Customer Reviews

The Complete Sea Kayak Touring

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book describes kayaking at its best. I was especially interested in the section on kayak camping and storage of gear.The book is organized well and covers all facets of kayaking. There are many clear closeup pictures of the topic being discussed and in fact there is at least 1 picture on every page. I enjoyed this book and I ordered a copy for my brother in Alabama.

As advertized this book is about the basics of kayak touring. It is a well written and because of the authors enthusiasm- inspirational. For a begining kayaker, like myself, this book has served to fire and intensify my interest in touring. Unlike many books which dwell the dangers and near death experiences of the author-( thus dissuading many of us) this book deals with the great experiences this author and friends have had and inspires us to try to find some of those adventure ourselves. The author writes well, with a great sense of humor, and seems like the kind of person we all wish we had along as we paddled along our own journeys. I am sure we could have hours of animated discussions about the merits of rotomolded kayaks-- I like them. This is an informative book that will serve to introduce the reader to kayak touring, there is still much to be learned but that will come with experience. I believe even experienced tourers would enjoy reading this book.

I am an avid and experienced sea kayaker and recently spent 3 weeks padddling in Japan, island hopping from Okinawa to Amami Island. Although not quite complete, Jonathan Hanson's guide and bibliography are comprehensive. It is a great starting read for an adventurous soul with little paddling experience considering a journey by kayak. Similar information is covered in other kayaking books. However, Hanson's guide is easy to digest and the information is spot on. The lack of British Canoe Union dogma is refreshing. The author and I have similar taste in kayaks and paddles. I was particularly happy with the discussions of folding kayaks. I would have liked to see the mention of Greenland paddles and a blurb on the value of the services of a competent kayak instructor. Not sure if any book can truly be a complete guide. This book come pretty close.

I really liked the book. Its concise well written and goes over the basics of sea kayaking. It has helped me immensely as I'm just starting out. The author's enthusiasm is contagious and he's sense of humor makes the book an easy read.

We recently bought two sea kayaks and were looking for an
"encyclopedia" on the basics of getting started with our own boats. The book gives excellent basic informtion on safety, skills, and equipment. The sections on kayak camping gear are really informative. The author uses his own experiences and lots of houmour to make this book not only informative but an enjoyable read.

Perhaps it omits the items mentioned in the other review, but I would say that this book is as close to complete as is possible. It manages to be concise, as well, and is enjoyable to read. This book would be a good starting point if you are getting into sea kayaking, and also has useful information for those with more experience.

My husband and I love this book! First we checked it out of the library and then we had buy it! Like others have mentioned, this book is well organized, informative, and written with a wonderful sense of humor. I love Hanson's little stories he tosses in here and there. We heavily relied on this book when we undertook our first solo kayak camping trip into a very isolated area in Maine. His advice on what to bring and how to pack it all into the sea kayaks was hugely helpful. We love that Hanson is a gear guy and gives the okay to be comfortable.
This is an all around great book! I hope he writes more!

A superb book that contains all of the information one could possibly need on the subject, very well-written & entertaining!

Very informative and easy to read instruction book. Fully loaded with tips and nice pictures too. I found several new ideas and detailes here for my next kayak touring plans! I really recommend this book for every seriouse seakayak padler.