The Concept.....

Sit on Top kayaks were introduced some thirty years ago in the United States.
They differ from conventional canoes in that they are moulded as a completely enclosed watertight and buoyant component, with seats, footrests and storage compartments moulded into the top, and this affords the facility of being able to cut out holes in the top deck to provide additional dry storage space inside the moulding protected by watertight hatch covers.

You therefore sit on top of it rather than inside it as in a conventional canoe.

For some traditionalists the idea of the sit-on-top has never gained serious recognition as is regarded as a toy or beginners kayak only to be used as a means to learn the sport before graduating to a "real" canoe.
Whilst this may have been the case in the early days of development it certainly does not apply today and a number of companies produce a wide range of sit-on-top kayaks for use in all the many areas of the sport.
In fact they have many distinct advantages over the traditionally designed canoe and have been responsible for a tremendous increase in the popularity of kayaking in general, and their use in other associated recreational sports such as fishing and diving.

Some of these advantages can be clearly defined

• No fear of being trapped inside
• Ease of getting on or off
• Dry comfortable ride
• Stability
• More room to carry extra gear

Unlike a canoe, which if capsized can present a nasty problem unless the paddler has learned to Eskimo Roll, the sit- on-top simply dumps you into the water, and all you have to do is clamber back aboard. This makes the sit-on-top ideal as a swimming platform and diving base.
The fact that you are on top also means you stay drier and therefore warmer, another advantage for the touring and camping paddler.
Generally sit-on-tops are wider and therefore give more stability. They are designed with a V shaped hull rather than the U shape associated with a canoe. Most sit-on-tops have a conventional keel to keep the boat in a straight line, together with two outrider rails or sponsons for added stability.
Finally the sit-on-top design allows for the incorporation of storage wells for the likes of fishing gear, diving tanks, and tents and the addition of a number of waterproof inner compartments for storing the things that you need to essentially keep dry such as spare clothes and cameras.

There are some basic principals that apply to all boats

The longer it is (and the more surface contact with the water) the faster it will go
The shorter it is the more manoeuvrability it will have
The wider it is the more stable it will be
It is a universally agreed fact that there is no single perfect kayak.
It is possible, however to use your kayak for various different purposes although it will be better suited for some than others.
Before deciding on which boat to choose there are a number of things to take into account.
What will be the primary use for your kayak?
What else do you want to do with it?
What conditions will you be using it in?
What is the optimum weight capacity for you size and usage?

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