Inflatable kayak

[zerofour]

I'm looking for recommendations for a two seat inflatable kayak. I'm planning to use on calm seas and inland waterways with the family. Also, I'm not sure whether a kayaking course would be a good idea. Any advice welcome. Thanks.

 

[MattBW]

We did some great kayak lessons in Leamington Spa and it was all pool sessions so very good to practice in safety. We found them through a local kayak hire place Leam Boat Centre, is there anywhere similar nearby they probably do the same.

I spent a lot of time looking at the inflatable kayaks for ease of transport but never managed to test one so ended up going with a hard shell in the end. I know how often I have scuffed my old plastic kayaks and was worried I might end up getting a puncture. The strongest ones seem to be some of the Sevylore models as they have multi layer constructions but I have no used them sorry. We also looked at Decathalon ones too as you could physically see them in the store.

 

[B J G]

I had an Airhead inflatable kayak. It was certificated for rough seas etc. Intended to take Grandson on Rutland water where it met the safety criteria. He wasn't keen so sold it last year.
Outer tough skin (same as powered dingys) with separate inner inflation sections.
Don't buy cheapest available.
http://www.airhead.com/2-paddler-performance-travel-kayak.html

 

[ArunAlec]

Rather than looking for a kayak a canoe might be a better bet? Gumotex are one of the better, if not the best inflatables. I have a Palava, which is a two man open boat (canoe) and it is very robust. It's worth looking at the Song of The Paddle forum where there's a review section and a lot of advice, much like this forum!
Definitely worth doing the British Canoeing training course especially if you are new to water sports. This week happens to be National Go Canoeing week so you might find local clubs/centres running introductory sessions.

 

[zerofour]

Thanks for all the replies. My kids (11 and 13) have done courses at a local watersports club in a lake and on the sea but I haven't – I think I'd better get myself on one.

Kayak / canoe – kayak is enclosed cockpit and canoe open – is that correct? The terminology seems a bit interchangeable on some websites.

I was looking at Sevylor, specifically the Colorado or Madison models. They fit my budget and seem to fit our needs.

 

[Sp0_0k]

+1 to Gumotex. They are developed here in Czech, I've seen most models and own the Ruby canoe.
Have used it in Norway in Fjords. Insanely happy.

 

[MattBW]

I always thought kayak was double ended paddle and canoe single ended but actually Ive never been sure of the differences.

 

[Archie]

After our experiences with inflatables my honest advice would be get a plastic one or a Canadian instead. We bought 2 top end sevelyor inflatables (£500 each) to use with our kids primarily as we could carry them both in a roof box, and they were dropping to bits after 8 trips. The valves were working loose ( started half a mile from land on Windermere), there was a leg cover on one that no longer closed and the quality generally appeared poor. We took them back to the shop quoting not fit for purpose and Sale of Goods act etc and they exchanged with no quibble for tandem plastic kayaks which we had much more enjoyment from. The inflatables were a pain to pack away and get dry as well and we certainly got the impression that no matter how much you spend they are only for occasional use ( which may be all you want of course)
The river from Northiam to Bodiam, Cuckmere from Seven Sisters to Alfriston, and Medway from Tonbridge downstream were our usual trips when at home.

PM me if you want details on these trips and transporting.

 

[zerofour]

After our experiences with inflatables my honest advice would be get a plastic one or a Canadian instead. We bought 2 top end sevelyor inflatables (£500 each) to use with our kids primarily as we could carry them both in a roof box, and they were dropping to bits after 8 trips. The valves were working loose ( started half a mile from land on Windermere), there was a leg cover on one that no longer closed and the quality generally appeared poor. We took them back to the shop quoting not fit for purpose and Sale of Goods act etc and they exchanged with no quibble for tandem plastic kayaks which we had much more enjoyment from. The inflatables were a pain to pack away and get dry as well and we certainly got the impression that no matter how much you spend they are only for occasional use ( which may be all you want of course)
The river from Northiam to Bodiam, Cuckmere from Seven Sisters to Alfriston, and Medway from Tonbridge downstream were our usual trips when at home.

PM me if you want details on these trips and transporting.

Thanks for your comment. The reason for wanting an inflatable is ease of storage / transportation and I'm not sure how often we'll use it – I'm anticipating 10-20 times per year tops. We live by the sea but I'm not sure how often suitable conditions would coincide with our free time so it will mainly be on inland waterways when we're on holiday and the odd trip along the Cuckmere. I appreciate that a rigid one would be better in the long run and if we find that we want to spend more time on the water I would consider it.

