A Kayaking Community at your Fingertips

 by: Monica Marty

Do you have questions about kayaking? Do you want to seek the advice of kayakers that are more experienced and relate to kayakers that are at your level? Wouldn’t it be nice to connect with other kayaking enthusiasts? The Internet can supply you with robust information about kayaking such as necessary equipment, costs, and travel destinations. However, the Internet also provides forums and discussion boards dedicated to the sport of kayaking. Hop online and plug into the kayaking community.

Several kayaking websites provide message boards. Many websites allow free access to these forums; however some require a small fee. Let’s take a look at three websites that will be of interest to kayakers. They offer discussion boards to post and answer questions, comments, and concerns.

Boatertalk.com: (http://www.boatertalk.com) Boatertalk.com has a bounty of boating and kayaking resources including forums, articles, gear swap, and events. Forums range from Boatertalk to SurfZone and RaftZone. Each discussion board is filled with helpful hints, information, and personal experience. To post to the boards you must pay a small membership fee. There are different types of membership ranging from $6 to $36.

Paddler Magazine online: (http://www.paddlermagazine.com) They have a bulletin board with industry news and several discussion boards. The discussion boards are broken down into whitewater, squirt, touring, and gear swap. Under “touring” you can find a kayak forum. This forum is for sea kayaking and discusses trips, kayak building, technique, and design. It is a public forum so you can read messages on it. Your name and email address are the only requirements to be able to post on the discussion board.

The Alaska Outdoor Journal Discussion Board: (http://alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/cgi-bin/ib/ikonboard.cgi) Discussion boards for various states and regions around the world are popping up each day. When planning a kayaking trip to another state, check the Internet to see if there is a discussion board for that state. For example, Alaska has this discussion board that presents pertinent information about kayaking in Alaska. You can peruse the message boards. If you wish to post a message you must register. Registration is free.

How do you find other kayaking discussion boards? Your best bet is to go through an Internet search engine such as Google or Yahoo. Search by the keywords kayaking discussion boards or kayaking forums. A long list of websites will unfold. Sift through the websites until you find the discussion board that is right for you. The Internet has become a well received form of communication between fellow kayakers. Take advantage of the knowledge and resources available to you. Your next kayaking trip could be the thrill of a lifetime.