There are several factors to consider when buying a kayak, and one factor you shouldn’t overlook is the weight limit of your kayak, as it can affect the performance of your kayak and your overall kayaking experience. You would have most likely heard about kayak weight capacity if you aren’t totally new to the kayaking world.
What does this term mean and why should you care? I explain all these and more in this article.
What Is a Kayak Weight Limit?
A kayak weight limit also goes by different names depending on the manufacturer. Other terms used for kayak weight limit are life load limit, weight rating, maximum weight limit, and maximum capacity. Regardless of the nomenclature a manufacturer uses, they all mean the same thing.
Back to the question, the kayak weight limit tells you how much weight a kayak can hold and remain afloat. Each manufacturer has its own way of coming up with the weight limit, and it’s important you pay attention to it since it tells you about how much gear you can bring on the kayak. If the weight limit of a kayak is 300 pounds, it means the kayak can hold a load of 300 pounds and stay afloat.
The load on your kayak includes yourself and all the gear you bring onboard. So a 300-pound weight limit kayak isn’t built for a 300-pound person alone, rather it can hold the total weight of a paddler and his gear as long as they do not exceed 300 pounds.
What Factors Influence the Weight Limit of a Kayak?
The weight limit of a kayak is determined by the length, width, and volume of the vessel. These are the three parameters kayak manufacturers use to determine the weight limit of a kayak. It is worth mentioning that there isn’t an industry standard for determining the weight limit of a kayak.
Manufacturers have their own way of determining their kayaks’ weight limit.
How to Determine Your Kayak Weight Limit to Maintain Good Performance?
The fact that a kayak has a weight limit of 250 pounds doesn’t mean the combined weight of the paddler and the gear should be 250 pounds. If you use the entire weight limit of a kayak, the kayak will just be a little above the water surface, and you’ll lose most of the maneuverability and stability. The result of this is that the kayak will be very difficult to paddle.
Since you can’t use all your kayak’s weight limit, what you should do is figure out the practical or performance weight limit. The performance or practical weight limit is the fraction of the weight that when used will result in the kayak performing well. Usually, the performance kayak weight limit is about 30 – 35% less than the manufacturer’s stipulated kayak weight limit.
Let’s assume you weigh 175 pounds and the weight of your gear is 25 pounds, with the total being 200 pounds. You already know that you can’t go for a kayak with a weight limit of 200 pounds since the kayak will be almost impossible to paddle so you’d instead go for one with a performance weight limit of 200 pounds. So if the performance weight limit is 200 pounds, it’ll now be about determining the total weight limit of the kayak.
Remember that the performance weight limit of a kayak is 30% less than the maximum weight limit. Representing this with an equation, we have: Kayak weight limit x 0.7 (for 30% reduction) = 200 pounds (for a 200-pound performance weight limit).
Since we know the performance weight limit we want and know the above equation, it’s just a simple matter of doing some mathematics to get the weight limit of the kayak. If you paid attention in your mathematics class, you’d have already figured out how to kayak weight limit. But for the ones among us that were never fond of math, you can use the below equation to get the kayak weight limit if the performance weight limit is 200 pounds.
Still using the above scenario, we’ll have: Kayak weight limit = Performance weight limit / 0.7 = 200/ 0.7 = 285 pounds. So if your weight and that of your gear are 200 pounds, you’ll need a kayak with a weight limit of at least 285 pounds. However, you’ll most likely not find a yak with a weight limit of 285 pounds and will instead go for a vessel with a 300-pound weight limit.
For Even Greater Performance and to Stay Dry
You now know that you need to use about 70% of your kayak weight limit to get a good level of performance. But if you want more performance and efficiency, you should consider using only about 50% of your kayak weight limit. With only 50% of your kayak weight limit utilized, your kayak will be easier to maneuver and paddle.
Also, the kayak will remain dry as less water will enter the kayak through the scuppers. So, if you want greater performance from your kayak and intend to stay as dry as possible, you should only use about 50% of your kayak weight limit. The moment you start increasing the weight, the performance of the kayak will start to decline.