 

[ArunAlec]

I always thought kayak was double ended paddle and canoe single ended but actually Ive never been sure of the differences.

I agree but there's a further qualifier.... Kayak you sit, Canoe you kneel. Having said that most leisure canoes have seats but tradionalists kneel until it gets too painful!

 

[Sp0_0k]

After our experiences with inflatables my honest advice would be get a plastic one or a Canadian instead.

So you've got crap inflatables and came to a conclusion that all of them are bad right, and plastic ones are better

 

[ArunAlec]

Thanks for your comment. The reason for wanting an inflatable is ease of storage / transportation and I'm not sure how often we'll use it – I'm anticipating 10-20 times per year tops. We live by the sea but I'm not sure how often suitable conditions would coincide with our free time so it will mainly be on inland waterways when we're on holiday and the odd trip along the Cuckmere. I appreciate that a rigid one would be better in the long run and if we find that we want to spend more time on the water I would consider it.

If you are passing Arundel you are welcome to have a look at my Gumotex!

 

[Sp0_0k]

I agree but there's a further qualifier.... Kayak you sit, Canoe you kneel. Having said that most leisure canoes have seats but tradionalists kneel until it gets too painful!

There are so many models nowadays that definitions are kind of useless. My Ruby is categorized as a canoe.
But I kneel, sit, lay or stand in it Also using both paddlings techniques, just need a wider kayak style paddle.

Inflatables are really great and very practical, just stay away from cheap Chinese brands. Decent inflatables are starting from 800-900 euros. Gumotex is the best quality you can get for the money.
Keep in mind that inflatables are safer and more stable as well.

 

[Bellcrew]

There are so many models nowadays that definitions are kind of useless. My Ruby is categorized as a canoe.
But I kneel, sit, lay or stand in it Also using both paddlings techniques, just need a wider kayak style paddle.

Inflatables are really great and very practical, just stay away from cheap Chinese brands. Decent inflatables are starting from 800-900 euros. Gumotex is the best quality you can get for the money.
Keep in mind that inflatables are safer and more stable as well.

We bought our Avon Redcrest inflatable dinghy over 30 years ago, still blows up hard and does not leak, It cost £1000, a lot of money at the time but it has more than paid for itself, takes four adults and can be used with a small outboard, there must be decent canoes out there that would also be good quality.

 

[Andy]

+1 for gumotex. Sisters family have one, a canoe. I looked into getting one & came to the conclusion don't touch cheep ones like sevylor, Get gumotex. Plenty of advice on Web to back this up.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Victor]

I have had quite a few kayaks including sea kayaks, I would really avoid inflatable as they have really poor tracking and you will fight to stay in a straight line. Also if you capsize they are difficult to get back into.

 

[amountainhigh]

Inflatable kayaks are far more practical in terms of storage and chucking it in the back of the car/van. We researched quite a bit before opting for a Z-pro FL200 a couple of years ago. It's incredibly rigid when inflated and more robust than the Sevylors. We've had some great canoe/camping adventures - some pics here http://www.amountainhigh.co.uk/2014/07/assynt-canoe-camping-adventure/

 

[CannonDale]

Thanks for all the replies. My kids (11 and 13) have done courses at a local watersports club in a lake and on the sea but I haven't – I think I'd better get myself on one.

Kayak / canoe – kayak is enclosed cockpit and canoe open – is that correct? The terminology seems a bit interchangeable on some websites.

I was looking at Sevylor, specifically the Colorado or Madison models. They fit my budget and seem to fit our needs.

I have two Sevylor Colorado's, they are tough and well made. The internal bladder is covered by a good quality canvas housing that would be hard to rip. I have used them on lakes (lake annecy) and the sea, good stable boat. Kids are older now so they have not been used for the last couple of years.

 

[X4 VWC]

I've just got back (today) from five nights in the Lake District where I paddled Ullswater, Coniston and Derwent Water on a Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack inflatable kayak with my 12yo son. I couldn't be happier with the performance of the boat. I purchased the Pro package here and the service was very good (fast replies to email enquiries). Before going to the Lakes, we paddled the River Cam from Grantchester to Cambridge and back.

