A few days into their month-long kayak trip, Pat and Lynn camped near Brian and Tracy, who were out for only a week. While chatting about their routes and the wildlife they’d seen, Tracy mentioned how unhappy she and Brian were with the outfitter from whom they’d rented gear. She said they’d already had to repair one of their rudder cables. They’d also expected to get more information about their route when they picked up their boats, but the teenager who’d been behind the rental counter hadn’t paddled much and said it was the “experienced guy’s” day off. After several more complaints, Tracy said she certainly wouldn’t recommend the same outfitter to any of the paddlers she knew.
Pat and Lynn, who’d had a very positive experience with the rental outfitter they’d used, were surprised. The equipment they’d rented was in excellent condition, they’d arranged for a shuttle and food drop-off, and they’d received a thorough briefing from an experienced, local paddler about the special attractions and hazards of the area in which they were paddling. Eager to know which outfitter to avoid in the future, Lynn asked Tracy which rental company they’d used. She was stunned to hear that the “problem outfitter” was the same one she and Pat had used!
Maybe the problem wasn’t just the outfitter. What had Pat and Lynn done to make their rental experience a positive one? Whether you want boats for a half-day jaunt or a five-week expedition, here’s how to make renting a kayak a pleasant part of your trip.
Before the trip
Do your homework. Spend time researching options for rentals. While the Web is a great resource for gathering information, don’t assume that outfitters with Web sites or ads in paddling magazines are the only (or best) options available. Read about the area you’re going to be paddling in, talk to other paddlers, and use Web discussion forums (such as www.paddling.net and www.epaddler.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.html) to get information about rental possibilities. When I was planning a five-week trip in Prince William Sound, the outfitter I ended up using did not have a website and did not advertise in paddling magazines. I found out about them from an article in an outdoor magazine. I chose them because of the quality of the gear they rented (fiberglass boats, lightweight fiberglass paddles) and because they had a selection of kayak models from which to choose. Since I was renting single kayaks for myself (5’8″, 175 pounds) and my friend (5’1″, 110 pounds), I didn’t want to use an outfitter that rented only one model or one-size-fits-all kayaks. I was also concerned about being able to rent boats with enough volume to handle five weeks’ worth of food and gear.
Ask what equipment is included in the rental of a kayak, and whether to expect extra charges for extra gear. Some outfitters in cold areas include a wetsuit in the rental fee; some don’t. Are standard safety gear items such as bilge pumps and paddle floats included in the rental price? Many outfitters now offer VHF radios for rent. Be clear about what gear you’re bringing and what you need from the outfitter.
Outfitter Restrictions and Things to Keep in Mind
Many outfitters have restrictions about who may rent their equipment and where the equipment is allowed to be used. Since the mid2980s, when I began renting kayaks, there have been major changes in the availability of rental equipment. With the increasing popularity of kayaking in recent years, and given the relative availability and affordability of liability insurance, there are lots of rental options available at many popular kayaking destinations. However, many outfitters restrict who may rent their equipment. Some outfitters require would-be renters to take a class or trip with the outfitter before renting. Other outfitters require renters to pass some kind of test of their ability-anything from demonstrating wet exit and self-rescue skills to answering questions about self-rescue techniques. It’s important to be honest when describing your abilities and needs.
(See “Outfitter Perspective,” p. 30).
If you are renting near your launch site, what type of “local knowledge” pre-trip briefing is available from an outfitter? Will you have an opportunity to review your trip plan with a knowledgeable local paddler? Don’t assume that whoever you pick up your gear from has the information you want. The rental site staff may not themselves be experienced paddlers. If you want a briefing, arrange for it in advance.
In addition to restrictions about who may rent from them, some outfitters restrict the areas where their equipment may be used. During our pre-trip briefing in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, our outfitter identified areas that were off-limits. These areas were known for challenging combinations of wind and strong currents.
Although some of these areas had been on our list of possibilities to visit, we weren’t heavily invested in exploring these areas. Ask about the standard procedures for picking up and returning rental equipment. Does the outfitter have a routine for dealing with paperwork, checking over and fitting equipment, and orienting renters to the local paddling area? It will help you plan your schedule to know how long the process takes and what it involves. How the outfitter responds to such questions will also provide you with information for evaluating their level of professionalism.
Money
Ask the outfitter about deposits, refunds and the forms of payment they accept. Is a reservation deposit required? Find out if reservation deposits are refundable, and under what circumstances, in case you have to cancel. Some outfitters have policies of partial or no refund for deposits if the cancellation is within a certain amount of time before the planned rental date. Other outfitters don’t offer refunds but will credit reservation deposits to future rentals or trips. If you end your trip early, are fees for unused rental days refundable? Many outfitters require some form of deposit to ensure that you return their gear. What do they require for a security deposit? Do they take credit cards or personal checks?
