PHYSICAL EDUCATION

PROJECT REPORT

Submitted for

ALL INDIA SENIOR SCHOOL EXAMINATION

ADVENTURE SPORTS
KAYAKING
Rock Climbing

Done by

Dany Jacob
Krishhna Bose
Venkatramanan
IX E
IX-E
INTRODUCTION:
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the
sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-
water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits facing forward, legs in front, using a double-
bladed paddle to pull front-to-back on one side and then the other in rotation. Most kayaks have
closed decks, although sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are growing in popularity as well.
HISTORY:
Kayaks were created thousands of years ago by the Inuit, formerly known as Eskimos, of the
northern Arctic regions. They used driftwood and sometimes the skeleton of whales, to construct
the frame of the kayak, and animal skin, particularly seal skin was used to create the body. The
main purpose for creating the kayak, which literally translates to "hunter's boat" was for hunting
and fishing. The kayak's stealth capabilities allowed for the hunter to sneak up behind animals on
the shoreline and successfully catch their prey.

In the 1740s, Russian explorers led by the Danish-born Russian explorer Vitus Bering
encountered the Aleutians, who had taken the basic kayak concept and developed
multiple designs specifically for hunting, transportation, and environmental conditions.
They soon recognized the Aleutians were very skillful at hunting sea otters by kayak.
Because otters were a popular commodity in Europe and Asia, they would exploit and even
kidnap Aleutians and keep them aboard their ships to work and hunt.

By the mid-1800s kayaking became increasingly popular and the Europeans became
interested. German and French men began kayaking for sport. In 1931, Adolf Anderle was
the first person to kayak down the Salzachöfen Gorge, which is believed to be the
birthplace of modern-day white-water kayaking. In 1932, long-distance kayaker Fridel
Meyer paddled from Bavaria to Westminster, England, and in 1933 she paddled from
Westminster to Montrose, Scotland. Kayak races were introduced in the Berlin Olympic
Games in 1936.

In the 1950s, fiberglass kayaks were developed and commonly used, until the 1980s when
polyester and polyethylene plastic kayaks were introduced. Kayaking progressed as a
fringe sport in the U.S. until the 1970s, when it became a mainstream popular sport. Now,
more than 10 white water kayaking events are featured in the Olympics.While kayaking
represents a key international watersport, few academic studies have (to date) been
conducted on the role kayaking plays in the lives and activities of the public
DESIGN:
Kayaks can also be classified by their design and the materials from which they are made.
Each design has its specific advantages, including performance, maneuverability, stability,
and paddling style. Kayaks can be made of metal, fiberglass, wood, plastic, fabrics, and
inflatable fabrics such as PVC or rubber, and more recently expensive but feather-light
carbon fiber. Each material also has its specific advantages, including strength, durability,
portability, flexibility, resistance to ultraviolet, and storage requirements. For example,
wooden kayaks can be created from kits or built by hand. Stitch and glue, plywood kayaks
can be lighter than any other material except skin-on frame. Inflatable kayaks, made from
lightweight fabric, can be deflated and easily transported and stored, and are considered
to be remarkably tough and durable compared to some hard-sided boats.