I wanted to be able to get out onto flat water, rivers and coastline (with training). I was happy to go the full roof bars/carriers and rigid kayak route but an inflatable better suited our needs. There are some distinct advantages to a good inflatable over rigid counterparts, including (1) easy transport in vehicle, (2) easy transport to/from water, (3) easy storage at home, and (4) stability on the water.

Not all inflatables are created equal! The Sea Eagle FastTrack incorporates a V-shaped hull, tracking fin (skeg) and drop-stitched rigid floor. It is incredibly stable. There are plenty of product reviews on the web. The pro package that we purchased includes high-back seats (very comfortable, especially if you add a gel pad to sit on), and 4-part AB40 paddles that are easy to store. I've attached a photo of the kayak on Derwent Water a few days ago (obviously I had to get out to take the picture - but plenty of space back there for me to sit comfortably all day).



My only word of warning is do not underestimate the space needed for suitable cold-water clothing, PFDs, inflator (electric if you choose to) and so on. Nor the cost of it all! For us, it has been well worth it and the hesitation I felt in spending on the boat and accessories vanished once we hit the water. It's brilliant!

 

[amountainhigh]

X4 VWC - The Fastrack looks similar to my Z-Pro Flash. The cheaper Sevylors use a canvas outer with an air bladder so no real structure and the canvas can absorb water. The Z-Pro and Fastracks have no air bladders but use a 1000 denier single skin so they are sleek, tough and rigid. The inflatable floor has internal baffles that make it incredibly rigid - important for stability and carrying backpacks for multi-dat trips. I agree with the extra space needed for seats, PDF's and clothing. We've had some great trips two-up, with our dog joining us a few times.

For solo-use I have an Alpackaraft packraft which, at 3kg and folding to the size of a small one-man tent, takes up no space and is ideal for backpacking trips.

 

[X4 VWC]

3kg!? That's incredible.

 

[zerofour]

Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone. Plenty for me to think about.

 

[MickyTwoPints]

X4 VWC - The Fastrack looks similar to my Z-Pro Flash. The cheaper Sevylors use a canvas outer with an air bladder so no real structure and the canvas can absorb water. The Z-Pro and Fastracks have no air bladders but use a 1000 denier single skin so they are sleek, tough and rigid. The inflatable floor has internal baffles that make it incredibly rigid - important for stability and carrying backpacks for multi-dat trips. I agree with the extra space needed for seats, PDF's and clothing. We've had some great trips two-up, with our dog joining us a few times.

For solo-use I have an Alpackaraft packraft which, at 3kg and folding to the size of a small one-man tent, takes up no space and is ideal for backpacking trips.

I have the Z-Pro too. I've had it for four years or so now. Here's a couple of photos of my daughter and I in Portsmouth Harbour. We've used it in canals, Portsmouth and Christchurch Harbours, the length of the River Medway and short sea trips. It's had a few scrapes in shallow water but has got through everything unscathed. Very pleased with the Z-Pro.

I first saw them at the New Forest Show. Not sure if they'll be back this year worth a look if you're in the area.

A friend of mine (the photographer of the pictures below) has the Sevylor and finds the seat backs a bit useless as they're so flimsy. Very sturdy comfortable seats in the Z-Pro.

 

[hirsty]

X4 VWC - The Fastrack looks similar to my Z-Pro Flash. The cheaper Sevylors use a canvas outer with an air bladder so no real structure and the canvas can absorb water. The Z-Pro and Fastracks have no air bladders but use a 1000 denier single skin so they are sleek, tough and rigid. The inflatable floor has internal baffles that make it incredibly rigid - important for stability and carrying backpacks for multi-dat trips. I agree with the extra space needed for seats, PDF's and clothing. We've had some great trips two-up, with our dog joining us a few times.

For solo-use I have an Alpackaraft packraft which, at 3kg and folding to the size of a small one-man tent, takes up no space and is ideal for backpacking trips.

Great info, thanks! I've now just spent an hour watching 'packrafting' videos on YouTube, yet another eye-opener to another category I knew nothing about - cheers!

 

[zerofour]

Thanks again for all the replies, in the end we've gone for a Gumtex Solar. We liked the fact that they dry out really quickly and pack down slightly smaller than the other kayaks. It's a 2 +1 person so both the kids and I can fit. The Gumtex boats are a lot better in the flesh than on the website where they look a bit 'cheap'. Looking forward to our maiden voyage!