Book Store
When you enter amazon.com by means of this website, and purchase books--whether listed here or not, a percentage of the sale goes to Kayakfit. We appreciate your business. We've listed some important kayaking books and also a few favorites for reading around the campfire, or those tent bound days.
Nigel Foster's Surf Kayaking by Nigel Foster
Great
descriptions of the skill and equipment necessary to get started. A must have
for all those interested in learning Surf kayaking!!
Sea Kayaker's
Savvy
Paddler by Doug
Alderson, Christopher
Cunningham
500+ easy-to-digest tips for making sea kayaking safer and more enjoyable. Drawn in part from the popular "Tips" column appearing in Sea Kayaker magazine, SEA KAYAKER'S SAVVY PADDLER arms novice and expert paddlers alike with helpful, tested-and-refined-in-the-field advice.
Kayakfishing : The Revolution Ken Daubert
The
book is basicly an invitation to join the kayakfishing revolution and become a
member of the kayakfishing community who fish anywhere from small ponds to open
oceans from their kayaks. Citing the strategic, economical and convenience
advantages of fishing by kayak-the most overlooked, effective, efficient, and
convenient way to: fish with less hassle, fish more often, catch more fish, have
more fun and save money doing it-the book makes a strong case for selling your
big boat.
Video
Description
Kayaking offers a world of opportunity. Whatever your ability, its a
magical way to get to some amazing places. To enjoy it, you'll need the basics,
the building blocks for performance paddling. Join the experts as they explain
the important elements of paddling strokes and safety.
See paddling skills demonstrated and learn the essence of paddling efficiently so you'll tire less on your next trip. See how to recover from a capsize, and unlock the secrets of the eskimo roll.
Kayaker's Edge Video
Kayaker's Edge
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Director: John
Davis
Jump into the river and start having fun with The Kayaker's Edge.
This instructional video, written and produced by 1992 Olympic forerunner and
announcer Kent Ford, paces you through basic and intermediate techniques of
white-water kayaking. The style is informal, often humorous, but the skillful
camera work catches nuances of motion and points of view you'd never see with a
live instructor. Of course, no video can replace live instruction (safety
first!), but watching before and between lessons can greatly improve your
learning time on the river. You'll see rolling, bracing, side surfing, and
ruddering, as well as basic play on easier rapids. The slow-motion and
underwater shots alone are worth the price of the tape, but the added verbal
instruction and footage of kayakers surfing through all levels of rapids make The
Kayaker's Edge essential for the white-water enthusiast. --Rob Lightner
The Coastal Kayaker's Manual:
The
Complete Guide to Skills, Gear, and Sea Sense
by Randel Washburne
Sea Kayaking:
A Manual for Long-Distance Touring
by John
Dowd
by John
Dowd
There
are a number of good books on kayak technique, but Dowd's is the bible of the
sport, and with good reason. He's been kayaking for over thirty years, and he's
done some of the most difficult voyages in kayaking history. John was also the
original editor of Sea Kayaker, setting the tone for the magazine which has
become the most significant single influence upon the sport of sea kayaking.
Sea Kayaker's Deep Trouble: True
Stories and Their Lessons
Matt Brose and George Gronseth Paperback
Book Description
This riveting book offers 20 harrowing, real-life tales of sea kayaking
accidents that will not only keep readers on the edge of their seats, but also
instruct them with potentially life-saving lessons.
From
the Back Cover
Sea Kayaker magazine reports on accidents and near accidents so its
readers might learn from the experience of others rather than having to learn
the hard way. Sea Kayaker's Deep Trouble gathers more than twenty of the most
compelling and instructive of these reports, outlining the circumstances of each
accident and providing detailed analyses: What did the paddlers do wrong? What
did they do right? Most importantly, how might the accident have been
prevented?
Sea Kayak Rescue: The Definitive Guide...
by Roger Schumann
Everything is covered from basic paddle float reentry to the "Hand of
God" rescue. And it is written in a straight forward style with plenty of
photos to make things clear. It even includes some real-life stories.
Sea Kayaking: Safety & Rescue
By John Lull
John
Lull's Sea Kayaking Safety & Rescue is a "user friendly",
comprehensive manual on how to kayak safely in a variety of sea environments.
