Thread: Whats the difference between a freestyle and recreational kayak?

Besides the obvious difference in shape, what abilities does one have against the other? I am currently looking for a kayak. I own a recreational one but i would like to try riverrunning. I just wanted to know if I was to buy a freestyle kayak, would it not be as well suited to go on a lake as would a recreational?

Originally Posted by gary1974

Besides the obvious difference in shape, what abilities does one have against the other? I am currently looking for a kayak. I own a recreational one but i would like to try riverrunning. I just wanted to know if I was to buy a freestyle kayak, would it not be as well suited to go on a lake as would a recreational?

You smell like a spammer.

Freestyle kayaks will tend to be more piglike on lakes than rec kayaks. I love my playboats, but they suck for flatwater paddling compared to most rec kayaks -- playboats are comparatively slow and unstable, which makes them fun for riverrunning, but bad at flatwater.

I did a 10 mile lake tour in a XXX once, and it wasn't unbearable (largely because it gave me plenty of time to work up bowstalls) but nearly so. If I'm paddling any distance across choppy saltwater, I will leave the whitewater boats behind and stick to a basic but stable rec boat.

You might want to check your local kayak shop.

Oh-your websites in your signature suck too. Way to try to get your google rating up.

Rec boats are going to tend to come to a point and have a more V shaped hull or at least some sort of keel which will help with tracking and speed where as a freestyle boat is going to be short (no speed) flat (paddling a straight line will take practice) and box like (primary stability will be good but with what i'm assuming is very limited experience on your part once you pass that first edge you're probably gonna swim) Instead of a freestyle boat you would probably want to get more of a river running boat, it will work on lakes better than a freestyle and give you a better learning curve for rivers.

Gotta agree with conundrum though, the best way to learn anything is to go in a shop and ask. I'd tell them your looking for a river runner though, not a freestyle (play) boat.

freestyle= fun
recreational=stinxs
freestyle is so much more versatile, especially if you already have a recreation one, check out the jakson Fun I have one and it rocks!