Are there any permits required for paddling and camping in the area you will be visiting? Is the outfitter set up to assist you with getting these permits? Some areas require per person/per night fees for camping, or fire permits, or permits to visit special areas, such as native lands. Although not all rental outfitters will be authorized to issue permits or collect fees, they should be able to provide information about which permits are needed in their area and how to get them.
Gear details
Along with finding out what kinds of kayaks are available-and their suitability for your group’s needs, abilities and sizes-ask about other gear such as paddles and personal flotation devices (PFDs). For a day trip, the type of paddle and PFD you use may not be such a big deal. However, if you’re renting gear for an extended trip, these details can make the difference between a pleasant trip and a painful trip. I chose to take my own lightweight fiberglass paddle on my three-week trip in Marlborough after hearing that the outfitter had standard, “rental grade” paddles. My paddling partner didn’t own her own paddle, so she used the standard-issue rental paddle-a heavy plastic paddle with a fixed degree of feather. Halfway through the trip, she started having wrist problems, and feeling some numbness and tingling in her control hand. We strapped her paddle on the front deck of my kayak, and she switched to using the rental spare paddle, a two-piece paddle that was just as heavy, but which allowed her to use it in an unfeathered position. After that trip, even though she lives in the mountains of Colorado and doesn’t own a sea kayak, she bought her own lightweight paddle for use on the trips she takes with me and other friends.
Another paddling buddy of mine showed up for a kayak trip in Norway and found that the norm in Norway was for left-control feathered paddles, not the right-hand control that is standard in the United States. The only paddle available to her was a fixed position, left-control feathered paddle. She said the first day of paddling was very disconcerting as she headed out with the group into fairly rough conditions. Normally, she has very strong, instinctive braces, but with this paddle she had to work really hard to know the position of her paddle blade. Luckily, she’s a strong paddler, and she adapted. A less-skilled paddler might not have fared as well.
At the rental company
Take your time; don’t be in a rush. Inevitably it takes longer than you would expect to fill out all the paperwork and get your equipment organized. Allot plenty of time for the gear pick-up process.
Check over all of the equipment before accepting it. Examine all the areas most likely to wear or break on a kayak and other gear, including rudder cables, foot pedals, paddle blades, PFD zippers, and paddle-float inflating nozzles. Do a thorough check of the boat, and look for cracks and excessive gel coat wear on fiberglass boats and dents/gouges on plastic boats, especially on the hull where it could have been brought up on rocky beaches.
Establish what degree of wear is pre-existing so you won’t be held responsible for it. I’ve rejected a fiberglass paddle because the blade was starting to delaminate, and I’ve spent an extra half-hour at a rental site after a pre-rental inspection while they replaced a frayed rudder cable I found.
Make sure everything fits comfortably. Try on the PFD and wetsuit. Get in the boat, check the seat adjustment as well as foot pedal adjustment, and make sure you understand how the systems work.
Safety services
If you want to use the outfitter as your safety backup, ask explicitly-in advance-if this is a service they provide. Do not assume that they plan to be your backup unless you specifically negotiate that. Just because they expect you back at a certain time with the boat doesn’t necessarily mean they have all the information or resources necessary to initiate a search in case you don’t return at the proper time. If they are willing to serve as backup, leave a formal float plan and directions about what to do in case you don’t return at the planned time. (See SK Apr. ’99 or www.seakayakermag.com/apr99/floatplan.htm) If they are not going to be your backup, give them the contact information for whomever will have your float plan. Be clear about who is serving as your backup. Don’t assume the outfitter is planning on taking on that responsibility.
One time I pulled up to the rental beach, pleasantly tired from a solo day trip I’d taken. The woman I’d rented the boat from six hours before looked up from the PFDs she was hanging out to dry, laughed and said, “Oh, I almost forgot you were out there.” She didn’t sound like she was joking. I didn’t quite know how to respond. Was she for real? Forget I was out on the water? It was a glass-calm day and I’m an experienced paddler, but she was the only person who knew I was out there. I had not filed a formal float plan or established that she was going to be my backup, but since the kayak was due back at a certain time, I’d assumed she would be. Luckily, I learned my lesson in a pretty benign situation.
Concluding your trip
Although it is obvious that you should return rented gear at the agreed upon time (not just to meet the terms of your rental agreement, but also to avoid a search), it is important to be aware of additional fees for late returns. When gear is returned late, some outfitters will charge fees in excess of the standard rental fee.