Offering step-by-step descriptions of real-life scenarios and numerous
illustrations of key kayaking techniques, readers will learn how to competently
assess kayaking risks, learn effective assisted self-rescues, develop group
kayaking strategies, read weather patterns and currents, negotiate surf and
ocean rock gardens, and deal with boat traffic. Highly recommended for personal
and community library reference collections, Sea Kayaking Safety & Rescue is
essential, "must" reading for the novice, and has a wealth of
practical information to enhance safety and success for even the more
experienced kayaking enthusiast.
The Essential Sea Kayaker
The
Essential Sea Kayaker : A Complete Course for the Open-Water Paddler
by David
Seidman, Roseann
Beggy Hanson
Canoe
"... Seidman provides what so many so-called experts have not: a
good, basic book about sea kayaking graced with a friendly, enthusiastic
voice." --This text refers to the Paperback
edition.
(Kayakfit review) When I ran a retail kayak shop this was the most popular
of the kayaking manuals. It deserved its success. This is the first
book on paddling technique to consider for your collection. --Ken
Books by Derek C. Hutchinson
COMPLETE BOOK OF SEA
KAYAKING by Derek
C. Hutchinson
(Kayakfit review) Derek Hutchinson is one of the legends of Sea Kayaking.
His book is very complete, and very British. It provides a good contrast
to the American manuals which are usually a little less rigorous. Derek
has a marvelous sense of humor, which unfortunately
doesn't have free rein here, but Derek is a kayaking icon, and a hoot to
meet! --Ken
Eskimo Rolling
by Derek C Hutchinson
Book Description
The thrill of kayaking can quickly turn to panic if you don't know how to
right a capsized kayak. The Eskimo Roll (the self-rescue technique of righting a
capsized kayak without leaving the cockpit) is the key to building confidence
for all paddling conditions. Written by the leading international sea kayaking
authority Derek C. Hutchinson, Eskimo Rolling provides detailed instruction on
how to perform this maneuver with skill and success. Look inside for:
explanations and demonstrations of many different Eskimo Roll techniques;
confidence-building exercises; action photos of the world's top sea kayakers
performing a variety of rolling maneuvers; rolling techniques for both sea
kayakers and whitewater paddlers; harrowing and humorous true-life rolling
stories from expert kayakers. Author Derek C. Hutchinson is the leading
international sea kayaking authority and has nearly forty years of experience.
He travels across the globe teaching and lecturing on sea kayaking. He has also
designed many of the world's leading sea kayaks. His other books include The
Complete Book of Sea Kayaking, and Expedition Kayaking.
(Kayakfit review) The appendix contains valuable information about creating
support for knee braces when the cockpit is too large or the wrong shape to make
foam knee braces. --Ken
Derek C. Hutchinson's Expedition Kayaking
The adventure and excitement of ocean kayaking awaits! Explore the sea and its coastal boundaries with Derek Hutchinson's Expedition Kayaking. This guide provides everything you need to know about paddling, seamanship, rescue techniques, and more.
Basic Book of Sea Kayaking
Derek C. Hutchinson
Kayaking on the Edge- A Guide to Advanced Technique
by Ben Soloman
Kayaking rule number 1: The better you are, the more fun you have. Kayaking On The Edge is based on rule number 1. Most contemporary technique books focus on the beginning paddler, but Kayaking On The Edge is written for experienced paddlers who are ready to take their skills to a new level.
PADDLING ON THE EDGE THE BOMBPROOF ROLL... By Paul Dutky
Book
Description
Paddling on the edge - the ability to hold the kayak level or on edge
using knee pressure, to maintain balance using body lean, and when needed to
shift weight forward or backward are the skills fundamental to even simple
maneuvers such as bracing, upstream ferries, and the Eskimo roll.
The Bombproof Roll and Beyond! is an introduction to edge control and balance
for paddlers from the beginner to the most expert.
(Kayakfit review) The Bombproof Roll is the best book on rolling that I've
seen. The illustrations and writing are clear and to the point.
Skills are taught by starting with easy tasks and adding more complex movements
by small increments. I recommend learning rolling from a skilled
instructor, and videos are very good for creating the proper image in one's
mind, but this book furnishes a structure and method of approaching rolling
which will complement a live instructor, or stand alone in the absence of
one. --Ken
Sea Kayak Navigation
by Franco Ferrero
Ocean
Paddler, UK, February 1999
At last a specialist book on navigation written specially for the kayaker.
