Kayak Spray Skirts. How to Choose Them. How to Use Them.

The sport of kayaking happens on top of bodies of water. “Well, that’s surprising”, said no-one ever.

It’s no secret that kayaking and water maintain an interdependent relationship. Water is almost always supporting kayakers from underneath. Often, it’s accosting them from above, as well.

If you enjoy kayaking but prefer to do it while dry, then you already know what a spray skirt is and likely own at least one. I wrote this articIe for you. I also wrote it for novice kayakers that are learning about the many ways to kayak and the gear that can help them do it comfortably and safely. This article is about how to choose and use kayak spray skirts.

When choosing and using a kayak spray skirt, 1. Select between nylon, neoprene, or both, 2. Choose rand or bungee 3. Select a skirt that fits your cockpit, 4. Put it on your body by lowering over your head or stepping inside, 5. Attach the skirt to your cockpit, 6. Practice removing it under duress.

What is a spray skirt and why is it used?

A kayak spray skirt is a cover that attaches to the cockpit of a sit-in kayak and the kayaker, like a lid to a container. It serves to keep water out of the boat and paddlers inside the boat.

Spray skirts are made for comfort and safety.

Kayak skirts keep paddlers dry. At a minimum, kayak spray skirts keep the splashes of water and light rain from getting inside the kayak and sloshing around. Higher quality spray skirts create a mechanical seal that keeps almost all water out, whether it be from active waves, a torrential downpour, or evasive bracing and rolling maneuvers.

While kayak spray skirts keep paddlers dry, they also keep them safe. High winds, rough seas and waves jostle a paddler inside their boat. A spray skirt keeps kayakers attached to their boat, even as the elements try to separate them.

What are the parts of a kayak spray skirt?

Kayak spray skirts are typically constructed with four distinct anatomical sections.

The Tunnel/Tube is the piece worn around the paddler’s torso between the kayak deck and the top of the spray skirt. It attaches the kayaker to the deck and ultimately, to the kayak.

The Deck is the cover that expands from the tunnel, covering the cockpit and attaching to the coaming (cockpit lip).

The Rand/Bungee is the edge of the kayak spray skirt. A bungee/shockcord holds the spray deck (often nylon) tight against the cockpit coaming.

Randed spray skirts are constructed with ribbed rubber to secure to the kayak. These are particularly strong, holding the deck tight like a drum by fastening underneath the cockpit lip. Randed spray skirts are the least prone to implosion.

The Grab Loop is a loop positioned at the front of the skirt. Pushing it away and then lifting up allows the paddler to remove the spray skirt from the cockpit coaming.

How do you know if you even need one?

To determine whether you need a kayak spray skirt, consider what activities you intend to do.

The longer the amount of time you spend on your boat and the rougher the water upon which you paddle, the more you will benefit from a kayak spray skirt.

Kayak spray skirts are made to keep paddlers comfortable and safe.

If you spend hours or even days at a time in your kayak, you will be more exposed to rain, waves and even those pesky splashes from your paddle. If part of being comfortable is staying dry, then a kayak spray skirt will do just that.

Consider where in the world you paddle. Kayak spray skirts can get hot and stuffy. If you spend most of your time fishing off your boat in southern Florida, then the heat of a neoprene spray skirt might prove overwhelming.

Touring the lakes of northern Ontario in late October is another thing entirely. The heat generated from a moving body in a neoprene skirt is helpful to paddlers in this part of the world.

Now, if you spend 20 minutes at a time in your kayak off the dock of your cottage and half of that time is spent squirt-gunning your kids (and them shooting you back), then a kayak spray skirt may not be for you (unless your kids have uncommonly accurate aim).

Time on the water is an important determinant of whether you need a spray skirt. Also important is the type of water upon which you paddle. Waves, rapids and overall choppy water get you wet. A spray skirt helps keep you dry.

Also, those same waves and rapids knock you around your boat. Sometimes they knock you and your boat upside down. If you roll your kayak, a quality spray skirt keeps your boat from filling up with water.

A spray skirt also keeps you attached to your boat. Obviously, if you roll your kayak then you will want to un-attach yourself from the boat rather quickly. A good spray skirt allows you to do this effectively.

The need for a kayak spray skirt increases with paddling duration and intensity, as well as how important it is for you to keep your posterior dry.

What type of spray skirt should you purchase?

In brief, purchase a kayak spray skirt that you can afford, is comfortable, is suited to your activity and fits your boat.

What are kayak spray skirts made out of?

Typically, kayak spray skirts are constructed from nylon or neoprene. Some skirts are made from both materials.

Nylon spray skirts. Nylon skirts are the least expensive of the kayak spray skirt alternatives.

They are lightweight making them more comfortable for paddlers in warmer climates. Nylon can be constructed with varying degrees of waterproof-ness, ranging from lightly water resistant to fully water proof.

The deck of a nylon spray skirt is usually easier to attach to and release from a kayak cockpit, than neoprene. This is simply because nylon is a less robust, less durable material. Also, the bungee cord that attaches the deck to the cockpit lip is very flexible. This allows for convenience during entry and exit. However, it also means that the seal is often not very snug. If you are paddling in choppy water, nylon decks don’t do a great job of keeping out water – especially if you capsize.

Nylon tunnels are known to provide a less-than-watertight seal. They usually cinch to the body using a spandex waistband, drawcord or other fastener. While nylon tunnels can be comfortable in moderate temperatures, they are not constructed to keep paddlers dry in harsher conditions.

Also, nylon tunnels are typically constructed with an adjustable one-size-fits all design.

Some nylon spray skirts don’t have tunnels at all. Rather than climb in the legs, you simply drop it over your head with the suspenders resting on your shoulders. This can actually work quite well if you are already wearing a neoprene wetsuit.

Paddlers on a budget that live in a moderate climate and paddle non-demanding water might get the most bang for their buck from a nylon spray skirt.

Neoprene skirts are the more expensive of the kayak spray skirt alternatives.

Neoprene is warmer than nylon. In cold climates, it keeps the air inside your kayak warmer as well as your body where the tunnel connects with the torso.

It is a robust, durable material. Because it is so sturdy and rugged, the deck of neoprene spray skirts combines with a rand to create a strong seal along the cockpit coaming. Not only does this seal keep the wet out during good times, but it keeps rogue waves from knocking it off in choppy water as well.

If you enjoy romping around river rapids and beach breaks, then a neoprene spray skirt is most likely your best choice. Its strength also keeps the paddler better connected to the kayak.

Neoprene decks are more difficult to fasten and remove. Because of the overall strength of neoprene, it can be difficult to attach the deck to the cockpit coaming. Fortunately, it is usually more difficult to attach to the deck than to release from it.

Before purchasing any neoprene skirt, it is wise to make sure you have sufficient musculature to not only attach the deck to the cockpit but more importantly, to remove it under duress. If your strength is in question, best to test a spray skirt in-store to ensure you can attach and remove it.

Neoprene is more expensive than nylon. It is manufactured at varying grades of quality, almost all of which are sturdier, more robust, and more waterproof than nylon. As such, it is priced accordingly.

Paddlers that are less budget-constrained and paddle cooler, more technically challenging water benefit more from a neoprene spray skirt.

For some external thoughts about the choice between bungee and rand, consider this YouTube video from SkirtFit.com.

Hybrid neoprene/nylon spray skirt. Some manufacturers combine the comfortable venting of a nylon tunnel with the robust characteristics of a neoprene deck. This provides both the best, as well as the worst, of both worlds.

If you paddle demanding water in temperate climates, then a hybrid spray skirt can provide you with improved flexibility in terms of comfort and performance.

Other accessories. Some spray skirts have pockets, others have additional straps. These things are incremental conveniences that are used to differentiate among inexpensive nylon models.