Considering the amount of gear most paddlers carry, it may not be possible to use only 50% of the kayak weight limit. But you should at least try not to use more than 70% of your kayak weight to still get a good level of performance. Some kayak manufacturers now specify weight capacity ratings for both safety and performance.
What Happens if You Exceed the Weight Limit of Your Kayak?
There are consequences to exceeding the weight limit of the kayak. The moment you overload your kayak, the vessel will sit lower in the water than usual, and this makes it very difficult to paddle. Propelling the kayak is going to be a chore, and that’s the beginning of your woes. An overloaded kayak will have poor stability due to poor weight distribution.
And this greatly increases the chances of the kayak capsizing, something I don’t think you or any paddler is too keen on. There’s also a significant decline in maneuverability and tracking of overloaded kayaks. Honestly, there’s no good thing to come from an overloaded kayak. It’s just a big balloon of a disaster waiting to burst.
Usual Weight Limits Depending on Kayaks
Touring Kayaks
Touring kayaks are designed for long-distance paddling or multi-day trips, usually on open waters. Because for a long time, paddlers will be spending on the trip, they are going to need a lot of supplies such as tents, sleeping bags (for camping), food, and so on.
All these items mean touring kayaks should be spacious enough to accommodate them. And this is why touring kayaks usually come with multiple storage compartments and have an average maximum weight capacity of 350 pounds.
Recreational Kayaks
A recreational kayak is designed for the casual paddler who’s going to paddle on slow-moving rivers or flat-water-like lakes. This type is designed for short one-day kayaking expeditions which don’t require a lot of supplies or gear. As a result, recreational kayaks don’t have a very high weight limit since the paddler only has to pack basic stuff he/she will need on the water. Typically, recreational kayaks have a maximum weight capacity of 250 to 300 pounds.
Tandem Kayaks
Tandem kayaks are designed for two people and are perfect for people that have a friend, family member, or significant other they can go paddling with. The fact the tandem kayaks have to accommodate two people means that the weight capacity should be quite high.
Put in the supplies or gear of both paddlers and you’ll realize tandem kayaks must be able to pack a punch. Tandem kayaks can be as long as 18 ft, but it’s more common to find 14-ft tandem vessels. Also, the weight limit is very high and is usually between 500 to 600 pounds.
Fishing Kayaks
Fishing kayaks are kayaks (especially sit-on-top kayaks) that are tailored for fishing. They usually come with rod holders, are very stable, and allow the kayaker to move freely. Fishing gear and the need for a large storage compartment (to keep fish) is the main reason why fishing kayaks have a weight limit of between 400 and 550 pounds. Gotta have enough capacity for those fishing gear and tuna, right?
Inflatable Kayaks
Duckies and glorified pool toys – these are names inflatable kayaks have been dubbed in the past. But inflatable kayaks have evolved over the years and are now more reliable than ever. They also have a very high weight capacity which can be between 400 and 750 pounds.
Is There a Way to Increase My Kayak Weight Capacity?
The answer to the above question is a big fat no. The weight limit of your kayak is determined by the length, width, and volume of the kayak’s hull, and there’s no way you can increase any of these parameters. However, all isn’t lost, as you can attempt to increase the buoyancy of your kayak when you are carrying a lot of gear.
The performance of your kayak will decline as you approach the weight limit, but you can give your kayak buoyancy, and consequently performance boost to deal with the extra load. One way to improve the buoyancy of your kayak is to use outriggers or floats. These accessories will improve the stability and buoyancy of your vessel although you’ll have to sacrifice maneuverability.
Final Thoughts
Now you know why you should care about the weight limit of any kayak you are buying. Kayak weight limit affects the performance and safety of your vessel, and anything that affects these parameters should be taken seriously. Use the formula above to find the performance weight limit of your kayak as well as the maximum weight limit of your kayak. This will help you choose the right kayak, and you should be ruling the waters…as you’ve always wanted to.
