Customer Reviews

Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters

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

 

 

No doubt one of the better produced books. Unfortunately, the content does not live up to the glimmer of the pictures and illustrations. If motivation is your goal and you get it by looking at excellent images of sea kayaks in rough conditions, then by all means get this book! If you already have a solid grasp of sea kayak basics and consider yourself an intermediate paddler, you will not find much new information in this book. Pages and pages are spent on detailed descriptions of paddling techniques and gear that you can find in any other book. Here and there a sentence or two sneak in trying to apply the descriptions to rough water but they rarely exceed the level of common sense.

There is a table of for distance covered in a certain amount of time when traveling at a certain speed. If you look up a cell that corresponds to 4MPH speed and 2 hours the answer is 8 miles! WOW! The author recommends that you tape this table to your kayak! Are you kidding me? Haven't most kayakers passed 4th grade multiplication and division?

Another disappointment is at the end of the book. I always go there for a good index that makes for efficient use of material. In this book, you'll find numerous pages of advertisements and no index.

In summary, I found that this book covers what every other book on the market covers and does not contribute anything to the literature on sea kayaking. The title jumped out at me as there is a gap in the literature on rough water and surfing. Having read the book, I am deeply disappointed! Good pictures but little else to recommend it!

As a dedicated sea kayaker, I found this book to be an excellent addition to my library on sea kayaking. It's beautifully illustrated with numerous high-quality photographs. I wouldn't characterize it as an instructional book but more of a celebration and introduction to kayaking in challenging "big water" conditions. There's enough information to get one's appetite engaged and probably enough to get one started in learning the techniques needed to manage those conditions. However, it shouldn't be regarded as a substitute for formal instruction and practice.

There is no doubt about the authority of the author. His experience is our gain. Even if you are a flat water boater, the information in this book can save you a lot of grief.