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Humans have been using canoes and kayaks since they figured out that bodies of water need to be crossed and are also filled with opportunities to hunt food. While canoes offer a convenient and easy mode of transport, the kayak is the perfect watercraft for the stealth required by a hunter. Kayaks are very similar to canoes in design, but the fact that they are enclosed, allows a hunter to silently sneak up on his prey, as well as stay protected from the water during a long hunt. In fact, the word “kayak” literally means “hunter’s boat.”

For a hunter, a kayak is much more than recreational. A kayak is enclosed rather than being open like a boat or a canoe, which offers protection from the elements and stability in the water, as the waves cause much less movement than in an open canoe. Kayaks are enjoyed for exercise, fishing, recreation and hunting.

The design of a kayak evolved and changed depending on the particular region of the world it was used in. Arctic natives, known as Inuits, first created the kayak in order to access new hunting grounds. Near Russia, kayaks were built as a wide, short vessel, while in the Canadian Arctic, the boats where more narrow and longer. Nearer to Greenland, however, the boas were sleeker and lower to the water. While in times long past, the kayak was quite popular in Siberia, it is difficult to find evidence of them there today.

When kayaks where first built by the Eskimos, they made the frames using either salvaged driftwood or whalebone, tied them together with animal tendons or the sinew as strings, and then wrapped the frames in seal skins. The seal skins would hold onto enough air to make the boat nearly unsinkable. A much larger boat, similarly made, was called a umiak, and could carry up to 20 people. They were used primarily for whale hunting and were used along with the kayak for transport and hunting. The traditional seal skinned kayak is rarely found anymore. In fact, it has become difficult to even find people who know how to build this original kayak in the modern age.

As time went on, people in Europe figured out how many different ways kayaks could enhance their lives. Sealskin gave way to covers made from manufactured fabrics to enclose the boats. After the 1950s, fabric was discarded for much stronger fiberglass, until the mid- 1980s, when plastic becomes the material of choice. Manufacturers continue to search for new ways to build a lighter, more versatile, yet stronger kayak.

Today, people of all levels of skill and technique enjoy kayaking. It is a beautiful way to get around, fish, appreciate nature and get some terrific physical activity, all with no need for fossil fuels.

Brendan Williams has been in or on the water all of his 42 years. He enjoys fishing, swimming & kayaking whenever he gets a spare few hours of time. After researching for a new kayak, he felt compelled to share what he learned on EzineArticles, & create a website dedicated to water sports.

For more great tips on kayaking, visit http://www.itsabigocean.com/