If you’ve never gone kayaking and you have a paddling trip coming up, you’re probably excited to embrace the challenge and learn a new activity. But somewhere at the back of your mind, you’re wondering how likely you are to end up in the water, fearing for your life.
Sure, kayaks are touted as being really stable but are they really? Maybe everyone has just collectively decided to toe the company line and not talk about any balance problems kayaks might have.
After all, they’re still just slender structures sitting on a vast body of water so it’d make sense if they were prone to capsizing.
In this article, we are going to discuss the possibility of kayaks flipping over, whether that’s something you need to worry too much about, and what you can do to keep it from happening.
Photo by Roland Chanson
Do kayaks flip over easily?
Photo by Rachel Claire
No, contrary to what you might think, kayaks do not flip over easily. Kayaks are designed to be safe and to stay afloat, so the probability of your boat tipping over for no reason is extremely low.
However there’s still the remote possibility that your kayak might flip over but only if other factors and forces are present. For instance, the type of kayak you’re using and the water you’re paddling in can increase your risk of tipping over.
If you’re using a long, narrow sea kayak to paddle in whitewater, especially as a beginner, there’s a higher chance of the kayak flipping because it’s not the most stable option on the market.
Nevertheless, the same boat might not be so tippy if your float trip is on calm water. Likewise, if you’re paddling a recreational kayak in calm water, you would have to intentionally try very hard to flip your kayak over before you succeed in doing so.
Simply put, as long as you’re using your kayak properly and not taking on more than you can handle, the odds of your kayak getting upturned are practically zero.
What causes kayaks to flip over?
Photo by Jonathan Lassen
Kayaks don’t flip over without some form of interference because they have a wide base and a low center of gravity that helps them maintain stability on the water. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that might cause your kayak to tip over.
1. Loss of balance
The most common cause of flipped kayaks is a lack of balance. This can be as a result of the kayak being loaded improperly or because the paddler is sitting the wrong way.
Sometimes, many beginner and intermediate-level kayakers may not know how to properly position themselves in a kayak. They might lean to one side too much, shift their weight all over the place, or react too late to an incoming wave.
These paddler errors can mess with the kayak’s center of gravity and impact its ability to remain upright, and lead to you taking a swim in the water.
2. Poor technique
No matter how stable the kayak’s design is, you still play an important role in keeping it straight and helping it cut through the water. You can’t just paddle however you like. You need to learn the proper techniques to maintain balance at all times.
If you don’t know what you’re doing or how to control the boat in certain instances like when you encounter a wave, your inexperience can cause the kayak to flip over.
Photo by Brett Sayles
3. Excessive weight
Every kayak has a weight limit and exceeding it is asking for trouble. When you pack too much kayaking gear into your vessel, it can become unstable and more likely to topple over easily.
The same thing can also happen when you don’t overload your kayak but instead, place too much weight on one part of the kayak, causing it to lean more to one side.
4. Impact with obstacles
Your kayak can flip over if it gets hit by another boat or if you run into obstacles like rocks, waves, or fallen trees. The force of the impact can change your trajectory and disrupt your balance.
And if you’re not able to recover from the accident and correct your movements on time, you’re most likely going to end up in the water with your kayak turned upside down.
Photo by Brett Sayles
5. Rough water and weather conditions
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced paddler, strong winds and waves can cause your kayak to flip over if you’re not prepared to handle the challenging conditions.
However, more confident paddlers who know how to use brace techniques will be less likely to end up in the water when kayaking in bad weather. Water and weather conditions can greatly impact your kayaking experience and turn a simple trip into a paddle to stay upright.
How do you prevent your kayak from flipping over?
Although it’s rare for a kayak to flip over, it can still happen. But with the right precautions and regular practice, you can overcome your fear of flipping your kayak and reduce the chances of it ever happening when you’re out on the water. Here are a few preventive measures you can take:
Stay alert and conscious of your surroundings
The water is full of surprises and conditions can turn a dime and catch you unawares if you’re not paying enough attention to your surroundings. Find out what the weather forecast and water temperature are before leaving home so you can be prepared for them.
Watch out for huge waves, gusts of wind, and heavy currents, and try to stay away from them. If not, you need to be ready to paddle in the direction the wind is blowing.
Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery
In the case of big waves, be prepared to paddle head-on into the waves to avoid getting hit from the side and flipping over. And if you must wade through heavy currents, be sure to paddle harder to maintain a straight line.
You might not be able to avoid every potential trouble in the water but keeping an eye out will allow you to notice them sooner and react quicker.
