If there's one thing I've learnt travelling with a kayak it's to research airlines' baggage policies thoroughly before purchasing your ticket. Once you're confirmed, print the policy and learn it better than the staff at the check-in desk. Returning from Bangkok last year my kayak was flatly denied by British Airways, but because I knew that I had a Qantas ticket and had their policy with me I eventually got my heavily laden creeker on free of charge.
With Air NZ today they're allowing two 23kg pieces with fairly reasonable excess charges if you exeed that - $150 for a third piece of baggage apparently.
Signs are positive for a solid season's water in BC... stay tuned
boz
