Kayak vs Row Apps

badbri said:

Both use GPS so they're outdoor

I'm still waiting on that Indoor Kayak app.   Seriously though, I think the only difference is in the name and how it's logged as an activity.  I've had no luck finding anything on the pre-installed apps as far as what differentiates them from one another.

I think there might be some indoor kayaking facilities in Japan actually?  ha ha

I managed to find a way to filter the Connect IQ apps by those created by "Garmin" and confoundingly neither Kayak nor Row are even listed on there.  (Run, Trail Run, etc aren't either of course)

apps.garmin.com/.../apps

Since getting my 945 I haven't used the Kayak app yet (maybe I'll get a chance to before it gets too cold...), but I'm guessing it's related to the different paddle motions inherent in each activity.

With rowing you move both paddles, so one stroke is both handles moving back and forward together. With Kayaking for each motion cycle of your watch wrist (probably left wrist) you've stroked left and right "paddles" independently; maybe the same watch wrist cadence of kayaking and rowing would result in double the stroke rate in Kayaking.

Maybe it's something slightly different in the stroke counting / recognition algorithm because the wrist motion is slightly different.

Maybe it's just so activities shows up differently on Garmin Connect.

I think it's how TMK described, simply how it shows up in Garmin Connect.

I was using "row" previously on a few kayak trips and it recorded my stroke-rate as cadence just fine.  I'll try kayak next time.

Incidentally the little CIQ graphic-image for "Row" has the little stick figure rowing like in a canoe, not like a double-row.

Where do you find the kayak stroke data? I can’t see it when adding a custom data field

When I've used the kayak app, I don't get any stroke data.  As far as I can tell, its basically a very simple app that records your track and distance.  I don't believe it has any of the advanced metrics you'd have like with SUP where it actually counts your strokes.  I was a bit disappointed when I used it.

I haven't used it yet to find out.

But I just opened the app and sure enough there is no "stroke" data field included as a default so I think that's probably a good sign that it's not recorded. 

It's sadly just a generic outdoor sports profile named "kayak" but no support for kayaking at all. I paddle with the bicycle app in order to get a cadence sensor connected. The build in cadence for indoor rowing doesn't work at low stroke rate (it could connect to a concept2 if only they wanted to). Garmin's focus is on tri-sports, nowhere else.

I have a Vivoactive 3. It does not have the Kayak application, but the rowing works perfectly. It defaults to meters, and it requires 2 strokes (one on each side) to get credit for a stroke. It however counts the strokes perfectly after accounting for the 2-1 ratio. In the past, before there was a row option i would try and use the walk activity, and that does not work.

I have a Vivoactive 3. It does not have the Kayak application, but the rowing works perfectly. It defaults to meters, and it requires 2 strokes (one on each side) to get credit for a stroke. It however counts the strokes perfectly after accounting for the 2-1 ratio. In the past, before there was a row option i would try and use the walk activity, and that does not work.