How to Launch and Land a Kayak

Launching and landing are essential skills to learn before you start kayaking. There are two types of launch/land techniques used for kayaks and we’ll cover them both here. No matter which technique you use, it’s a good idea to follow these basic tips:

• Pack all of your gear in your kayak before you set it into the water.
  • Double check your gear to make sure you have everything before getting in
• Practice getting in and out of your kayak on land first. You will get used to the way you have to maneuver your body and a feel for the balancing required.
• Keep your paddle well within arms reach on or next to your kayak.

The two types of launch/land techniques are:

• Shoreline launches
• Dock launches

Shoreline Launches

Shoreline launches are when you find a place along a beach/shore that you can rest your kayak in shallow water. The idea is to straddle the boat and once inside, push off into the water. This technique is the easiest and requires the least amount of practice or skill. However, it’s not always practical, as there may be a lot of places you want to kayak that don’t have an accessible shore. Use the following steps to launch from a shoreline:

1. Carry the boat to your put-in point and set it down in shallow water. The bow should be forward facing, away from the shore and the stern should be close to the shore (but fully afloat).
2. Set your paddle perpendicular, across the kayak, behind the cockpit. This will keep your paddle accessible and help stabilize the kayak.
3. Stand over the kayak, straddling the cockpit
4. Grab the cockpit and sit down on the cockpit seat, then lift your legs and slide your feet into the cockpit.
5. Grab your paddle and use it to move your kayak past incoming waves and boat wakes.

For a better explanation check out this video from Pelican International that demonstrates a shoreline launch.

Dock Launches

As you can probably guess, dock launches are when you get into a kayak from a dock. This involves sitting the kayak completely in the water and maneuvering into the kayak from a sitting position above it on a dock. This is a little trickier, but with practice it will become easy. Use the following steps to launch from a dock:

1. Carry your kayak to the dock and place it in the water, parallel to the dock.
2. Set the paddle down on the dock next to you, within arm’s reach of the cockpit.
3. You can either use a rope to loosely tie your kayak to the dock, or use one of your legs to keep the kayak close to the dock.
4. While sitting on the dock, turn your body towards the kayak cockpit and place both legs in
5. Keeping your hands on the dock for support, move your butt into the cockpit while simultaneously sliding your legs forward inside the kayak.

For a great visualization check out this video by Paddling.com on how to launch and land from a dock:

Launching and landing are basic essential techniques you will need to master in order to kayak. They’re simple and with a little practice can become easy.