Jonathan Hanson Jonathan Hanson Jonathan Hanson is a writer whose lifelong appreciation of nature shows up frequently in his work. Meet Jonathan Previous Answers

On one hand, you want to be able to put it on yourself, and you most definitely want to be able to get the dang thing off by yourself with a quick yank on the release loop. The skirt needs to be tight enough to stay on through the worst recirculator you might encounter, never mind the odd dumping wave, so it makes sense to get a skirt sized properly for your boat's cockpit opening. Make sure you find the proper-diameter elastic to pop snugly under the cockpit rim.

Whitewater paddlers tend to be more aware of spray skirt fit, since they're out looking for rough water. But I see way too many sea kayakers who buy the cheapest skirt they can find — $30 all-nylon models with no separate chest tube that sag and pool water, and which pop off and dump water in the cockpit with the smallest waves. That's uncomfortable at best, and downright dangerous in the wrong circumstances. You might be able to get away with it in tropical waters, but for temperate-zone paddling you need more protection.

The best spray skirts I've seen and used are made by Rich Wilson at Snap Dragon Design, in Washington (425-957-3575; www.snapdragondesign.com). They're made to fit a wide range of cockpit sizes, so you can be sure they'll work when you need them, and the construction is bombproof. Snap Dragon offers tight, all-neoprene whitewater skirts, or extra-heavy-duty models with a deck made from Kevlar.

In sea kayak skirts my favorite is the Sea Tour, which combines a taut, water-shedding neoprene deck with a comfortable nylon chest tube. My original Sea Tour, now some eight year old, is still in fine shape, if somewhat faded.

Of course there are other makers of good spray skirts. Look for a tight deck that's fit (or able to fit) to your cockpit, which pops on with authority and snaps off with a good yank. And remember to take care of it: spray it off after each outing (especially if it's a sea kayak model and has been in salt water) and store it away from direct sunlight in a well-ventilated spot.

Happy paddling,

Go to GORP Paddling Forum

Previous Expert Answers

Back to GORP Paddling

Return to Top