Know Your Neighbours: Sit-On-Tops

December 2004-January 2005

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Bryan Nichols

Not something to try with a sit-inside kayak.

Kayaks were invented to keep northern hunters out of the Arctic Ocean—the first kayakers were sealed in, literally and figuratively. Hard shells and spray skirts have mostly replaced seal skins in the north, but if you’ve done any tropical traveling you might have noticed hard shell kayaks are rare down south. What you’re more likely to find lying on the beach at a resort or for rent in a Florida shop are sit-on-tops.

Beginners and casual paddlers love sit-on- tops, and with all that warm weather and water down south, there’s no particular reason to get into a kayak for most paddling. In fact, getting in is why some people are wary of the sport. For a newbie, getting into a cockpit can bring to mind getting trapped upside down underwater. But sitting on top—hey, anyone can do that.

ANYONE, ANYTHING OK,

so sit-on-tops are more likely to attract people to kayaking. But if you’re the picky sort, these boats won’t measure up to your sleek, six meter Kevlar touring kayak. Sit-on-tops tend to be more like recreational kayaks—shorter, wider and plastic. However, also like recreational kayaks, there are new ideas and designs every year, and these days you can do a surprising number of things from a sit-on-top.

Their open nature makes them more adaptable to specific activities - scuba diving and fishing are probably the most popular. There are models with cylindrical wells designed to hold scuba tanks, and there are models with fishing rod holders molded right into the hull. As you’ll see on this month’s list (right), there are quite a few other activities a sit-on-top will let you try as well.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

There are many new designs, but the basic difference is that your legs stay outside. There’s no cockpit—or rather, the cockpit is not enclosed. As a result, your weight tends to be higher up, because you’re sitting on the airtight hull. For balance, sit-on-tops are usually wider to compensate—some might say overcompensate. Remember, many are built for beginners, divers or fishers—all people who do not want a tippy boat—so sit-on-tops tend to be good and wide, with plenty of primary stability.

Since you’re up in the open, water is inevitably going to splash aboard. Your spray skirt keeps water out of your regular kayak . On a sit-on-top, there are actually holes in the low areas for the water to run through. Because the rest of the hull is sealed, a wave can break right over a sit-on- top, run off the sides and down those holes. Without anywhere to brace, such a wave might knock you clean off—which is why most people tend to paddle sit-ontops in benign conditions. Thigh braces are available, straps which allow you to lock in and perform most of the maneuvers that make regular kayaks so seaworthy—and sporty.

TRY AND SEE

Most northern folks try sit-on-tops only because they’re all that’s available at a resort. But don’t dismiss them just because the beater you found down south didn’t move like your fiberglass single. Sample a few different designs and try a bunch of different activities. After diving, fishing, pedaling, snorkeling and sailing with a sit-on-top, you might decide that they’re a worthy addition to the fleet after all. See www.sit-on-topkayaking.com for articles on activities and lots of info on models.

© Text and photos by Bryan Nichols. Bryan is studying in Florida so we worried about him during the hurricanes, but now we’re back to envy!

Review: Hobie's Mirage Line of Pedalable Kayaks OK, ‘pedalable’ probably isn’t a word, but I want to point out that these aren’t pedal boats—they are kayaks you can paddle normally, or convert to pedalling with a remarkable, self-contained unit. It sounds good in theory, and turns out to be one of those nifty inventions that’s even better than you expected it to be. Pros: the units are easily removable and work in very shallow water if you alter the stroke. The propulsion, which comes from the flapping of wing-like foils, is quiet, fast and amazingly efficient. Apart from occasional steering with your hand, the process is hands-free, great for photography or fishing. Cons: they’re expensive. Sit-on-tops aren’t normally pricey, but the Mirage line is. On the kayak itself, internal storage is low or difficult to access. The Classic has no spot for a scuba tank (or cooler), though the Outback models offer a completely different layout depending on what you’d like. The rudder system is easy to use but seems fragile (and had been repaired at least once on the borrowed model I pedaled). All models are relatively short—a sleeker, faster, touring version would be nice. Worth It? Definitely worth a test pedal, and if you have wrist or shoulder issues you should be very interested indeed. There is also an optional sailing kit that looks fun. www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/ models_mirage.html.

 

Ten Things To Do On Top

TOURING Yes, you can go camping with a sit-on-top kayak. Many of them have a surprising amount of storage inside, in part due to their width. While you’re not likely to be doing epic expeditions, you can still go out for a weekend in the wild—which is what most folks do anyway. If you’re interested, be sure to carefully examine the size of the hatches and internal storage. Though it’s easy and tempting to simply lash equipment to the flat deck, it’s not a good idea. RACING Another misconception is that sit-on-tops are all clunkers. If you’ve got a need for speed, competition or regular exercise, you might take a look at the sleek, narrow sit-on-tops that are used for racing (surfskis). The quicker the boat, the less likely it will work for anything else, but if you live near a long, calm piece of water, a racing sit-on-top might be just the thing to keep you paddling. FLOATING Ah, just floating—bobbing gently on the warm water, soaking up the rays. Many resort kayakers spend more time doing this than actually paddling. A wide, stable kayak will easily get you away from the crowds, and being on top instead of inside, you can bask in the warmth while you watch wildlife. SURFING Lying about at a resort a little too low key for you? With their wide, flat bottoms, many sit-on-tops are especially good at grabbing waves, even small ones, so they are a good way to try surfing. As the waves get bigger you’ll likely want to look into those thigh straps so you can brace. DIVING Sit-on-tops are the only way to dive from a kayak, since a tank and dive weights are difficult enough to get from the water to a kayak without having to put them in a hatch. With the right layout, a sit-on-top can even be used for drysuit diving, and they’re especially handy for nearshore dives in warmer waters. SNORKELING Most folks aren’t divers, true, but just about anybody can snorkel. Looking down into those warm, clear tropical waters you’ll find yourself tempted to hop in, and a sit-on-top will make it especially easy to get in and out without going to shore. PEDALING Pedaling? While pedal boats are normally the stuff of ponds and amusement parks, Hobie has produced a surprisingly efficient unit with penguinesque wings. It conveniently drops right into a hole in the hull on several of their sit-on-top models and is definitely worth a try if you’d like to give your arms a break when you’re kayaking (see below). FISHING Though you can fish from nearly any reasonably stable kayak, you’d be amazed at how convenient it can be from the right sit-on-top. There are even models designed for fishing, with strap-in coolers, built in rod holders and custom fit tackle boxes. Here in Florida I’ve seen some extremes: kayaks cruising the flats with an electric trolling motor, a bait box, two trolling rods and a fish finder built in. You don’t need to go to such lengths, but catching a fish from a kayak is considerably more exciting than catching it from a big boat. Be careful though—half of all paddling fatalities in North America (mostly canoes) involve fishing. SAILING I’ve sailed fiberglass doubles with custom rigs, but only downwind. Any boat can sail downwind, but there are kits available for some sit-on-tops that allow upwind sailing. If you love sailing as much as I do, you’ll want to look into the possibility, though most sail rigs remain either sketchy or very expensive. BEACHCOMBING Sure, you could beachcomb with a regular kayak, but sit-ontops are so much easier to get on and off. That ease of access endears them to folks who like to putter along the beach, stopping frequently to look for shells, driftwood, tiki bars and other interesting bits of jetsam.

© 2004. Text and photos by Bryan Nichols. No reproduction without permission.