So Just How Long is a Sea Kayak, Really?
As we look at the various sea kayaks on the market we notice that most of
the kayak makers talk about the importance of waterline length. We also
notice that almost no one lists their kayak's waterline lengths. The following is
a list of sea kayaks for which we know the waterline lengths. It also shows
the kayak's waterline length as a percentage of the overall length of the kayak. The average for
all of these kayaks is a waterline length which is 90% of the overall
length.
If you apply this ratio to our sea kayaks you'll find that at 16' 10"
the Q500X has, on average, a waterline equal to a 18' 8" kayak. The
Q400 with a length of 15' 3" has, on average, a waterline length
equal to a 17' kayak. What does this mean? It means efficiency; more of
the kayak is doing what a kayak should do, ply the water. Not sticking out
there catching the wind or adding weight with no purpose.
|
Manufacturer
|
Model
|
Material
|
Overall
|
Waterline
|
Beam
|
WL/OL
|
|
QCC Kayaks
|
Q700
|
Composite
|
17.83
|
17.46
|
21.00
|
98%
|
|
QCC Kayaks
|
Q500
|
Composite
|
16.83
|
16.42
|
23.00
|
98%
|
|
Dagger
|
Seeker
|
Polyethylene
|
16.10
|
15.63
|
23.50
|
97%
|
| QCC
Kayaks |
Q600 |
Composite |
16.58 |
16.17 |
21.00 |
97% |
|
QCC Kayaks
|
Q400
|
Composite
|
15.25
|
14.75
|
24.00
|
97%
|
|
Kirton
|
Inuk
|
Composite
|
18.10
|
17.50
|
20.25
|
97%
|
|
QCC Kayaks
|
Q300
|
Composite
|
13.5
|
13.0
|
24.5
|
96%
|
|
Wilkinson
|
Enetai
|
Composite
|
16.92
|
16.23
|
23.00
|
96%
|
|
New Wave
|
Shearwater
|
Composite
|
16.00
|
15.33
|
22.63
|
96%
|
|
Rainforest Design
|
Solander
|
Composite
|
15.67
|
14.96
|
23.00
|
95%
|
|
Pacific Water Sports
|
Thunderbird
|
Composite
|
17.50
|
16.62
|
27.50
|
95%
|
|
Wilderness Systems
|
Epic
|
Composite
|
17.17
|
16.30
|
21.88
|
95%
|
|
Rainforest Design
|
Puffin
|
Polyethylene
|
16.25
|
15.20
|
23.50
|
94%
|
|
Northeast
|
Cadence
|
Composite
|
17.00
|
15.87
|
24.50
|
93%
|
|
Boreal
|
Alvik
|
Composite
|
16.92
|
15.68
|
23.25
|
93%
|
|
Dagger
|
Stika
|
Composite
|
17.90
|
16.48
|
22.00
|
92%
|
|
Pacific Water Sports
|
Intrepid
|
Composite
|
17.46
|
16.00
|
23.25
|
92%
|
|
Aquaterra
|
Chinook
|
Polyethylene
|
16.00
|
14.66
|
24.00
|
92%
|
|
Dagger
|
Magellan
|
Polyethylene
|
16.70
|
15.30
|
22.88
|
92%
|
|
Eddyline
|
Merlin
|
Polycarbonate
|
15.00
|
13.64
|
23.75
|
91%
|
|
Dragonworks
|
Islander
|
Composite
|
17.00
|
15.45
|
22.50
|
91%
|
|
Dagger
|
Meridian
|
Composite
|
16.00
|
14.54
|
|
91%
|
|
Easy Rider
|
Eskimo 19
|
Composite
|
19.00
|
17.00
|
20.00
|
89%
|
|
Prijon
|
Seayak
|
Polyethylene
|
16.00
|
14.25
|
24.00
|
89%
|
|
Superior Kayaks
|
Hawk
|
Composite
|
19.10
|
17.00
|
21.88
|
89%
|
|
Eddyline
|
Falcon 18
|
Composite
|
17.98
|
16.00
|
20.88
|
89%
|
|
Northwest
|
Pursuit
|
Composite
|
17.48
|
15.49
|
21.33
|
89%
|
|
Current Designs
|
Expedition
|
Composite
|
18.80
|
16.61
|
22.25
|
88%
|
|
Valley Canoe
|
Nordkapp
|
Composite
|
17.94
|
15.82
|
24.00
|
88%
|
|
Southern Exposure
|
Legend
|
Composite
|
17.90
|
15.78
|
21.00
|
88%
|
|
Southern Exposure
|
Reiver
|
Composite
|
17.10
|
15.07
|
22.00
|
88%
|
|
Current Designs
|
Storm
|
Composite
|
17.00
|
14.88
|
24.00
|
88%
|
|
Eddyline
|
Falcon
|
Composite
|
16.00
|
14.00
|
23.00
|
88%
|
|
Wilderness Systems
|
Arctic Hawk
|
Composite
|
17.90
|
15.66
|
22.00
|
87%
|
|
P&H
|
Capella
|
Polyethylene
|
16.50
|
14.42
|
22.25
|
87%
|
|
Seaward Kayaks
|
Navigator
|
Composite
|
16.83
|
14.56
|
23.75
|
87%
|
|
Necky
|
Looksha IV
|
Poly/Comp
|
16.90
|
14.47
|
22.38
|
86%
|
|
Current Designs
|
Carabou
|
Composite
|
17.66
|
15.10
|
21.75
|
86%
|
|
HoponTop
|
HoponTop
|
Composite
|
16.00
|
13.61
|
28.13
|
85%
|
|
Janautica
|
Anadyr
|
Composite
|
17.50
|
14.73
|
21.00
|
84%
|
|
Necky
|
Looksha II
|
Composite
|
20.00
|
16.75
|
20.13
|
84%
|
|
Pyranha
|
Orca
|
Royalex
|
15.90
|
13.17
|
22.40
|
83%
|
|
Where To Try
