Adventurers love exploring their maximum potential and taking on outdoor expeditions, surfing big waves, and climbing the highest mountains. Kayaking is among the best outdoor adventures for explorers, and they want to do everything in their power to take it to the next level. Therefore, kayaking experts love accessorizing their boats with modern gadgets and tools to get the best out of their experiences. In the following post, we will discuss if kayak sails work or not and how do use them perfectly to boost your speed & performance:
Do Kayak Sail Work?
The addition of kayak sails is undoubtedly a comforting and pleasurable experience for novice and experienced kayakers alike. It offers faster speeds, more control, and unrestricted movement, among other benefits. However, some professionals choose to go boldly into the water without the help of any aids.
Do kayak sails work? The short answer is yes. Kayak sails are capable of transforming your ordinary kayak into an advanced boat with better movement and steering controls at your fingertips. The vessel can gain power from an additional source and offer you more boost, speed, and efficiency than before.
What Are the Advantages of Using Kayak Sails?
These sails bring a multitude of benefits to the table. An exploration of these benefits will sway your decision and show you the perks of using a kayak sail on your next trip. Let’s explore these benefits and see what you can enjoy.
1.Faster Speed
The additional power source will offer greater speed and acceleration at your fingertips. The sails are generally designed to derive more power from the accompanying winds and transfer them to the vessel for higher speeds. Therefore, with the help of the right kayak sail, you can move faster than before without losing control of the boat.
In addition to faster speeds, using sails with a kayak will also allow you to gain more momentum while reducing your energy. The sails utilize the freely available energy of the wind, and this allows the kayakers to save their energy and cruise through the waters with the wind energy. You can enjoy more speed, cover greater distances, and reduce the amount of invested energy with the help of these sails.
Similarly, the benefit of faster speed also brings along several other perks, such as traveling to greater distances than before. Since you will not have to rely on the use of paddling alone, the wind energy will propel the vessel faster and help you cover great distances in lesser time. You can also enjoy your lunch while the sail does its job.
2.Comfortable and Relaxing Experience
Once the sail takes care of the vessel, you will have free time on your hand to enjoy a meal, look around and enjoy the natural beauty, and relax and let your arms rest after hours of paddling. One of the biggest perks of kayak sails is the autonomous control or “autopilot” like functionality that lets the kayakers enjoy the serene beauty without having to propel the vessel forward continuously.
A powerful sail can easily add miles to your experience without demanding too much effort from you. Moreover, you can also relax, take a break, and still catch up with the group even if you are left behind. Similarly, the vessel will keep moving forward even if you are not paddling anymore.
These sails are ideal for people who want to enjoy the beauty of the sea without having to invest all their energy into paddling the boat. So, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy while kayak sails do the job for you.
Convenience is also of essence here. So, when you relax and enjoy, you can enjoy more convenience in the vessel and it will make your trip much better.
3.Experienced Kayaking Abilities
Another benefit of using such sails is that you will slowly become a more experienced kayaker and will be able to overcome any challenges that might come your way. In general, kayakers rarely deal with issues other than strong water currents. However, when you use such sails on your vessel, you will be forced to face other challenges and turn into an experienced kayaker over time.
These challenges will enhance your bracing and rudder capabilities over time, and you will be fit to battle stronger tides, currents, and wind levels after a while. You will be able to push and paddle yourself to the limits, test your endurance, enjoy the experience, and become better at sailing over time. If you think of yourself as an avid adventurer, these sails are the right option for you.
In addition to this, powerful sails will also push you across waves and teach you how to kayak on waves in adverse weather conditions. It will only polish your kayaking skills and take your experiences to the next level. You can also learn how to pedal on heavy winds with sails.
4.A Diverse Workout
Simple paddling will only help work out your legs and calves. However, sailing with a kayak will offer a more diverse and full-body workout session for your entire body. Prior to using sails, people only use non-sailing muscles to propel the vessel forward. However, with the help of these accessories, you will be able to use additional muscles of your body and enjoy a full-body workout right from the beginning.
5.Maximum Visibility
Another important benefit of using sails is maximum visibility in the waters. When you are out in the ocean, sea, or another body of water, safety is of utmost importance. Therefore, you need to find a way to ensure maximum visibility at all times so that other vessels do not run into you and people can find you if you are lost. Some kayakers tend to raise their paddles up high to call out for help. However, kayak sails can maximize your visibility and enhance your safety in the water.
According to pro kayakers, sails increase your visibility by a minimum of ten times as compared to kayaks without such accessories. So, other kayakers can identify your vessel from even a mile away in open waters. You can easily seek out help, and others can keep an eye on you from great distances.
6.Fishing Assistance
A kayak may not be the ideal way to go for fish hunting in open waters, but it is still an adventurous method. A sail can help you with fishing and offer unrestricted movement when hunting for your favorite trout or eel in a lake, river, or sea. With such accessories, you can easily make your way into harsh waters can capture your favorite fish.
The additional power from wind will help you focus on the fishing aspect without getting worried about keeping the kayak stable or moving. The sail will take care of that and help you hover over a school of fish with more momentum, control, and acceleration. This will further assist with getting to your favorite fish and chasing a school of them at greater speeds.
7.Unique Appearance
There are hundreds of different forms and shapes available in the market. It is up to you to choose the best one for yourself and make your vessel unique. You can easily stand out in the boring and mundane crowd with the help of a beautiful and powerful sail on your kayak. This can be your chance to show everyone that your vessel is unique and powerful.
This appearance can also help you stand out in the crowd and offer enhanced safety against motorboats in the water. People who use kayak sails also state that they feel less concerned against other boats colliding into their vessel due to the unique appearance of the sail.
8.Reduced Strain on Muscles
Another benefit that you should keep in mind is that the presence of a sail reduces the amount of strain placed on your limbs, muscles, and especially your lower torso. Most kayakers push and paddle with their lower back, and this can translate into severe pain for the lower half of the body in the long run. With a sail flying on top of your vessel, the energy required will be reduced to a minimum, and there will be reduced strain on your muscles.
9.Competitive Edge
If you are into competitions, you can enjoy an extra edge over your competitors with the help of a kayak sail. You can leave your competitors behind in your dust and get to the finish line before everyone else without having to exert as much energy as before. You can also enjoy breaks during the paddling process, recharge your energy, and catch up with the rest as quickly as possible.
What Is the Bottom Line Here?
Kayak sails can easily help you take your experience to the next level. You can add this accessory to your vessel and get started with enjoying higher speeds, more momentum, an amazing fishing experience, and reduced strain in open waters. You can also master different tricks and say goodbye to boredom with such accessories. You can go online and choose your favorite sail for your kayak.
