With the recent school holidays we’ve been busy taking out kayakers of all ages. If you’re uncertain about having your kid out on the lake, here’s some FAQ’s with regards to our family tours…

1) How old does my child need to be to come on a tour?

We’ve taken children as young as 3 years out on our trips with us, and they’ve had a blast! Where we put the child in the kayak depends on their size and ability, and of course your comfort as the parent. Small ‘toddlers’ can sit in front on mom or dad’s lap, and without the use of a spray skirt it can be very safe.

Alternatively we’ve got a couple of kayaks with a large center hatch. These are our most stable and easy to paddle kayaks, and we’ve even got seats to install in the center for added comfort (sometimes they’ll fall right asleep on the way home!)

For really young children I always recommend taking part in our morning tours where very little wind is present, and the lake is calm and glassy.

2) Is there a shorter tour option for families?

We can always cater our trips, and/or create a private family tour to suit your needs. Again, heading out in the morning when there is no wind, you’ll be blown away by what we can see in a smaller time frame. We run family discounted rates for any trip, but would happily discuss special pricing for the shortened tour. Just get in touch!

You may also be surprised as to how quickly the 3 hours flies by on the lake. Most children enjoy the full length tour, and our guides are pretty good at breaking up the paddling with some fun games.

3) I’ve got three children, and I don’t want one in a single kayak!

That’s what you’ve got us for! Our guides quite often hop into a double to allow an extra child on the trip, or help out a beginner paddler that just wants to take lots of photos. Or check out the above photo, with Dad and TWO kids in the boat, It’s safe either way, and our guides can perform all the same duties from a double than they can from a single kayak. Here’s on of our guides Jose taking a kid out for a spin on the lake:

4) Can my kid take out a single kayak?

This is a really common question for us, and it all comes down to the lake conditions and the ability of each individual. It’s hard to put an age limit on this type of thing because each kid’s experience and ability is so different. Just ask us, and we’ll let you know on the day. This last week we took out two families in some pretty sporty conditions, each with 14-15 year old’s out in single kayaks. Aside from a very good nights sleep and some sore arms the next day – they had a blast!

Hopefully this answers some of your questions, if I’ve missed something feel free to contact us, and maybe we’ll see you guys out here sometime this summer!