locorini & Ryan Hoke

The whitewater experience can mean so many different things today.  To some it is a loaded canoe plowing through class II rapids.  To others it’s surfing a four foot river wave in a kayak shorter than you are tall.  And to some, it is the experience of a team for their first descent of a wilderness river.  What ever your idea of whitewater is, there are boats available that will meet your needs. There’s lots of manufacturers and models to choose from, but once you know what type of kayaking you’re planning to do, we’ll make it easy and point you to a couple of choices to fit your skill level and body type.

Whitewater Kayaks

When people think of whitewater paddling, most think of kayaks versus canoes.  Today’s whitewater kayaks are shorter, have flatter hulls and more rocker. The latest models are more comfortable and even safer than their predecessors of 10 years ago.  They are also much more specialized.  Some are built to run waterfalls, others are designed to be stood on end or perform other vertical tricks.  There are three classes in which you can fit most kayaks; creek boats, play boats and river runners.

Creek Boats

Creek boats are designed to assist the paddler in staying upright as they encounter river features - from hydraulics to boulders and eddylines. These boats tend to have more volume for surfacing quicker after drops. With rounder, softer lines, they are less susceptible to being grabbed and flipped by the river. As a paddler progresses from beginner to intermediate, this type of boat will be harder to surf and play in. 

Play (or Rodeo) Boats

The shortest style of boat, play boats usually have hard lines, less volume and flat planning hulls. These attributes allow play boats to take advantage of river features and make it easier to do tricks.  Paddlers sacrifice speed and forgive-ability for a boat that can be turned vertical or spun around easily. Probably the hardest style of boat to learn in, beginner paddlers will initially find themselves upside down more in this style of kayak due to the hard lines and low volume.  Play boats are generally more fun to paddle for intermediate to advanced paddlers with a good Eskimo roll.

River Runners

These boats are more voluminous like Creek Boats, but will have attributes that enable the boat to surf waves easier and be generally more playful.  River runners are a great style of boat for beginners because they have more volume compared to play boats. For advanced paddlers, the river runner can handle harder rapids than a play boat and are more playful than a creek boat.

Author’s note:  It is highly recommended that you seek professional paddling instruction, regardless of your ability, but especially if you are a beginner. Instruction will introduce you to the sport in a safe and friendly environment, teach you things you didn’t previously know, or just tune you up for the season. Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company offers paddling instruction, call 315-369-6672 for more information.  Never paddle alone.  Be sure to have all of the proper safety equipment before paddling.

About the Authors
Scott Locorini,owner and founder of Adirondack Exposure, is an ACA-certified kayak instructor (at the level of Open Water), an ACA-certified whitewater instructor, a NYS licensed guide, and a registered Maine guide. Scott has been in the world of outdoor recreation professionally since 1992, when he began work at the Nantahala outdoor Center (NOC) of North Carolina. At NOC Scott was a kayak and canoe instructor, raft guide, safety boater, trip leader (canoe, kayak, and rafting trips), and photo-boater. After NOC he moved on to run a paddle-sport instruction program at New England Outdoor Center ( Maine) and an instruction and trips program at Mountainman Outdoors (New York). Scott has paddled and guided kayak trips throughout the eastern U.S. coastal states, as well as in Europe, South and Central America.

In addition to paddling, Scott spends his time outdoors fishing and fly-fishing the trout streams and bass ponds up north and the coastal waters down south, hiking, rock-climbing, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking. Scott is constantly improving his teaching and guiding methods by attending symposiums, workshops, and ACA updates, and teaching with other instructors all over the east coast.