Personal flotation devices (PFDs)
Transport Canada classifies PFDs by type. For kayaking, Type III (Flotation Aid) is the standard for recreational and touring use. Type III requires 15.88 N of buoyancy and is designed to keep a conscious paddler face-up in calm conditions. Type I (Offshore Life Jacket) with 100 N buoyancy is the standard for coastal ocean kayaking.
Fit matters more than buoyancy rating for most inland paddlers. A PFD that rides up over the chin in the water is not working correctly — the torso length measurement is as important as chest circumference. High-back kayak seats require PFDs with short back panels to avoid contact issues while seated.
Under Canadian law (Small Vessel Regulations), every person aboard a kayak or canoe must have a PFD immediately accessible — meaning it must be within reach, not packed in a dry bag. For kayaks, this means worn at all times or mounted on deck within arm's reach.
Paddle selection
Paddle length is determined by kayak width and paddler torso height. A standard formula: add your torso height to half the kayak beam. For a 28-inch beam and a 30-inch torso, that gives a starting point of around 220–230 cm. High-angle paddling technique (blade enters water close to the hull) favours shorter paddles (210–220 cm); low-angle (blade enters further from hull) uses longer paddles (220–240 cm).
| Blade material | Weight | Notes for Canadian conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Fibreglass | 700–900 g | Good cold-weather durability; stiffer than nylon at low temps |
| Carbon fibre | 500–700 g | Light; better for multi-day trips where fatigue accumulates |
| Nylon blade | 900–1,100 g | Flexible; can flutter on the return stroke in cold water |
| Aluminium shaft | 1,000–1,200 g | Conducts cold rapidly; gloveable but uncomfortable without liners |
Feathered paddles (blades offset by 15–60 degrees) reduce wind resistance on the return stroke. Most touring paddlers use 45–60 degree feather. Some paddlers with wrist issues prefer 0 degrees (unfeathered) to reduce rotation at the grip.
Spray skirts
A spray skirt is not optional for sea kayaking or whitewater on Canadian rivers. For flatwater touring, it is strongly recommended in spring and fall when water temperatures are below 10°C — a wet capsize in cold water without a skirt significantly increases the volume of cold water in the cockpit during self-rescue.
Neoprene skirts seal tighter and are warmer; nylon/neoprene hybrids are lighter and faster to dry. The tunnel (the part that wraps around the paddler's waist) should be tight enough to seal in a capsize but loose enough to release by pulling the front grab loop with moderate force.
Dry storage
Canadian weather, even in July, includes rain, wind, and cold lake spray. Dry storage is not a luxury for multi-day trips. The practical breakdown:
- Dry bags (roll-top): Most reliable for sleeping bags and down insulation. 20 L and 35 L sizes fit stern and bow hatches of most touring kayaks. Welded seams hold better than taped seams when submerged.
- Pelican-style hard cases: Electronics, navigation, first aid. O-ring seals are more reliable than bag seals for critical items.
- Deck bags: Day items — snacks, sunscreen, navigation. Must be secured with a leash; deck loads can shift in rough water.
Cold-water preparation
The dress-for-immersion principle applies to all Canadian paddling before late July. Water temperature, not air temperature, governs immersion survival time. A 10°C lake gives an unprotected swimmer approximately 1–3 hours before incapacitation from cold water shock and hypothermia, with the first 90 seconds being the most dangerous due to involuntary gasping and hyperventilation.
Options for cold-water immersion protection:
- Wetsuit (3 mm): Minimum for spring and fall flatwater. Allows paddling without overheating on warm days while providing immersion protection.
- Drysuit: Full protection; appropriate for ocean touring and cold-water rivers. Requires proper fitting to avoid neck and wrist seal failure underwater.
- Neoprene paddling jacket: Upper-body protection only; appropriate as an intermediate option in sheltered flatwater with warm air temperatures.
Navigation
On large Canadian lakes — Huron, Superior, Nipigon, Winnipeg — visibility can drop to under 100 m in fog. A waterproof compass (Silva or Suunto) and a printed topographic chart in a waterproof map case are standard for open-water crossings. GPS devices supplement but do not replace paper charts; battery failure and screen reflectivity in bright sunlight are real field issues.
Repair kit minimum
A functional day-trip repair kit for a polyethylene or fibreglass kayak:
- Duct tape (20 m) — hull patch and emergency hatch cover
- Neoprene contact cement — spray skirt tunnel repair
- Extra paddle (breakdown model clipped to deck)
- Pump leash
- Paddle float
Fibreglass repair (glass cloth and epoxy) is for multi-day trips where access to repair facilities is more than two days away.