Article Formats:
The majority of the articles we publish fall into a number of categories, each with its own set of requirements. Check the list below before you write your article.
We recommend you familiarize yourself with Sea Kayaker, especially articles similar to the one you propose, to get a feel for the material we find appealing to our readers. Not only will you find what sort of content we publish, you'll also get a feel for the writing style we find a good match for the magazine.

Destination:
Our Destination format provides our readers with information about interesting places to paddle. The area described should be large enough to provide several alternate paddling itineraries and numerous overnight options. In some cases, we will consider an urban destination article that provides day trips within easy reach of a large population center. The destinations should have easy access to the water.
If you'd like to write a destination piece, you should have long-standing experience of the area, with numerous trips and experience at various times during the paddling season. A single trip to an area doesn't provide enough personal knowledge of the place.
The destination format is often a combination of descriptive writing-to give readers a sense of what the area is like-and information about launch sites, campsites, permits, and other requirements for the area. You should provide tips on weather and water conditions to advise paddlers on paddling safely.
Along with the main text, include a side bar of agency contacts, phone numbers and web sites that our readers would find useful for trip planning and reservations.
We'll need a map to assist our cartographer in designing a map for publication. The map should be marked with a north arrow, a scale of miles, and all of the place names mentioned in the article. We require at least 20 slides that give a good depiction of the landscape and shoreline. We look for vivid color, sharp focus and a variety of perspectives and subjects. Make sure to include several images of scenes that include kayakers.
Word count should fall between 2000 and 4000 words.

Journey:
Journey articles are personal narratives about kayaking adventures. The focus and length of a journey article has a wide latitude, but you need to do more than recount your experience; you must create an experience for the reader.
Unlike most of the other article formats, the interest of the reader is carried not by the information contained in the article, but by the quality of the writing. Journey submissions are subject to our most demanding editing. For writing tips that apply to Journey format articles, click here.
Since Journeys are usually run as feature articles, we'll need a good selection of photographs to illustrate the article. The images should be of high technical quality and work in harmony with the text. We like to have at least 20 images to choose from.

Do-it yourself:
The D-I-Y article needs to be a complete set of instructions for building a kayak or equipment useful to kayakers. You should write the article "at the workbench" and detail every step of the building process. While the author may make plans or materials available, materials must be available from independent sources and the plans published in Sea Kayaker must be complete. The projects must be within average skills and require tools that readers are likely to own or can easily afford to purchase.
We will require photographs of the finished project as well as photographs or drawing of the parts and critical phases of the work in progress. In addition to the plans and instructions, you should include a list of materials, and a list of sources and costs.
The length of a D-I-Y article will vary in relation to the complexity of the project. We have been able to keep even a complex kayak-building article under 6000 words.

Technique:
We are always eager to have articles on kayaking techniques. Topics can include a wide range of topics: paddle strokes and braces, rolling, navigation, managing group dynamics, rescues, etc.
For standard techniques we prefer that you have demonstrable expertise as an experienced paddler or instructor. We also like to work with paddlers that have developed new techniques. Article length will vary from around 300 words for a single technique to 3000 for a range of techniques.
We recommend that you make a proposal to us before writing the article. We will determine if we have already covered the topic in recent issues and make a preliminary evaluation on the utility of the technique for our readers.
Once the idea is approved we will require a brief introduction explaining the usefulness, and if appropriate, the history of the technique. The instructions should be presented in appropriate order. You should provide precautions about any risks and times that the technique shouldn't be attempted. We will need illustrations, usually photographs, that illustrate each step, and if possible a picture of the technique in use in a "realistic" setting. We would prefer any technique meant to be used in rough water be proven in demanding conditions. If possible, we would like to have at least one image that shows the technique in rough water if appropriate.

Equipment and Equipment Reviews:
Equipment reviews are usually assigned articles. The reviewer must be free of any relationship with the manufacturer that would compromise an objective review or suggest a conflict of interest. You must have experience or credentials that would give you the background to make a thorough and fair evaluation of the gear.
Any equipment reviewed must pass through the Sea Kayaker office. We need to have the object in hand in order to verify and evaluate your review. We prefer to get the gear direct from the manufacturer before turning it over to the reviewer. We will review printed material supplied with the equipment or interview the manufacturer to determine the equipment's intended use and then the extent of our testing. Whenever possible you must evaluate manufacturer's claims. Gear that is waterproof must be subjected to tests that are both within the scope of the manufacturer's claim and appropriate to the needs of kayakers. Tests should not be unnecessarily rough, but they should seek out weaknesses that would become evident under normal kayaking practice.
Reviews should be concisely written, informative and to the point. Narrative of personal experience with gear may be appropriate if it illustrates how the gear performs in actual use.

Safety:
One of the most-read sections of the magazine is the Safety department. For the most part these are articles about kayaking accidents. The primary purpose of these articles is education: to enable our readers to learn from and avoid the misfortunes of others. A safety article has two sections: a narrative describing the incident, from the factors leading up to it to the outcome or resolution. The second section is an analysis in which the incidents are analyzed and the readers are informed of what the significant factors were and ways of preventing similar situations.
The narrative may be written by someone involved in the accident or by a writer who has interviewed the kayakers involved. The analysis must be written by someone with the analytical ability to explain what went wrong and the background to make good recommendations for prevention. In some cases kayakers involved in the accident are qualified to write the analysis, but more often we will assign the analysis to an experienced safety writer.

We encourage our readers to inform us about accidents that they have heard of or been involved in. We can decide if the incident has enough educational value to warrant an article.

We make every effort to be sensitive to the needs of those involved in accidents. We are not interested in burdening anyone with blame. Most of the time paddlers are eager to share their stories with others so they may prevent similar accidents. Occasionally a kayaker will be concerned that an article will be painful or embarrassing. In those cases we have some options. We can offer anonymity if necessary and still preserve the educational value of the story.

Those involved in the accident often work closely with the editors to make sure that the article is accurately and fairly written.

Safety articles typically require no more than a map for illustration.

History:
Our history section covers everything from Aboriginal kayaking to events in past decades. The article must reflect thorough knowledge of the topic or extensive research. Old photographs or drawings are useful. Sources of the images must be identified, as we may need to secure permission to publish the images.