Suggestions for Folding or Inflatable Kayaks Please

[Puddleduck]

As it says above really. We are neither small nor lightweight so would want an absolute minimum of a 136kg payload and more is better. A skeg / rudder would be a big bonus (rudder preferred but probably not available within our budget).

We bought a couple of Kayacats after seeing one at the Millport rally but when ours came we found the build quality was rubbish, in fact one of them was impossible to assemble due to manufacturing defects so they have been sent back. A great idea but totally ruined by the manufacturing defects.

We went to look at a Sevylor today (Go Outdoors had them in stock) but feel the one on display was not what we were looking for.

I like an open cockpit.

 

[funflair]

Kayak or canoe? singles or double, the Gumotex Palava that we have is good quality and doesn't take long to put together, it is a canoe though.

Martin

 

[bigtwin]

How about one of these (not for sale BTW):

Ian

 

[Lanerboy]

We have an aquaglide chinook inflatable not cheapb about £450 but it's fantastic very very sturdy and we are not light people 29 stone combined and it manages no problem it's built from very strong materials one of the best inflatable kayaks on the market

 

[Puddleduck]

It has to be a kayak and singles ..... or a double that can be paddled by one person. £450 is not unreasonable , actially I'd be willing to pay more if it means we use them. The rigid boats we have now we are not using because of having to put them on and get them off the roof of the van. I am terrified that Martin will fall as he straps the kayaks down. Plus I was spoilt with the previous kayak I paddled.

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[Puddleduck]

Kayak or canoe? singles or double, the Gumotex Palava that we have is good quality and doesn't take long to put together, it is a canoe though.

Martin

I've looked at the Gumotex as they were recommended previously but they are too narrow for me to sit in comfortably. As the orthopod told me my pelvis looks like it has been run over by a truck (wide and flat).

 

[Puddleduck]

How about one of these (not for sale BTW):

View attachment 314559

Ian

Yes, that looks like it may well tick the boxes (assuming the cockpit is wide enough) but now appears to be unavailable

 

[funflair]

I've looked at the Gumotex as they were recommended previously but they are too narrow for me to sit in comfortably. As the orthopod told me my pelvis looks like it has been run over by a truck (wide and flat).

The relatively narrow cockpit might be a trait of many inflatable like Gumotex and Sevylor as the tubular sponsons take up so much width it doesn't leave that much room for your a---, there is a relatively new way of producing inflatable boats using a construction technique called "dropstitch" where the panels of the boat are flat rather than being tubes, the "dropstitch" is a thread going between the two outer surfaces of the panel allowing it to remain flat when inflated and making it more rigid as higher pressure can be achieved. I have seen some nice Kayaks at the NEC with this technique but don't know the name at the moment, I will have a google.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Hi Puddleduck here is a bit of info on the "dropstitch" technique and you can see that the sides are not as bulky as the tubular design, wether this equates to more/enough room inside I can not say.

KXONE - TECHNIC

kxone-europe.com

Martin

 

[Puddleduck]

As we are in Derby next week (van due for MOT and hab check) and we have a courtesy car for the day we will have a trip out to Nottingham to look round the Leisure Outlet in Attenborough and Desperate Measures also near Nottingham I don't want to make another mistake when we buy our next kayaks!

funflair the dropstitch certainly makes the base much more solid - very like a hard shell kayak. A bit more expensive but probably worth the money.

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[bigtwin]

Hi Puddleduck here is a bit of info on the "dropstitch" technique and you can see that the sides are not as bulky as the tubular design, wether this equates to more/enough room inside I can not say.

KXONE - TECHNIC

kxone-europe.com

Martin

Yes, I saw one from this company at Sanyo Sands, it was very impressive.

Ian

 

[TheAleMan]

Sea Eagle Razorlite, not cheap but great on the water and up to 10 psi..nice and solid.

 

[funflair]

Sea Eagle Razorlite, not cheap but great on the water and up to 10 psi..nice and solid.

Looks good, and very similar to the Slider above the single is 430mm internal Puddleduck the double is a bit wider at 530mm

Martin

 

[Puddleduck]

Looks good, and very similar to the Slider above the single is 430mm internal Puddleduck the double is a bit wider at 530mm

Martin

The single is too narrow but the double a possibility if it can be paddled as a single. We paddle single kayaks as our techniques are so different and incompatible. I am not strong so make up by paddling as efficiently as I can whereas Martin just uses brute force!

Anyone know if there is a UK supplier down the East Coast of England (or as far south as Manchester in the west) or in Scotland?

I really miss the paddlefest shows

 

[funflair]

The single is too narrow but the double a possibility if it can be paddled as a single. We paddle single kayaks as our techniques are so different and incompatible. I am not strong so make up by paddling as efficiently as I can whereas Martin just uses brute force!

Anyone know if there is a UK supplier down the East Coast of England (or as far south as Manchester) or in Scotland?

Sole UK dealer I think https://shop.spindriftltd.com/contact-us-2-w.asp and it doesn't look like they have a shop, looking at the plan of the double on the web site it looks like it could be configured for solo as the seat will move to the middle as it's no good sitting in the stern with the bow waving about in the air.

Martin

EDIT this is the sea eagle double, https://www.seaeagle.com/RazorLite/473rl it would be a big kayak on your own though.

