Sea Kayaking, Touring and Recreational Construction

Kayak Hull Design

Kayaking is like many activities in that the better your knowledge of kayak traits and design characteristics, the easier it will be to choose a the correct kayak for you. Frequently when discussing kayak characteristics you’ll hear the terms Primary and Secondary stability used.

Another important aspect of choosing the correct kayak is hull shape. Generally, modern kayak hull shapes fall into two categories: Tumblehome and Flared

You’ll want to choose the hull design of your kayak depending on where you are planning to paddle and what kind of performance you desire.

Primary stability is simply how stable a boat is when you’re paddling normally. A boat with lot’s of Primary Stability is usually very easy to paddle and is great for those just starting out or paddlers looking for a stable platform to take pictures or fish from. Often, Primary stability is achieved by making the boat wider and this may come at the expense of top end speed or maneuverability.
Secondary stability can be defined as how stable a boat is on edge. Kayaks with good Secondary stability allow advanced paddlers to lean the boat for turning as well as for bracing into oncoming waves, boats with lot’s of Secondary stability are frequently a little less stable initially but offer a greater range of performance.

 

A kayak with a Tumblehome shaped kayak is wide at the waterline but the sides curve inward as they rise, making the beam of the deck narrower. Tumblehome designed kayaks provide excellent primary stability and make it easier for the paddler to reach the water.

A kayak with a flared hull is wider at the deck than at the waterline. This type of design gives the kayak greater secondary stability, making it easier to place on edge for turning or bracing

The combination of primary and secondary stability do a lot to give a kayak its personality and can be the result of many factors including kayak width and chine design.

Construction Technology

The technology of kayak construction has come along way since the Inuit. Today’s kayak designers strive to find the perfect material for the multitude of different paddlers and paddling environments. Each of our 4 Construction methods provides a unique combination of weight, stiffness, durability and strength.

Composite Construction

Composite kayak designs strive to combine the perfect mixture of fiber and resin. It’s a tricky equation: the fiber needs the resin to hold it’s shape BUT the less resin there is in the fiber the stronger the finished kayak will be. To solve this dilemma, we use 2 proprietary molding technologies:

Integral Infusion Technology®

Featuring a revolutionary monocoque production process, our Integral Infusion Technology produces a seamless, watertight hull that is lighter and stronger than conventional fiberglass boats.

Traditional kayak hulls are composed of the combination of deck and a hull section. Over time, seams along these two sections can result in weak areas on the kayak and can have the potential for annoying leaks. With Integral Infusion Technology® we’ve been able to eliminate the seamline, producing a monocoque kayak hull that rides dry and eliminates any excess weight.

The use of our ITT® process results in an extremely uniform manufacturing process, with each kayak meeting our exacting standards. It is this precision, strength and consistency that makes ITT® constructed kayaks truly unique.

Biofusion®

Biofusion® molding uses a unique resin injection process combined with strategic carbon and kevlar reinforcement to produce a strong and light composite boat for paddlers looking for top end speed and performance.

With Biofusion® the gelcoat and fiber are laid out, the mold is closed and the resin is injected into the mold. By using a two part mold, rather than traditional vacuum bagging, less air enters the equation and we are able to use a reduced amount of resin to construct a strong and beautiful craft.

To further amplify strength and stiffness our Biofusion® process includes a layer of carbon fiber and a honeycomb material directly underneath the paddler. This coupled with the Kevlar reinforcement in the bow and stern tips makes sure that your kayak is tough enough to take on any adventure.

Thermoformed Construction
Cross Light®

Kayaks constructed with Cross Light® process combine the clean, rigid hull and deck shapes of composite kayaks with the durability and strength of polyethylene.

Traditionally, composite kayaks have been renowned for their rigidity while polyethylene kayaks have been desired due to their durability. A material that combines the best of these two construction methods has long been sought after.

Our Cross Light® process utilizes a unique hybrid material to produce a kayak stronger than composite kayaks and lighter and stiffer than polyethylene designs. The resulting kayak stands up to years of use on the water and maintains the same performance level as the day it first touched water.

Rotomolded Construction
Cross Max®

Our Cross Max® process uses high density metallocene polyethylene to rotomold extremely strong and durable kayaks.

Rotomolded kayaks are conventionally stronger and more durable than similar composite designs, standing up to years of use and abuse. Our Cross Max® produced kayaks are unique in the fact that they are stiffer than other rotomolded kayaks, insuring that your boat retains its’ shape and performance for years to come.

Our Cross Max® constructed kayaks are designed from the ground up to be as light and as stiff as possible. As part of our Cross Max® process we’ve been able to reduce the overall weight of the kayak by engineering boats that use their edges to provide strength and rigidity, thereby reducing the total amount of material. In recognition of this evolution in the rotomolding process, Riot has recently been recognized for our Innovation by the National Plastic Industry Association.