K1 Information

K1 is the abbreviation for one person kayak. A kayak is a boat which you sit in and use a paddle with a blade on either end. A canoe is knelt in with a single bladed paddle.

The generic term for kayaking though is canoeing. KCC has no canoes, but canoe racing does take place nationally at other clubs.

The kayaks which the club paddle are all racing boats. They have to meet certain specifications as laid down by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), the world governing body.

The maximum length of a K1 is 520cm. There use to be a minimum width regulation, but this has now been removed so the boats only have to be as wide as necessary for the paddler to fit in them. The pictures below show an older boat built to the minimum width regulation, and a modern boat built without.

K1 have minimum weight regulations of 12kg for sprint and 8kg for marathon.

Boats are constructed with a variety of materials. These include; fibreglass, wood, kevlar, and carbon. Modern materials such as carbon and kevlar, either individually or mixed, are common nowadays to make boats very light and very strong. Some boats can weigh as little as 6kg. These composite materials are very tough and can be formed into any shape and made very hard and rigid. This has the benefit of making the boat easier to paddle and faster. Entry level boats tend to be made of fibreglass which is cheaper, easier to repair, but also slightly heavier, and more flexible. Construction materials and methods vary depending on the intended use of the boat, whether it be flat water sprinting or marathons down river rapids.

The boats all have internal, adjustable footrests and tiller bars to operate the rudder. The boats are too long to steer like white water boats, so use a rudder to turn. There are two types; overstern and understern. Over stern are used on shallow water and rivers where they will lift out of the way if the boat hits the bottom. Understern rudders are used in deep or rougher water where they will turn more efficiently and create less drag. These can break and damage the boat if hit off the bottom though.

These boats can be quite wobbly. The general rule is the faster the boat, the more wobbly it will be. Beginners' boats are stable and wider, becoming narrower, faster, and more wobbly as the paddler develops. 

Kirkcaldy Canoe Club have a selection of club boats suitable for all abilities.

To provide an indication of the speed, the table below has a selection of the current world records: