Suggestions for Folding or Inflatable Kayaks Please

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

Martin
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You almost want a shop or hire centre that would let us mess around with a selection of their boats!!!

There is a place near Leeds:


Robin Hood Watersports
152 Leeds Road
Heckmondwike
West Yorkshire
WF16 9BJ )

and they have a pool where they do diving training and when it is not in use allow people to try out their kayaks. Actually I have seen they do the Aquagilde range of kayaks so we might call in if I don't get on with any of the other makes and models suggested.

I need to get my money back from kayacat first though :(
 
I had an inflatable double kayak, quite a nice one. When deflated it was quite bulky and heavy, but what really surprised us was how unstable it was on the water, I'd recommend you try the model you want to buy out first.

Ours behaved like the old racing kayaks, only stable leaning to one side, and nowhere like the stability of an actual inflatable. Still, never fell out of it!
 
Our Sevylor failed after a few times of it being used, the stitching came apart and the shop refunded the product. It did have a slightly wider base which we liked. Then we gave up on Kayaks due to weight but since solving that we started to look again (driven on by 3 aquatic girls...) saw a nice Kayak a few weeks back and was surprised to see it was a Decathlon's own "ITWIT" brand, nothing fantastic but perfectly OK for messing around in the river. Used it a few times now and are really happy with it. Lower sides vs the Sevylor which for me is earlier paddling, well made but nothing like the Gumotex stuff. Overall pleasantly surprised and good value.
 
GPW said:
I had an inflatable double kayak, quite a nice one. When deflated it was quite bulky and heavy, but what really surprised us was how unstable it was on the water, I'd recommend you try the model you want to buy out first.

Ours behaved like the old racing kayaks, only stable leaning to one side, and nowhere like the stability of an actual inflatable. Still, never fell out of it!
Click to expand...
?? that reminded me of the first time I sat in a white water racer, wasn’t in it for long?

Martin
 
Puddleduck

Just back from our paddle and the interior width measurement is 43.5cm, sorry. ?‍♂️ (n) :frowny:

Pete

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Ridgeway said:
Our Sevylor failed after a few times of it being used,
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Ours didn't last long either.

pjay said:
Puddleduck

Just back from our paddle and the interior width measurement is 43.5cm, sorry. ?‍♂️ (n) :frowny:

Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks for measuring. At least I know and can cross it off the list. Having the squashed pelvis does make it a bit more difficult to find something that suits. When I said I wanted to continue to kayak the orthopedic specialist was very wary but we found that the muscles alongside the spine have strengthened and stabilised everything so no surgery was needed. Cycling also helps but swimming doesn't really help that much. It is important that technique is spot on to prevent stress and stain injury so I was lucky to have a really good instructor who made sure any bad habits were nipped in the bud!



I must admit to liking the look of the Sea Eagle Paddleski :) Probably more than I want to pay though.
 
Just been having a quick look through the thread.. can't really offer any advice on inflatables but the talk of a kayak meet to get as many boats for folk to try i would obviously do my best to make.. but atm im spending what time i can paddling when i get the chance ..at the expense of meets like millport which is a perfect venue.. they also have the national water sports cntr there with excellent instructors if thats the road anyone wanted to go down..

I'll stick a photo or two of my latest paddle up..
Currently on a rather windy Shetland..and had an entertaining short trip down bit of the East coast of mainland...
Stopped at a little beach by sumburgh airport..
The caves and stacks are a bit special on Shetland.
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Jenben said:
Sandra you have just moved to paddieboards are you thinking of changing back ?
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No, not really but Colin is a reluctant paddle board owner, so much so that it has only been used the once and that was by Caroline! Since we stopped kayaking my shoulder doesn't hurt as much, in fact hardly at all.

Having said that the drop stich build method has been a real game changer for inflatable kayaks and makes them worth looking at and comparing to our previous ridged kayaks.
 
Armytwowheels said:
No, not really but Colin is a reluctant paddle board owner, so much so that it has only been used the once and that was by Caroline! Since we stopped kayaking my shoulder doesn't hurt as much, in fact hardly at all.

Having said that the drop stich build method has been a real game changer for inflatable kayaks and makes them worth looking at and comparing to our previous ridged kayaks.
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I can see you with new kayaks soon ...;)
 
I had an old Helios Beluga (now Gumotex Twist2) for years with the normal floor and now the Thaya with the dropstitch floor and the dropstitch floor is so much better, worth the extra expense imo.
The Razorlites take it to a new level but i'm going to have to wait a few years before I can justify changing up to one. I think if you canoe a lot and you have the funds, then the Razorlite would be the one to go for but I would want a test drive before forking out.
We also had a Sevylor Colorado after the Helios, it was ok but a bit of a pain having to dry out the outer fabric skin after use, we found we used it half as much as the Helios because of this.

