Craig Turner loves the water. He loves the beauty of the sea, the crisp air whisking across his face and the serenity found once he's comfortably seated within the hull of his kayak.

He is not alone.

Kayaking, arguably America's fastest-growing water sport, has graduated from quirky Olympic TV highlight to full-blown fad. It's a trend that counts an increasing number of preteens and teens like Turner, a Claremont High (Calif.) sophomore-to-be, among its most passionate devotees.

"It doesn't take a lot of training to be pretty good at this," says Turner, a California-based Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) summer sea camp alumnus who began kayaking at age 8. "I think that appeals to kids and gives it a better chance of becoming a more mainstream sport. I kayak mainly to get around because I like to dive (snorkel and scuba), but I know more and more kids who know about it and do it." Kayaking has seemingly become the "off-road" sport of choice for more and more teens. Throughout the '90s, rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding and skydiving were the adrenaline-producing extreme events that earned all the press. But thanks to kayaking's equal-opportunity nature as well as its safety and relatively low costs ? a change has occurred between the weekend warriors of the past and those of the future. According to USA Canoe/Kayak, the sport currently boasts more than 14 million recreational participants.

"The middle school and early teenage level really shine on kayaks," says marine biologist Kacy Lafferty, 29, owner and operator of Discovery Adventures Sea Kayaking in Gloucester, Mass. "It's something they can all do and they have a great time doing it. You can be in a double and work together or be on your own. You don't need a license. You can just jump in and go, and I've seen that aspect of the sport attract kids on both coasts. You see faces light up."

Favorable first impressions have prompted countless beginners to pay up to $1,500 for a boat and gear of their own. But the sport need not be financially or logistically prohibitive. Kayaks can be purchased new for as little as $500, only slightly more than the cost of outfitting a novice snowboarder not including lift fees.

Most importantly, kayaking affords ample flexibility and confidence to beginners. Kayaks can be guided with a rear-mounted, foot-controlled rudder system and aren't nearly as "tippy" as the layman might think although safety concerns are critical, albeit straightforward. Paddling posture is relaxed, free-flowing and far from fatiguing, and the pilot can scan a 360-degree field of vision in an instant.

"One of the things we've found is that a lot of kids come in thinking they won't be able to develop any level of proficiency," says CIMI camp director Dave Work, 44, who notes that his institute, located about 25 miles off the coast of San Diego, annually introduces about 17,000 preteens and teens to the sport. "But they find it's something they can master fairly quickly and do as an individual. It's not only a confidence-builder, but it's also a great equalizer."

"There's room to really advance, too," adds Discovery Adventures' Lafferty. "There's white water and surf kayaking, even Olympic kayaking. There are many facets, which I think also appeals to teens."

Teens like Scott Mann, a senior-to-be at The Academy at Adventure Quest in Woodstock, Vt., who has ranked among the top 10 whitewater slalom competitors in his age group since the seventh grade. But even though Mann, 17, is at the peak of the teen-kayaking pyramid, the 2004 U.S. Olympic whitewater slalom hopeful recognizes the populist nature of his sport.

"I can definitely see the growth potential of this sport with kids my age," says Mann. "For anyone anywhere near a body of water, it's a great outlet and it's a lot easier to get started than you think."