Buy a skirt that is the right size for your boat.

Kayak spray skirts come in many different sizes to fit different sized torsos and cockpits. At the outset this can seem intimidating. However, spray skirt manufacturers create sizing charts to help you out.

Typically, inputting the manufacturer and model of your kayak as well as your midriff size is all you need to source the exact spray skirt size you require. If you paddle a less-common kayak model, then there is usually scope to order a custom-sized spray skirt. Expect this to come with an equally custom-sized price tag.

Even though a spray skirt manufacturer might build a skirt that they claim fits your boat, I like to consult paddling forums for feedback, as well. Some spray skirt models should fit certain kayak models, but just don’t. Usually someone on a forum has already figured this out and will be pleased to tell you all about it.

Other thoughts about new kayak spray skirts

Make sure you can reach the front of the cockpit. Some touring kayaks have really deep cockpits making it nearly impossible to remove a spray skirt – especially when under duress. Make sure you can reach the grab loop with sufficient leverage remaining to push it away and lift it up.

Some neoprene spray skirts loosen after you take them home. New neoprene can be stiff. Some neoprene loses its stiffness. Other neoprene doesn’t. My sense is to not take the risk. I prefer to err on the side of safety and choose a neoprene spray skirt that I know I can remove right out of the gate.

Wet your new randed spray skirt before attaching it to your kayak. High quality randed spray skirts can be really stiff – especially when new. To help you attach the spray deck to the coaming, get the rand wet. This will provide a little extra flexibility.

How do you use a kayak spray skirt?

Step 1. Put the spray skirt on your body. If yours is a nylon skirt without a tunnel, then simply lower it over your head until the straps rest on your shoulders, like overalls.

If you use a full spray skirt with a torso, then step into the legs of the skirt like you would a pair of shorts.

Then, pull the skirt up until the top of the tunnel is about as high as your sternum. If it seems a little too high, then you’ve probably done it exactly right!

Step 2. Sit down in your kayak. (Most injuries actually occur when paddlers are entering and exiting their boats. I wrote an article about how to do it safely here.)

Step 3. Reach behind you and attach the back of the skirt to the cockpit. While looking straight ahead, reach behind you and take hold of the back of the spray skirt. Attach it to the back of the coaming.

Step 4. Sliding your hands from back to front, position the bungee or rand (depending on your skirt) under the lip of the cockpit.

If you have a neoprene spray skirt, this could start to become difficult when you reach your hips. Should this be the case, use your forearms to hold the rand in place while you continue to pull and secure it around the cockpit coaming.

Step 5. Attach the front of the spray skirt WITH THE GRAB LOOP OUT. Before you head out on the water, triple-check to make sure that your spray skirt loop is outside and accessible. If you capsize, the only way you’ll be able to exit your boat is by pulling that loop.

Congratulations. You’ve attached your kayak spray skirt.

When it comes time to remove it, simply follow the above steps, but in reverse.

However, there is a very important wrinkle in the first removal step. PUSH THE GRAB LOOP AWAY FROM YOU, THEN PULL UP THE RAND/BUNGEE. If you don’t push the grab loop away from you first, you’ll never remove that spray skirt.

This won’t be a big deal if you’re sitting on top of the water. However, as you can imagine, it’s a little bit of a bigger deal if you’ve capsized and you’re hanging upside down under your boat.

Practice removing the spray skirt so that, if you find yourself under duress, muscle memory takes over and your wet exit is performed seamlessly.

Kayak spray skirts. How to choose them. How to use them. Parting Thoughts

Kayak spray skirts provide comfort and safety to your kayaking experience. If you feel that you might benefit from a spray skirt, there are many models to choose from at whatever price point fits your budget.

Consider where in the world you paddle, what kind of water you paddle in, and how much your budget will allow.

Once you’ve purchased the right kayak spray skirt, spend some time practicing that exit and then you’ll be good to go.