KAYAK AND PADDLEBOARD TO YOUR FLOW I have paddled my whole life in wonderful places throughout the world. This includes halfway around Australia, Alaska, Patagonia, The Galapagos Islands, British Virgin Islands, San Juan Islands, Scotland, Maine, SF Bay, Florida Keys, Bahamas, Kauai, Costa Rica, Brittany, Bavaria. Then, there are the thousands of miles in the New York Metropolitan area, upstate NY, and Long Island. However, whenever I have been asked: “Where is your favorite place to paddle?” I always say, “in the boat or on the board”. I have always loved the connection to the water through m ..read more

Best Winter Gear for Kayaking and Paddle Boarding | Top Picks by our Members   When the water temp is below 60°F, paddlers must dress to protect against heat loss. Paddling is still amazing with the right gear. On warm days, stash unneeded gear in your deck bag, but have it nevertheless! Our members give their top recommendations:   #4: Warm Hands SUPers should keep their hands warm with light gloves like these 1.5 neoprene gloves. They’re breathable, flexible, traction when wet. On a warm day, keep them in your dry bag. Kayakers should wear kayak pogies/mitts or toasters as their o ..read more

Dear Paddler, Cold season paddling can be a glorious joy! There’s a lack of traffic, unique angle of the light, and a sense you’re a step closer to a primal reality. That’s why MKC offers it. Fresh air and blue water creates a wonderful heart-nurturing exercise. Connecting to nature via water can ease our souls. Read about the Blue Mind. However, paddling in the cold requires awareness, preparation, and respect.   AWARENESS: We are very aware of shorter daylight hours, wind, and temperatures because of the high risk of Hypothermia and Cold Shock. As a result, paddlers follow this rule of ..read more

When I founded Manhattan Kayak Company, I was a kayak snob. I believed that the sleek, sit-in-style kayak that hugged the body like a ski boot, making the boat an extension of my nervous system, plus the natural rhythm and efficiency of a two-bladed paddle, were superior to its canoeing cousins. My belief seemed to apply “in spades” when applied to the dynamic waterways of NYC. The low center of gravity, the minimal windage, and the basic speed seemed to prove my point over and over. MKC was able to take skilled beginners from zero to a Manhattan Circumnavigation in a season or two, with a ste ..read more

Here’s a wonderful article on Manhattan Kayak and our SUP tours and history in SUP Magazine by Rebecca Parsons. Hope you enjoy it! -The Manhattan Kayak Team  ..read more

Meeting of the Minds Will Taylor, editor of SUP The Mag, writes in his forward of Urban Reprieve: “Cities make me feel like a child when I do go -whether it is New York, Bangkok or Rome – I wander around in a daze, my senses indulging in the constant stimulation, my neck craned skyward…”.  This reminded me of how I felt coming into NYC to work at my dad’s kayak shop on Union Square after I graduated from college at the University of Colorado. I would come home with him to the suburbs of New Jersey feeling dizzy from it all. In those days, the 1980’s, we often sold the famous Klepper ..read more

Which One Should You Choose: Kayak or SUP? If you are brand new to paddling and are conflicted about which paddling discipline to learn, I am here to help. As founder of Manhattan Kayak Co, I have a lot to share on this topic. First, for fitness: In both kayaking and SUP, learn to use your whole body and lots of torso rotation (we offer Kayak and SUP 1-2-3-4 where beginners can learn this). You get an excellent core workout and it’s a lot of fun. Burn ~500 calories in a normal guided trip and ~1,000 calories in a race training session. If you don’t learn technique, you’ll likely overuse your a ..read more