Prior to departure, ask if you are expected to clean gear yourself or if you can return it “as is.” If you are required to return clean gear, does the outfitter have facilities available at their site for your use? Point out any equipment you are bringing back that appears worn or is in need of repair. Remember to get your security deposit back, including any credit card forms you’ve signed.
Renting for Solo Trips
Most of the kayaks I’ve rented have been for small groups or for myself and a paddling companion. However, I’ve also rented kayaks for solo trips. All of the same rental suggestions for multiple paddlers apply to solo renters, but there are some additional concerns to take into account. First and foremost, check that the outfitter you are considering actually rents to solo paddlers-some don’t. It is better to know this in the early stages of trip planning than to find out when you’re ready to pick up the boat.
If you are planning to paddle solo, be prepared to convince the outfitter of your capabilities for taking such a solo trip, which may require descriptions of previous solo trips, and the types of conditions you’ve experienced. Also, be prepared to explain, and possibly to demonstrate, the self-rescue skills and systems that you have.
In Conclusion
Why did Pat and Lynn and Brian and Tracy have such different experiences with the same rental outfitter? One big difference was that Pat and Lynn had planned ahead and pre-arranged their rental of gear, shuttle, food drop, and pre-trip briefing. They’d spent some time on the phone and on e-mail with the outfitter. That forethought and follow-through distinguished them from the average would-be renter. Because Pat and Lynn planned ahead and asked the right questions, they got the gear and services they needed.
Brian and Tracy picked the outfitter from a list they found in a guidebook. They assumed that since it was a big outfitter and not the height of the busy season, they could walk in off the street and rent the gear they needed for a week-long trip along one of the “standard” routes in the area. They were able to rent equipment, but did not get the service that would have enhanced their trip. They were also in a rush to get out on the water and did not spend time checking their gear before they left the rental shop, assuming this would already have been done by the outfitter. They might have been lucky and arrived on a day the “experienced guy” was working, and he might have had time to give them the briefing they wanted. And they might have noticed problems with the gear had they taken the time to inspect it. But they didn’t. By not planning ahead and taking the time at the outfitter, their enjoyment of their trip was diminished by time spent on gear repair instead of exploring their surroundings. They also missed out on seeing some of the wildlife that the “experienced guy” would have told them to look for in certain areas. They were lucky; their problems weren’t insurmountable, and their safety was not compromised.
Will you be so lucky the next time you set out in a rental kayak? Here are some words to the wise: Plan ahead. Ask the right questions. Make time to attend to the details. You can’t control some aspects of a kayak trip, like the weather, so why leave to chance those aspects of a trip you can control? If you’re like me, you’d rather come back from a trip with tales of great wildlife and exciting paddling than ones about your skills at using duct tape to patch up problems, or gripes about the rental outfitter regarding acceptable forms of payment. Be savvy…or beware!
The Savvy Sea Kayak Renter’s Checklist
Questions to ask potential rental outfitters
• What kinds of kayaks and other gear does each outfitter rent?
• Is the equipment appropriate for your trip plans?
• What equipment is included in the rental of a kayak?
• Is other gear available? Will there be additional fees?
• Are there any restrictions on where the equipment can be used and who can rent it?
• Are there any requirements for renters?
• Is “local knowledge” available? Can the outfitter give you good advice about the area you’ll visit?
• What are the standard procedures for picking up rental gear? How long does it take?
• Are reservation or security deposits required? Be sure to get specifics.
• What forms of payment are accepted?
• Are there extra fees for late returns?
• What is the gear return procedure?
• Can you return gear as is, or are you responsible for cleaning it?
For solo paddlers
• Does the outfitter rent equipment to solo paddlers?
• Are there any special requirements for solo paddlers in terms of where they can paddle, or their self-rescue skills?
At the rental equipment pick-up
• Take your time.
• Inspect all gear closely.
• Note anything that needs immediate repair or that is cause for rejecting an item.
• Note any wear that is acceptable, but which you want to be sure isn’t charged to you when you return the gear.
• Make sure everything fits and that you know how to adjust the kayak seat, rudder pedals, PFD, etc.
• Safety systems: If the outfitter is your backup, give them a float plan. If not, give them contact info for whomever will have your float plan.
After the trip
• Return the gear on time (unless to do so would jeopardize your safety) and follow any clean-up procedures.
• Indicate any gear that is worn or needs repair to the outfitter.
• Retrieve any security deposit as well as your credit card slips.