Analysis of the relationship between anthropometric parameters of a kayaker in relation to paddle length and boat volume

Kayaking is one of the recreational physical activities within water tourism. Basic knowledge of material-technical equipment is a prerequisite for proper skills training. It contributes to enhancing the experience of kayaking and is related to health aspects and safety of movement on water terrains. The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between the anthropometric parameters of a kayaker and the parameters of the material-technical equipment. It aims to make recommendations that would allow better orientation in the selection of material equipment (kayak, paddle). The data was collected during an online survey in which 50 respondents were addressed. The survey was conducted between June and September 2020. The group of respondents was homogeneous in gender, age and skills. It consisted of men 30 – 50 years old, who regularly ride through water terrains of difficulty WW3 – WW5. The response rate was 58%. Considering the nature of collected data, we processed them using MS Excel and Statistics 6.0 software and used the correlation coefficient method. The level of statistical significance was set at p = 0.05 and the correlation coefficient ranged from - 0.78 / + 0.80. Our research indicates that the selection of the basic kayaking material is highly individual and anthropometric parameters are respected only to a certain extent. When selecting a paddle, smaller kayakers tend to use a relatively longer paddle and, conversely, taller kayakers use relatively a shorter paddle due to their height. Lower weight kayakers do not always use low volume kayaks but on the contrary the heaviest kayakers use the maximum volume kayak.