Kayaking looks simple: sit down, pick up the paddle, off you go. But anyone who has tried it for the first time will tell you that a few mistakes can turn a fun paddle into an unpleasant adventure. Below are the five most common mistakes we see among beginners, and how to avoid them.
1. The wrong clothing
The most common mistake: dressing as if you were going for a walk. But conditions on the water are different. Even when the air is +20 degrees, the water in Lithuanian lakes in spring can be just +8 to 12 degrees. If you fall in, cotton clothes soak up water and chill your body very quickly.
What to do: in warm weather, synthetic sportswear (not cotton) works well. In cooler weather you need neoprene or a drysuit. And always wear a life jacket, even if you can swim.
2. Too long a route for the first time
Enthusiasm before the first paddle often exceeds what you can actually do. People plan a 15 km route and after 5 km realise their arms are tired, the seat is uncomfortable and they still have to get back.
What to do: for your first time, paddle on a calm lake, not a river. Plan a route of up to 5 km or 1 to 2 hours. Better to come back wanting more than exhausted and hating the whole experience.
3. Unsecured gear
Phone, keys, food, water bottle. They all end up on the deck or in your pockets, and the first bigger wave or careless movement sends them sliding into the water. Sunglasses and phones are lost especially often.
What to do: use a dry bag (dry bag) for documents and your phone. Keep your sunglasses on a strap. Clip your water bottle on with a carabiner. Fishing kayaks such as NuCanoe or Galaxy Kayaks modelshave dedicated mounting points for gear.
4. Plaukimas be plano
Not knowing where you will paddle, what the current will be like, how long it will take and what will happen if the weather changes. This matters especially on rivers, where the current can be stronger than it looks from the bank.
What to do: before you set off, check the weather forecast (especially wind speed and direction). Tell someone where you will paddle and when you plan to be back. Carry a fully charged phone in a dry bag. If you are paddling an unfamiliar route, check for dams, obstacles or currents. You will find the best places for beginners in the article Where to kayak in Lithuania.
5. Underestimating safety
The biggest mistake of all: thinking nothing bad can happen on the water. Relaxed on a calm lake, people paddle without a jacket, take no signalling device and go out alone far from shore.
What to do: always wear a buoyancy aid. Even experienced paddlers wear one, because accidents happen suddenly. If you paddle alone, use your phone's location sharing feature. Carry a whistle (most jackets have one built in). And do not paddle further from shore than you feel comfortable with.
Frequently asked questions
Safety on the water
Always wear a life jacket when kayaking. For recreational paddling, light and comfortable WALLYS buoyancy aids are a great choice: they do not restrict movement and are affordable. We offer sizes for children and adults based on body weight. More about safety gear: life jacket comparison.
Can a beginner paddle alone?
Yes, but for the first time we recommend paddling with someone experienced, or at least on a calm, small lake close to the shore. Do a few practice sessions before setting off on a longer route alone.
Which life jacket is right for kayaking?
For kayaking on Lithuanian waters a 50N (Type III) buoyancy aid is right. It is compact, does not restrict your arms when paddling and is enough for calm waters. We wrote more about choosing a jacket in the article Buoyancy aids for water sports.
What do you do if the kayak capsizes?
With a sit on top kayak, capsizing on calm water is almost impossible, but if it happens: do not panic, your jacket will keep you afloat. Hold on to the kayak, flip it back over and climb on from the side. With the models we sell, this is easy even for a beginner.
What helps you avoid mistakes
Most beginner mistakes come from the wrong or missing gear.
- Baltic Pro Sailor 100N liemenė : the first mistake is paddling without one
- Braca-Sport Hurricane 60 irklas : a paddle that is too short wears you out
- NRS DriDuffel dry bag : a phone in the water is the third mistake
Read also
- Where to kayak in Lithuania: the best routes and places (2026)
- The 10 most common mistakes when starting kayak fishing (and how to avoid them)
- How to get back into a kayak after capsizing: self-rescue technique (2026)
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