EQUIPMENT:
There are many types of kayaks used in flat water and whitewater kayaking. The sizes and
shapes vary drastically depending on what type of water is to be paddled on and also what
the paddler would like to do. The second set of essentials for kayaking is an off-set paddle
where the paddle blades are tilted to help reduce wind resistance while the other blade is
being used in the water. These vary in length and also shape depending on the intended
use, the height of the paddler, and the paddler's preference. Kayaks should be equipped
with one or more buoyancy aids (also called flotation) which creates air space that helps
prevent a kayak from sinking when filled with water. A life jacket should be worn at all times
(also called a personal flotation device or PFD), and a helmet is also often required for
most kayaking and is mandatory for white water kayaking.Various other pieces of safety
gear include a whistle for signaling for help; throwing ropes to help rescue other kayakers;
and, a diving knife and appropriate water shoes should be used depending upon the risks
the water and terrain pose. Proper clothing such as a dry suit, wetsuit or spray top also
help protect kayakers from cold water or air temperatures.
TYPES OF KAYAKS:
"Sit on top" kayaks place the paddler in an open, shallowly concave deck above the water
level. This style is usually used for non-white water activities as most find it harder to stay
inside the kayak while also preventing them from "rolling" which allows the user to upright
themselves if they flip over. There are some benefits to sitting on tops such as the ability for
a "dry hatch" these are a compartment, that usually runs the length of the kayak, which in
addition to providing more buoyancy allows for the kayaker to store various equipment. "Sit
on top" kayaks often use "through holes" which allows any water that got in the boat to
make it through the deck and dry hatch to drain. "Cockpit style" involves sitting with the
legs and hips inside the kayak hull with a spray deck or "spray skirt" that creates a water-
resistant seal around the waist. There is a wide range of "cockpit style" boats which usually
allow for more user control of the boat as they are able to push against the walls of the
boat to tip in order to complete maneuvers. A common variant of "cockpit style" kayaks are
"play boats" these are usually very short kayaks in which the user does tricks and
maneuvers: "Inflatables" are a hybrid of the two previous configurations; these boats have
an open deck, but the paddler sits below the level of the deck. These boats are often
subject to more instability due to the way the boat sits higher in the water. They are often
used in a more commercial setting; they are often affectionately called "Duckies".
"Tandems" are configured for multiple paddlers, in contrast to the single person designs
featured by most kayaks. Tandems can be used by two or even three paddlers.
ACTIVITIES:
Because of their range and adaptability, kayaks can be useful for other outdoor activities
such as diving, fishing, wilderness exploration and search and rescue during floods.

DIVING:
Kayak diving is a type of recreational diving where the divers paddle to a diving site in a
kayak carrying all their gear to the place they want to dive. The range can be up to several
kilometers along the coastline from the launching point to a place where access would be
difficult from the shore, although the sea is sheltered. It is a considerably cheaper
alternative to using a powered boat, as well as combining the experience of sea kayaking at
the same time. Kayak diving gives the diver independence from dive boat operators, while
allowing dives at sites which are too far to comfortably swim but are sufficiently sheltered.

FISHING:
Kayak fishing is fishing from a kayak, long a means of transportation and stealthily
approaching easily spooked fish, such as cobia and flounder. Kayak fishing has gained
popularity in recent times due to its broad appeal as an environmentally friendly and
healthy method of transportation, as well as its relatively low cost of entry compared to
motorized boats. In addition, kayaks allow greater access by their ability to operate in
shallow water, getting in and out along the shoreline, and having the ability to get away
from the crowds to find a more solitary environment where boats may not have the ability
to do so.

ECOTOURISM:
Ecotourism based on kayak trips is gaining in popularity. In warm-water vacation
destinations such as Sarasota Keys, guided kayak trips take kayakers on a tour of the local
ecosystem. Kayakers can watch dolphins breach and manatees eat seagrass, in shallow
bay water.

WHITE WATER:
One of the most common uses of kayaks for hobbyists is whitewater kayaking. Whitewater
kayaking is when a kayaker traverses down a series of rapids. The difficulty of these rapid
ranges from Class I to Class VI. The difficulty of rapids often changes with water level and
debris in the river. Debris that inhibit a kayaker's path are often called "strainers" as they
"strain" out the kayakers like a colander. There are often training camps as well as man-
made structures to help train kayakers.

SURF SKI:
A surf ski (or: "surf ski", "surf-ski") is generally the longest of all kayaks and is a
performance-oriented kayak designed for speed on open water, most commonly the
ocean, although it is well suited to all bodies of water and recreational paddling.

WINTER KAYAKING:
Winter kayaking is inherently more dangerous than regular paddling, as cold water and air
temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia. The activity requires the use of clothing that
negates the effects of the elements on the kayaker.