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[pjay]

Have a look at the gumotex thaya, it has the dropstitch floor and is wider than their standard inflatables.
We have one, great bit of kit but not cheap.

Pete

 

[funflair]

Have a look at the gumotex thaya, it has the dropstitch floor and is wider than their standard inflatables.
We have one, great bit of kit but not cheap.

Pete

Looks great, can you configure it as a single?

I think we need a come and try my Kayak/Canoe rally

Martin

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

My Gruppenfuhrer is thinking about selling her little used Sevylor Yukon in case that may be of interest, but it is a twin.

Following link just for reference purposes...

Sevylor Kcc380 Yukon Kayak online - Justathlete.co.uk

Buy Sevylor Kcc380 Yukon Kayak online ✓Fast delivery ✓14-day cooling-off period ✓Trusted Shops certification

www.justathlete.co.uk

 

[pjay]

Looks great, can you configure it as a single?

I think we need a come and try my Kayak/Canoe rally

Martin

Yes, can be configured as a single.

There is an in depth US test of the Gumotex Thaya (US call it 'Innova' instead of Gumotex) here...

https://airkayaks.wordpress.com/2019/03/28/product-review-innova-thaya-hi-pressure-inflatable-kayak-for-1-to-2-paddlers/



Pete ​

 

[Puddleduck]

My Gruppenfuhrer is thinking about selling her little used Sevylor Yukon in case that may be of interest, but it is a twin.

Thanks but the Sevylor kayaks we have looked at are all too narrow for my squished pelvis.

I've been looking at the Sea Eagle Paddleski - just need to win the lottery !!!!

pjay good not cheap, cheap not good!!!! The budget is up to £1000 per kayak but if there was something really really fantastic I would spend more

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[pjay]

We have re configured the the fold on ours so it fits in the underfloor side locker....

 

[Puddleduck]

We have re configured the the fold on ours so it fits in the underfloor side locker....

View attachment 314612View attachment 314614View attachment 314615View attachment 314616View attachment 314617

No hurry or urgency but when you get chance could you measure the inside at the widest point (where I would sit when solo paddling)? 50cm would be the absolute minimum width I could manage and even that would be a squeeze. I am also tall for a woman at 5ft 10in last time they measured me in the hospital (they had to re-calibrate the laser height measurement gizmo as they are used to more elderly small ladies rather than one of Valkyrie build).

 

[pjay]

Yes, no problem, infact we're going out for a paddle on the Broads this morning so i'll measure it then.
In the meantime there are some specs on the Norfolk canoe webpage below where we bought ours and I think some dims are also listed on the airkayaks link I posted earlier.

Gumotex Thaya - Drop Stitch Floor Inflatable Tandem Kayak

www.norfolk-canoes.co.uk

Pete

 

[Puddleduck]

A kayak come and try meet sounds like a really good idea

Any ideas of where? White Water Park Teesside comes to mind along with Lochore Meadows in Fife (cheaper and we could hire a professional instructor) but there will be a lot more places I'm sure.

 

[TheAleMan]

Looks good, and very similar to the Slider above the single is 430mm internal Puddleduck the double is a bit wider at 530mm

Martin

They are great boats Martin, and yes similar to the slider. A little bit 'tippy' at first until you get used to them, but go along at a lick when you do, and track well too. The drop stitch tech allows the boat to be pumped up rock hard, so no bending whatsoever.

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[Puddleduck]

EDIT this is the sea eagle double, https://www.seaeagle.com/RazorLite/473rl it would be a big kayak on your own though.

The kayak I had previous to the current model (which I find too small) was 4.5m long and weighed 45kg empty So the sea eagle a little longer but half the weight.

EDIT: now you know why I like a rudder! Plus a sail and a rudder = great fun on a lake or similar, not on the sea or I'd end up in Norway or Denmark or Ireland depending on where I started.

 

[TheAleMan]

The single is too narrow but the double a possibility if it can be paddled as a single.

Yes it can be paddled as a single but not tried it that way with mine yet.

 

[funflair]

A kayak come and try meet sounds like a really good idea

Any ideas of where? White Water Park Teesside comes to mind along with Lochore Meadows in Fife (cheaper and we could hire a professional instructor) but there will be a lot more places I'm sure.

I did a "messing about on the river" rally a couple of years ago in conjunction with the Shrewsbury flower festival, a couple of others had inflatables I had my Gumotex Canoe there and andy63 brought his brand new Sea Kayak along then quite a few of us went up to Montford bridge and hired open Canoes and paddled the 10 or 12 miles back to the rally field.

It was a laugh.

A come and try it only works if there are enough boats to try of course.

Martin

 

[funflair]

They are great boats Martin, and yes similar to the slider. A little bit 'tippy' at first until you get used to them, but go along at a lick when you do, and track well too. The drop stitch tech allows the boat to be pumped up rock hard, so no bending whatsoever.

I like our Gumotex Palava but I think the drop stitch floor would be a great addition as the tubed floor can be a bit "soft"

Martin

 

[Armytwowheels]

Sea Eagle Razorlite, not cheap but great on the water and up to 10 psi..nice and solid.

These look the business but cannot find a single one for sale in the UK.

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