{"id":207,"date":"2022-07-29T13:42:12","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T13:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/?p=207"},"modified":"2022-07-29T13:42:44","modified_gmt":"2022-07-29T13:42:44","slug":"can-you-kayak-in-the-rain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/can-you-kayak-in-the-rain\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you Kayak in the Rain?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_45_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-64ff6f25a6968\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-64ff6f25a6968\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/can-you-kayak-in-the-rain\/#What_about_kayaking_in_the_rain\" title=\"What about kayaking in the rain?\">What about kayaking in the rain?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/can-you-kayak-in-the-rain\/#Potential_dangers_of_kayaking_in_the_rain\" title=\"Potential dangers of kayaking in the rain\">Potential dangers of kayaking in the rain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/can-you-kayak-in-the-rain\/#Preparing_for_kayaking_in_the_rain\" title=\"Preparing for kayaking in the rain\">Preparing for kayaking in the rain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/can-you-kayak-in-the-rain\/#What_about_kayaking_after_rainfall_or_storm\" title=\"What about kayaking after rainfall or storm?\">What about kayaking after rainfall or storm?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Many people have wondered about this question, as a matter of safety and convenience, because a kayak is much more exposed to the elements than a larger boat would be.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re out on a lake in a kayak, you don\u2019t have much room in the vessel to maneuver, which means you\u2019d like calm waters to navigate in.<\/p>\n<p>However, kayaking in the rain is generally reasonably safe and can even provide some very memorable experiences for sports enthusiasts.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_about_kayaking_in_the_rain\"><\/span>What about kayaking in the rain?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The quick and dirty answer to this is yes, you can go kayaking in the rain \u2013 as long as you\u2019re prepared for it. You don\u2019t want to be caught in a downpour with just a T-shirt on for protection, and you do have to pay attention to any building waves on the lake or pond.<\/p>\n<p>A gentle rain is no problem, but you\u2019ll need to be protected against hypothermia. A storm is much more problematic and likely to cause navigation difficulties, so it\u2019s better to err on the side of caution and cut your kayaking trip short if the weather gets stormy.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Potential_dangers_of_kayaking_in_the_rain\"><\/span>Potential dangers of kayaking in the rain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of course, you need to be aware of some potential dangers you might encounter when kayaking in the rain, so you don\u2019t get caught off-guard. Here are some things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You may get tired more quickly than usual because you\u2019ll probably be spending more energy on controlling your craft with stronger winds and waves.<\/li>\n<li>If you capsized, you would be exposed to the possibility of colliding with debris like branches or logs in the water.<\/li>\n<li>While in the water, you could ram into rocks or other obstructions in the lake.<\/li>\n<li>If a storm should follow the initial rain, there\u2019s the possibility you could get hit by lightning or at least be exposed to powerful winds that could upset your kayak.<\/li>\n<li>If you aren\u2019t dressed properly, you might quickly develop hypothermia due to the relatively cold rain soaking you. If your craft capsizes, this becomes much more likely.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Preparing_for_kayaking_in_the_rain\"><\/span>Preparing for kayaking in the rain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Knowing the potential dangers that might be presented by kayaking in the rain is not the same as preparing for them.<\/p>\n<p>You can do some things to be better prepared when you get surprised out on the lake by a sudden rainfall.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes you just don\u2019t have any choice in the matter, and you\u2019re forced to kayak in the rain because it wasn\u2019t in the forecast and it came up unexpectedly.<\/p>\n<p>If you happen to get caught in a surprise thunderstorm, your best bet is to get to shore as quickly as possible before things get ugly.<\/p>\n<p>When the wind isn\u2019t blowing too badly and the waves are manageable, you should be perfectly safe in enjoying your time on the lake. To be as prepared as possible for kayaking in the rain, here\u2019s what you can do:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Practice your safety and paddling skills so you\u2019re ready for rougher weather.<\/li>\n<li>Before you go out, have a good idea of today\u2019s forecast, and if there\u2019s a chance for thunderstorms, you\u2019d be well advised to re-schedule your kayak outing.<\/li>\n<li>Do not consume alcohol before kayaking \u2013 it can cause you to make poor decisions, and it interferes with your physical performance.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you are well practiced in safe entry and exit from a kayak.<\/li>\n<li>Keep your swimming skills up to date if your boat capsizes, and you are obliged to swim back to shore.<\/li>\n<li>Wear a wetsuit, or at least dress appropriately for the possibility of being thoroughly soaked or completely immersed in the water.<\/li>\n<li>Exercise regularly so you are in a good state of fitness since you may be required to do a long swim back to shore.<\/li>\n<li>Have an emergency plan ready to cover the possibility of capsizing and becoming separated from your craft. This will help to prevent you from panicking should something undesirable, and unplanned occur while you\u2019re on the water.<\/li>\n<li>Alert family and friends about your kayaking plans, so if any kind of accident happens, they\u2019ll know something\u2019s wrong when you\u2019ve exceeded your planned time on the water.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure your kayak is seaworthy before going out so you don\u2019t run into performance issues when the weather gets wetter.<\/li>\n<li>Wear a waterproof GPS watch to help you navigate in case you get lost or disoriented during the rainfall.<\/li>\n<li>Carry a repair and First Aid kit with you for emergencies.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you\u2019re wearing a flotation device to keep you buoyant in the water, should you capsize or accidentally fall in water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_about_kayaking_after_rainfall_or_storm\"><\/span>What about kayaking after rainfall or storm?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It can be perfectly safe to go kayaking after rainfall or storm, provided that you take a few precautions. First, you must be aware of the water level after heavy rain.<\/p>\n<p>If the waves have calmed down and the water level is safe, you should have no trouble enjoying a kayak trip on the lake.<\/p>\n<p>You should be extra cautious if you know that the water you\u2019ll be on is cold \u2013 this presents a much greater possibility of hypothermia, should you somehow become immersed.<\/p>\n<p>As always, being on the water with a partner or friend is safer, just in case something goes wrong.<\/p>\n<p>The same precautions you would take for paddling in the rain should be observed after a rainfall because another shower or two might spring up after the first one.<\/p>\n<p>Kayaking can be extremely rewarding for a sports enthusiast, and it will be much more enjoyable if you\u2019re better prepared for unpleasant possibilities.<\/p>\n<p>By keeping the tips above in mind when you have a kayak outing, you should be able to weather the storm nicely and take away a remarkable memory of your experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many people have wondered about this question, as a matter of safety and convenience, because a kayak is much more exposed to the elements than a larger boat would be. When you\u2019re out on a lake in a kayak, you don\u2019t have much room in the vessel to maneuver, which means you\u2019d like calm waters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":209,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207\/revisions\/208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayakcountry.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}