Draft: Anyone wishing to assist with editing this post please go here.
There are a lot of expert articles and how to guides on kayaking and I am sure in time we will post some kayaking tips and links here in this blog. But one of the things you need know first as an urban or a country kayaker has very little to do with the boat or the water. It has everything to do with being on land and then being able to get out on the water with the boat. When you do not take care this in an effective manner you can spend a whole lot of gas and get really burnt (mentally as well as on the skin) and never spend one moment relaxing on the water. How to find a place to put your kayak in the water is the first subject you need to master to truly enjoy kayaking. Trust me, nothing ruins a kayaking experience faster than not being able to launch.
Never ever expect to see a waterway on a map and expect to be able to throw the kayak in the back of the pickup and just go kayaking. You need to know the launch site before launching or find someone that does. I have had to walk away from many a place I wanted to go kayaking because I could not launch.
The first issue to understand launching a kayak is access to the water when it passes across or through private property. A private property owner cannot just deny access to the water here in California because they own the land under or around the water and the water itself is consider public access. In California, if you are simply crossing a small piece of land (I mean small as in a few feet) to access the water or the access has been public for a period of time or the access point is under the flood stage line; you can use it. You may not want to use that access route because you might have to go to court prove that you have/had the right to be there according to the law because that could take a lot of time and money.
If it says no trespassing, then do not trespass on the land. If it says no trespassing and the water is right there, be prepared to have to deal with the sheriff. The good thing is that most sheriffs know the law, and will simply ask to leave and not come back. We will post the law here later and entities you can report a water access violation to. The California courts have been consistent and this trumps most local ordinances. My advice will always be, I am not a lawyer, so if it says no trespassing then do not trespass on it and if that seems wrong to you then report that piece of property to those you fight for our water access rights in California and ask them what to do.
But trespassing signs are not the only signs to pay attention to. The way they get you is not with limiting the water access which they cannot do but still try to do, but by limiting the availability to finding parking. Here is where public and private entities make it difficult for someone to park and launch. For example, the public-access roads that are along river dikes are littered with no trespassing and no parking signs for miles. I have had to drive miles on these roads looking for a place to park so I can launch. Sometimes you can drop off your kayak and drive to an unrestricted open spot on the road and sometimes not.
While private property owners cannot stop you from water access, public land holders and private utilities can and do post no trespassing signs that cannot be challenged. Environmentalists have used these entities to tie up water access in some places and certain water habit and breeding grounds are off limits.
Already designated launch sites are a way to get around all this but the cost can be a factor here or they are o far from the desired destination. There are many designated launch sites that are free or are at a low-cost launch. Some marinas will let you launch kayaks at no cost while others will charge you a full boat launch fee. Sometimes there is space just outside the marina to launch and sometimes that is too far away from the water or locked up with no parking signs. Public parks are often a good low-cost way to launch and there are many that are free to launch from too. But some parks will want to charge you a full day use and launch free. What I use most often along are small public waterside parks and a few places that are just along the side of the road that I have found. I will list my favorites in the San Francisco Bay in a future post.
The factor that is then the most difficult to overcome is distance and type of path to the water. A wide smooth path is much easier to handle than large rocks that are placed on many manmade jetties and islands. One yard of big rocks is as difficult to cross as ten to twenty yards of path or trail. With two people, it is easier to go longer distances and even over large rocks. I also have a three wheel scooter that I use on long smooth paths and beaches. When the sand gets too soft for the scooter it is then soft enough to drag the kayak the rest of the way to the water. I either then have to find a place to hide the scooter or hoof it back to the car. However with the scooter I can easy take the kayak up to a mile over a path, even if the path has a decent grade to it. I can hand carry my favorite kayak about 500 feet maximum. So get or make yourself a good set of wheels for your kayak. You can use or modify a child’s wagon with wide knobby tires or an old baby stroller with bike tires.
Another way to solve the distance problem is to use a foldable kayak. I do not consider them to be real kayaks but I known many kayakers that love they foldable kayaks.
There are launch apps and local kayaking shops that will tell you about good launch sites, but I still check their recommendations out first before using them.
One more thing on bay and ocean launches, you need know the depth of the water both at the launch site and on the route you intend to take. Tides can play a role in the ease of access at a launch site. It might be a good launch when you leave and yet when you come back a few hours later you might not be able to get out until the tide returns again. You always need to know the max and min deaths of a launch site in these locals.
Watch out for the wind. It is no fun to be kayaking out in the open on the windy side of a lake or bay. This is especial true in the afternoon. So before launching, check to see how the wind is blowing that day and know how afternoon winds will affect the wave height and length at that site. Even in a soft breeze on a large body of water, the waves can become quite difficult on the opposite side than the wind is coming from. This plays a major role in where I choose to launch in the bay. Launching on one side will an enjoyable time out on the water and on the other side you will not get very far and are more likely to end up in the water.
Watch out for currents in the launch area. It is estimated that we loss a kayaker (even experienced ones) ever so often in the San Francisco Bay because of currents. In some places in the bay a kayaker will be dealing with currents, waves and wind all going in different directions at the same time. This can wear you out and can tip you over. Kayaking is one of the safest sports that there is but it still can be deadly and cold water is not the number one problem. Know your currents and how they will change. We will cover what to have with you in cold water kayaking in another post.
On river with strong down stream flow rates you need two launch sites and a second car. That you knew. Be sure to really check out the distance back to the vehicle where you have to carry the kayak out of the river. You will be tired and long distances are sometimes too much. The wheels you made for the kayak may be back the other launch site.
One last rule, no harm in taking the kayak with you when you go out to look for launch sights. Make sure to have your kayak wheels or foldable kayak with you. Always have a life jacket in the kayak and the paddles, sunscreen, water and clothes you need. Who knows you make find a great launch site with time to launch and go pull a muscle and spank some water, but do not expect it. You may find all kinds of things that you need to deal with first before you can access that piece of water. Whenever possible go exploring and check out multiple possibilities for launch sites in a shingle trip.
The following video was taken at Browns Island which is off the free boat launch at the Pittsburg Marina (Pittsburg, CA) which is just a few miles from my house. To see this video on our YouTube Channel click here.
Anyone wishing to assist with editing this post please go here.