What do I need to get started?

There are a few important things you need to consider to start kayaking. First and foremost is the suitability of your choice of kayak. The correct choice will ensure hours of recreational pleasure; the wrong choice will prove frustrating and limit the time you wish to spend paddling. You will also need a quality paddle and a PFD (personal flotation device) is strongly recommended. These are the basic things you need to get out and about on the water.

What is a sit-on-top kayak (SOT)?

A sit-on-top on top kayak is a kayak with no closed in cockpit. The paddler sits on the kayak where there is generally a moulded seat to sit on. The sit-on-top kayak gives excellent ventilation. It is generally quite stable, and offers a scupper self drainage system for ease of use. They are often less restrictive than a sit inside because they have no cockpit to restrict leg movement. They come in a complete range of shapes and sizes to accommodate one, two or three paddlers. They are the most popular type of kayak in Australia!

What is a sit-inside kayak?

A sit-inside kayak is a kayak where you sit inside a hull with a cockpit that partially covers the paddler's legs. It is very comfortable to use for long periods of time. Most sit-inside kayaks offer large internal storage areas. Again, they are available in a number of shapes and sizes.

Is there a kayak out there for me?

There is a kayak out there for everyone, from young children to elderly adults, from Olympic hopefuls to families, people with disabilities and even those who want to take fido the friendly canine companion along. There is something in our shop for everyone!

Are there specialist kayaks?

Kayaking is such a versatile passtime there are now kayaks available for all uses. Whether you wish to explore rivers, lakes or offshore, there are kayaks for leisure and pleasure, kayaks for fitness and training, fishing, diving, surfing, touring, camping and much much more!

Where can I paddle?

Once you have your kayak you're probably wondering about the best place to go paddling? Providing you have the right kayak for the right conditions the world is your oyster. Most people will paddle in flatter conditions, so rivers, dams, estuaries and canals are perfect for all experience levels. Starting on the flatter water will give you more confidence with the conditions and your kayak. For the more adventurous and experienced there are the rougher waters of the ocean and the surf, to tackle and tame!

What to do/take?

Once you have your basic set up ready (kayak, paddle, PFD), you may want to consider a few more items to take with you on your voyage. A beverage of some type to keep you hydrated during your paddle is essential. Also some knowledge of the area you will be traversing is important, including areas to beach your kayak should you need to. For a longer day on the water, food gives you fuel to ensure a  more enjoyable experience. Taking a mobile phone in case of emergency is also a good idea. As always, keep a weather eye on prevailing conditions and err on the side of caution if condtions look like worsening. If paddling alone, always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. If you are going out to use your kayak for a specific purpose (fishing, diving, camping) remember to take all the important gear required. This will make for a more enjoyable and adventurous trip to tell all your friends and family about!

What does kayaking offer?

Kayaking offers paddlers the opportunity to enjoy a recreational activity anywhere there is water. It is excellent exercise for fitness with little or no limb impact and can be as leisurely or as intense as your mood takes you.. It can be undertaken by people of all ages and abilities. Kayaking gets you off the couch and out into this beautiful country we call Australia. There is nothing more rewarding than getting healthy, fit and enjoying yourself at the same time!!!

Do you offer Lay By?

Yes, we offer an eight week lay-by. All you need to to is put down a small, non-refundable deposit and we will hold your kayak and accessories for up to eight weeks while you pay it off.

With the current state of retail in Australia many small businesses are unfortunately going out of business, but you can rest assured that your purchase is safe with us. We are a multi-store, multi-state company with strong economic standing.

Do you offer Test Paddles?

Even better than that, we offer a SEVEN DAY TRIAL period. If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase you may return it within seven days and exchange for any other in-stock kayak of similar price (once). Since we carry over 130 different models in stock this gives you the widest selection in Australia.

Having said that, we make it our business to ensure that you make the right choice in the first instance and are proud to say that, through patience, care and sound advice 99.9% of our customers are satisfied with their original purchase, but at least you have the peace of mind to exchange if you need to.

This simple but effective policy was implemented four years ago and has helped us re-assure thousands of happy customers. It remains one of the core foundations of our success.

Your Privacy

When interacting with us by e-mail, in store or over the internet we may ask you for certain personal information about yourself (name, e-mail address, phone number, mobile number etc.). You have the right to withhold this information from us, although it might make it more difficult for us to do business with you. If you do provide us with such information you therefore grant us the right to communicate with you using this information. For example, if you provide us with your e-mail address then you give us the right to send you e-mail correspondence containing specials, newsletters etc. Should you wish to cease receiving such communications from us then simply reply with the word "unsubscribe" in the header of your e-mail and we will remove you from our mailing list.