Franco has a good pedigree as a sea kayaker, brought up in the Channel Islands,
1978 circumnavigation of Ireland and an unsupported crossing of the North Sea in
1989, now Head of Kayaking at Plas y Brenin, the UK
Building Skin-on-Frame Boats
by Morria, Hartley & Marks
This
book is a goldmine for experienced and novice boat builders and wanna-be boat
builders alike. Based on classic skin-on-frame boat building techniques of the
Inuit, learn step-by-step how to construct seven boat styles, from a kayak to a
canoe to a small sailboat. Discover innovative materials,...
The Strip-Built Sea Kayak by Nick Schade
Although
books on strip building canoes abound, this is among the first to adapt the
technique to crafting attractive, functional kayaks. Using high-quality,
computer-generated illustrations and photographs to explain key techniques, the
book provides complete plans and measurements for three different kayaks: 1) A
simple solo craft for beginners, 2) A high-performance solo kayak for
intermediate paddlers, and 3) A tandem design for two paddlers.
The Repetitive Strain Injury
Recovery Book
by Deborah Quilter
Synopsis
This comprehensive strategy guide for recovery from Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
includes the best treatment and therapy options, both conventional and
alternative; techniques to minimize the risk of further damage and help restore
comfort and mobility, and much more
Baidarka: The Kayak
By George Dysan
Book Description
This classic book tells of George Dyson's rediscovery of the Aleut baidarka and his far-ranging travels with his boats.
(Kayakfit review) The photographs in this book are outstanding. Each one
is a work of art. The book is a window into the life of a modern day
Thoreau, steadfastly paddling, building, and living to the beat of his own
drum. Though George and I share a passion for kayaking, what fascinates me
about the book is the extent to which George manages to live life on exactly his
own terms. Who else would build a 68 foot kayak or live 200 feet up in a
tree house on the edge of a cliff? --Ken
The Starship and the Canoe
by Kenneth
Brower
Editorial
Reviews
Freeman Dyson, world-renowned astrophysicist, dreams of exploring the
heavens and has designed an inexpensive spaceship to take him there. George
Dyson, a brilliant dropout, lives in a tree in coastal British Columbia and is
designing a giant seagoing canoe. Both men are intensely, passionately dedicated
to their visions. Kenneth Brower explores the relationship of this odd
father-son duo, whose goals could hardly be more different yet whose approaches
are inevitably alike, with insight and sensitivity.
(Kayakfit review) This book is more poetic than you might gather from the
previous review. I know George personally. He is a fascinating
person, and an inspiration to me because he pursues his interests with such
dedication and focus. The world is a better place because it has George
Dyson in it. -
Good Books to read while kayak camping
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone... by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets... by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban... by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire... by J. K. Rowling
(Kayakfit review) The Harry Potter books are runaway bestsellers. They are ostensibly written for children, but adults are reading them at least as much. Rowling's plots are remarkable, and her freshness and imagination rarely flag. These books are perfect for reading around the campfire for mixed groups of all ages. This is "must have" equipment for those tent-bound days. --Ken
Paddle to the Sea by Holling Clancy Holling
(Kayakfit review) A young Indian boy lovingly carves a miniature canoe and paddler and places it on a snow bank to await the warmth of Spring. The small craft makes its way down a tiny creek, to a river, and eventually to the sea. The tiny craft has many adventures, and touches many lives on its journey. This memorable children's book is beautifully illustrated. --Ken
The Arthur Ransome books:
Swallows and Amazons Pigeon Post
The Big
Six
Coot Club Secret Water
Peter Duck We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea
(Kayakfit review) My mother and her sisters grew up reading Arthur Ransome's stories about the adventures of imaginative and adventurous children boating and camping in the British Isles and elsewhere. These stories have a charm and appeal which is ageless. The appeal is not a product of complex plotting or fantastic settings. The activities and places in the books came mostly from incidents in the life of Ransome himself. The appeal seems to come from the characters, who all are based upon reflections of Ransome's own character, or upon people he knew and liked. My brothers, sisters, cousins and I, all read the Ransome books as we were growing up, and we all used to play at being in those stories. I've reread the books many, many times as an adult, and they occupy a treasured place on my bookshelf and in my heart. Occasionally I meet people who tell me they are Ransome fans, and there is no faster way to gain my esteem and confidence. --Ken