Paddle using torso movements
Using proper paddling techniques is key to maintaining your stability. One way to improve your technique is by rotating your torso when you paddle instead of just using your arms.
Your core houses the strongest group of muscles in your body and unlike your arms, they won’t tire quickly from the repetitive rowing motions. Paddling with your torso enables you to paddle in a straight line and achieve the right balance.
Naturally, it will take a while for you to move on from relying solely on your arms to incorporating torso movements into your paddling, but you’ll get there as long as you keep practicing.
Photo by Alexander Bobrov
Pick the right paddling conditions
It’s best to avoid exploring choppy waters or going kayaking on windy days until you’ve gained significant experience on the water and can adequately handle those situations.
A recreational kayak with low secondary stability will not perform nearly as well in rough water or windy weather as a sea kayak with superb secondary stability. Likewise, a proficient paddler would have a much higher tolerance for navigating foul conditions than a beginner.
You know your limits better than anyone. Don’t try to push them before you’re ready. Stay away from kayaking destinations with strong currents and winds or big waves if you’re new to the activity.
Stick to paddling in conditions that are suitable for your type of kayak and experience level. And of course, choose the right kayak for the body of water you plan to explore.
Ensure even weight distribution
When the weight on your kayak isn’t evenly distributed, it can cause the center of gravity to shift out of the support base which will make the boat unsteady and, ultimately, force it to flip over.
Make sure heavier items are stored close to the center of the kayak as they are less likely to interfere with the kayak’s stability in this position.
Photo by Rachel Claire
You should also respect the kayak weight limit and avoid loading it beyond 80% of the maximum weight capacity. This will allow for an optimal paddling experience and make your kayak less prone to tipping, which will, in turn, make you more unlikely to lose your balance and capsize.
Use brace strokes
One of the most effective moves you can make to counteract any disruptions to your balance and prevent your kayak from flipping over is to perform a brace stroke.
You can either do the low brace stroke or the more advanced high brace stroke. These paddling strokes require you to use both your body and your paddle to stay afloat when you suspect that you’re about to capsize.
Learning how to do these movements and practicing them on calm water will help you master them. So when you find yourself in a tricky situation, your instincts will kick in and apply the choreographed brace technique to stabilize the kayak before it flips over.
What to do if your kayak flips over?
In spite of your best efforts to prevent your kayak from capsizing, there may come a time when you find yourself taking an unplanned swim.
Falling off or getting stuck under your upturned kayak can be annoying but it doesn’t have to ruin your day or endanger your life.
Following the recommendations below will help you stay safe and right your kayak so you can continue enjoying the rest of your trip.
Photo by Asad Photo Maldives
1. Remain calm
When your kayak flips over, your natural reaction might be to panic and start flailing in an attempt to regain your balance. Don’t give in to that instinct. Fear will impact your ability to make level-headed choices.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to remain calm so you can think clearly and make the right decisions to rectify the problem instead of making it worse.
2. Do a kayak recovery
If you’re paddling in a sit in kayak model, you can return your kayak to the upright position without having to get out of it. This move is called a kayak recovery or kayak roll and it requires you to use your hips and paddle to flip yourself around.
However, this technique is not something you should attempt out of the blue. You need to practice doing rolls in calm water so you can execute them correctly when the situation calls for it.
3. Perform a wet exit
If you can’t right your kayak, you will need to get out of it and re-enter the boat again so you’re not stuck underwater. This is called a wet exit
To do a wet exit, you’ll need to lean forward as far as you can, grab the pull loop of your spray skirt and tug on it to release yourself.
Next, place your hands on the sides of your cockpit and push yourself out while pressing your legs together to keep them from getting stuck during the exit process. Once you’re out, your personal floatation device (PFD) will help you float above the water line.
Photo by Shivkumar Sd
4. Re-enter your kayak
After exiting your kayak, evaluate the situation and figure out whether you can right the kayak or whether you need to call for assistance. If you’re on your own, you’ll need to perform a self-rescue to flip the kayak back so you can re-enter it.
However, if you’re paddling with someone else or there’s another kayaker nearby, you can both perform a T-rescue which is much easier to do. They can help you get any water in your cockpit out and hold it steady while you climb back in your kayak.
Depending on the type of kayak you’re using, you might need to swim back to shore and relaunch the kayak from hard ground.
Wrapping up
Although it’s possible for a kayak to flip over, it’s not a common occurrence so you don’t have to obsess over the likelihood of it happening to you.
You have to make errors or end up in tough conditions before you can find yourself dealing with a capsized kayak.
And even if it happens, it doesn’t spell the end of the world. There are steps you can take to overcome the circumstance and maintain your safety if things get tricky.