By providing us with such personal information you also grant us the right to provide such information to any of our product suppliers, should they need to make contact with you regarding any issues to do with quality, pricing or service. In such instances the supplier will only make contact with you if it is believed that such contact will improve your experience, or the experience of other customers of their products. We will not rent, sell or disclose your name, address, email address, or any other information to any other party without your permission unless requested to do so by law.

Your Online Security

Kayak Warehouse uses the latest encryption technology to protect your credit card information. You can place your orders by telephone or over the counter. You also have the option to pay by cheque, cash, eftpos or money order. Personal and Business Cheques will need to be cleared before products can be released.

What is your Returns Policy?

If you find that an item does not fit or perform the way that you expected it to perform then you may return it within 7 days for exchange for a similar item of similar price, provided that it is still in new and saleable condition. Any minor differences in price will be charged or refunded accordingly.

Many of our products come with a guarantee or warranty from the manufacturer. In addition, they come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure. Full details of your consumer rights may be found at www.consumerlaw.gov.au.

Warranty periods may vary between products - please check the warranty documentation or check with the sales staff what warranty period is applicable to the goods in question.
Warranty claims will only be considered where the goods have not been misused.
The expense of claiming the warranty (if any) will be borne by the consumer.

For any warranty-related issues please contact:

C-Kayak Australia Pty Ltd
PO Box 40
Ourimbah NSW 2258
Ph: 02 4325 7094
e-mail: c-kayak@pacific.net.au

What if goods get damaged in transit?

If you require kayaks or accessories to be delivered to you then the following will apply: Where the goods are delivered to you by our staff, using C-Kayak vehicles then we guarantee that the goods will be delivered in perfect condition.

In instances where we use a third party carrier the following will apply:

We only make use of reputable freight companies. We will ensure that the goods are packaged suitably for transport and that they are packed carefully onto the collection vehicles. It is important however to understand that the goods may be transferred at various stages of the journey and, while our freight companies take every care not to damage the goods, there have been a few instances in the past of goods being damaged in transit. In this instance it will be at your own risk.

Should you wish your goods to be insured against damage this can be arranged for a reasonable fee (please enquire for current rates) and must must be expressly requested by yourself prior to shipping. In the absence of such a request it is assumed that you do not require insurance.

Are the kayak weights depicted on the Website exact?

The weights indicated on our website are as provided by the manufacturers. Manufacturers provide an average weight for each model of kayak but have cautioned that, depending on slight variations in the amount of materials used, the weight may vary from time to time.

It should also be noted that some manufacturers provide the weight of the kayak prior to adding rudders, seats, hatches etc. so in some cases the fully equipped kayak may weigh more than the actual hull weight provided by the manufacturer.

If in doubt one should always attempt lifting the kayak themselves prior to purchase to determine your ability to handle the kayak.

My plastic kayak has an indentation in the hull. Is this a problem?

Polyethylene is by nature soft and indentations in the hull are common for a number of reasons (pressed against another kayak while in the container, tied too tightly onto the roof racks of your car, inappropriate storage racks etc.)

You can reduce the chance of indentations appearing by using a kayak cradle on your roof rack rather than just strapping the kayak to the straight bars and using a wall rack, wall sling or hoister system rather than storing the kayak on top of uneven surfaces.

Because the plastic has memory these indentations can usually easily be removed by either leaving the kayak upside down in the sun or inserting a piece of closed-cell foam into the kayak directly above where the indentation appears and leave it like that overnight. Applying a hair-dryer or hot water can also assist in more extreme cases.

The important thing to remember is that indentations in the hull are common across all models and all brands of polyethylene and HTP plastics, but will not impact the performance of you kayak at all.

If this bothers you then you are better off getting a fibreglass or thermoformed ABS plastic kayak (such as Hurricane or Barracuda Beachcomber) as these materials do not form indentations on the hull, however, remember that fibreglass (including carbon and kevlar) are not as durable as plastic kayaks. For durability combined with excellent hull shape retention thermoformed ABS plastic is your best option.

How do I go about choosing the right kayak for me?

Give us a call or pop into our shop. That is what we are here for!

Alternatively, you can visit the "How to Choose Your Kayak" guide on the Southern Adventures website: Kayak Choice