Sarah Holland
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jun 19/00) - Picture yourself gliding across glass-like water, with the sky and the birds as your only companions.

How about splashing through white-water rapids, your heart racing as you manouevre yourself through exciting twists and turns?

If you take up canoeing or kayaking, these images can become reality. But being on the water takes more than just desire; you have to be properly equipped. Being prepared includes the kayak or canoe, paddles, lifejackets, safety devices and other accessories.

Let's start with the obvious piece of equipment, the vessel.

Canoes are made of two main materials: fibreglass and ABS plastic.

Fibreglass is a resin fibre, thin and lightweight. It's also more fragile than ABS plastic.

"You can't drag a fibreglass canoe over rocks, scrape it or bump it along the shore too much, or it will scratch and can eventually tear," said Anthony Santos, of Overlander Sports in Yellowknife, a store that provides equipment to consumers in both territories, as well as supplying international paddlers.

Santos says some people choose a fibreglass canoe because they are lightweight and highly manageable.

And the advantage of an ABS plastic canoe? Durability. It's almost indestructible, according to Santos.

Although plastic canoes are gaining in popularity, the fibreglass canoe has been around for a lot longer and is a more common choice, especially for people who have been canoeing for a long time, according to Santos.

"The fibreglass is a product they're familiar with," he said.

Kayaks are made of the same materials as canoes, with one addition: a rubber called Hypalon (the same material Zodiac inflatable boats are made from). The kayak made of Hypalon folds up for easy transport. The one on display at Overlander Sports is made by Feathercraft. This kayak can fit into a backpack, and weighs approximately 30 kilograms, according to Santos.

"The advantage of this kayak is that it's great for, say, fly-in fishing trips. Instead of renting a Twin Otter or Caravan to fly in, you can rent a Cessna. Basically, it's cheaper because you can rent a smaller plane," he said.

"Accessibility is the big thing with this kayak."

Kayaks range from 15 feet for a single model to 19 feet for a double.

For those who are into more excitement, white water play boats are the thing.

"Essentially, these kayaks are for showing off on the river," said Santos.

"Playing in the rapids is completely different than paddling on flat water."

The kayaks are very different as well. The play boats are shorter, for more manoeuvrability, with a flat bottom. (Kayaks have a v-shaped bottom.) The flat bottom, or planing hull, is similar to surf board, according to Santos.

The play kayaks also have low volume ends -- they're flatter -- which enables the kayaker to put the boat on its edge and do cartwheels.

So which is more popular, canoeing or kayaking?

Well, according to Santos, canoeing is the number 1 choice.

"Canoes are preferred (in the North) because you can load more gear in them and because of the types of bodies of water we have."

Carrying pets is another reason to choose a canoe.

"A lot of people are now getting sea kayaks though, because they're something different."

Beyond the boats

Paddles are an accessory that may seem straight forward, but choosing the material and shape of the blade requires some research.

Kayaking paddles come in one-, two- or four-piece.

Santos explains: "The one-piece paddle is for whitewater kayaking because it's stronger -- you're dealing with a lot of force.

"The two-piece paddle is for feathering -- it's adjustable for either right-handed or left-handed paddlers."

Feathering, Santos explained, is when the blades are not parallel to each other. The paddle comes apart in the centre, and this is where you can adjust the blade positioning by twisting the shaft.

"The blades can be turned so that the movement is more natural for your wrists," said Santos.

With a four-piece paddle, you can change the blade or the shaft, and it packs away neatly, perfect for slipping into the foldable kayak's bag.

Paddles have a number of different specifications that distinguish one style from another. These include: length, shaft dimensions and material (shafts can be made of either fibreglass, aluminum or carbon fibre), blade dimensions (length and width), blade area, number of laminations, blade cross-section style, tip style and material, finish and average weight. There are a lot of factors to consider when buying paddles!

A bilge pump is another important accessory. It simply removes the water from your vessel if you capsize or swamp.

When you're choosing your kayak or canoe, you look over the assortment of accessories and choose which ones you feel are necessary.

And remember the law according to Transport Canada, you must be wearing a properly-fitting PFD (personal flotation device).