Kayaks ride very low to the water. This aids in stability, performance, and efficiency, but allows water to frequently wash over the deck. Spray skirts provide a seal between you and the cockpit coaming keeping water out of your boat.
Spray skirts succeed in keeping the majority of water out of your boat by maintaining tight seals against two different surfaces; your torso and the kayak coaming.
Spray skirts are worn just like a normal skirt, and with the grab loop in the front. The top chest gasket should sit just below your nipple line and tightens down by a drawstring, Velcro, or elastic neoprene.
The coaming gasket, called the rand, is a highly elastic piece which must be carefully wrapped around the coaming and snapped in place to form a seal. With both gaskets in place, you can stay nice and dry in even the roughest conditions.
Whitewater spray skirts are made entirely from neoprene. Neoprene provides a secure grip around the coaming and chest while maintaining body warmth. Since most whitewater kayakers can plan on being underwater at some point, or at least hitting big waves, it is important that the skirts stay in place during high impact situations.