Just our thoughts.

Pete
 
Puddleduck said:
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.
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The Sea Eagle Razorlite has too narrow a cockpit by a couple of inches (they measured it for me) so that is another one off the list :(
 
Me & the Mrs aren't small..I am 20st and find the Razorlite comfortable, unless there's another reason you'd need a wider boat ?
 
andy63 I am trying (and failing) to not be jealous of the Shetland trip. Not just because of the kayaking (which looks fabulous) but also because I have just discovered I have family ties to Shetland and have never been.

Places for a fun on the water meet (please add if you wish)

Lochore Meadows Country Park (Fife) - boats for hire plus instruction if needed, free launch, motorhome friendly.

Loch Ken (Dumfries and Galloway) - a while since I have been there but I think the water sports place is still open for business. The campsite is expensive and there is a launch charge for kayaks.

Bala (North Wales) again a while since we have been there but there are 3 campsites with easy access to the lake.

Llyn Brenig (North Wales) has a sailing club but I am not sure if they would allow a camp and kayak meet there. There is also the almost ajoining Llyn Alwyn which is quieter but no facilities.

Kielderwater (Northumberland) also has a sailing club and we have kayaked here but they have tightened up on certification lately.

The Lake District (Cumbria) - quite a few opportunities here but someone would need to make enquiries as to what, where and when :)

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Puddleduck said:
Not just because of the kayaking (which looks fabulous) but also because I have just discovered I have family ties to Shetland and have never been.
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If i return im sure it will be for the paddling Helen.. the coast must be one of the most interesting in the isles... so many caves stacks etc..
I'm going to spend a day or two when we are done paddling having a look at one or two sites of interest before returning home... it's my first visit and a long way to come to go straight back..

Can I bore you with a few pictures from today.. visited a remote abandoned fishing village on the northern most part of mainland... canny swell with stiff breeze but the sun did shine...
Hope you don't mind me using your thread..lol..
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And finally inside a cave you would hardly know was there the entrance was so small?

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Andy, start your own thread. I bet a lot of folk are missing out seeing your fab pics (y)
 
Puddleduck said:
andy63 I am trying (and failing) to not be jealous of the Shetland trip. Not just because of the kayaking (which looks fabulous) but also because I have just discovered I have family ties to Shetland and have never been.

Places for a fun on the water meet (please add if you wish)

Lochore Meadows Country Park (Fife) - boats for hire plus instruction if needed, free launch, motorhome friendly.

Loch Ken (Dumfries and Galloway) - a while since I have been there but I think the water sports place is still open for business. The campsite is expensive and there is a launch charge for kayaks.

Bala (North Wales) again a while since we have been there but there are 3 campsites with easy access to the lake.

Llyn Brenig (North Wales) has a sailing club but I am not sure if they would allow a camp and kayak meet there. There is also the almost ajoining Llyn Alwyn which is quieter but no facilities.

Kielderwater (Northumberland) also has a sailing club and we have kayaked here but they have tightened up on certification lately.

The Lake District (Cumbria) - quite a few opportunities here but someone would need to make enquiries as to what, where and when :)
Click to expand...
You've missed out Milport and Shrewsbury.
 
We have one of these
Broken Link Removed
Can be used single handed if required
I know your somewhere in the Scottish Borders fairly close i think
If you want a sit in one send me a pm easy enough to inflate in the garden
We like it but because of the inflatable sides you have to hold your arms slightly higher than in a normal kayak

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irnbru said:
Andy, start your own thread. I bet a lot of folk are missing out seeing your fab pics (y)
Click to expand...
I know.. I'm a lazy hound.?
But they were for Helen's benefit..
Encourage her to visit and trace her roots?
 
Places for a fun on the water meet (please add if you wish)

Lochore Meadows Country Park (Fife) - boats for hire plus instruction if needed, free launch, motorhome friendly.

Loch Ken (Dumfries and Galloway) - a while since I have been there but I think the water sports place is still open for business. The campsite is expensive and there is a launch charge for kayaks.

Bala (North Wales) again a while since we have been there but there are 3 campsites with easy access to the lake.

Llyn Brenig (North Wales) has a sailing club but I am not sure if they would allow a camp and kayak meet there. There is also the almost ajoining Llyn Alwyn which is quieter but no facilities.

Kielderwater (Northumberland) also has a sailing club and we have kayaked here but they have tightened up on certification lately.

The Lake District (Cumbria) - quite a few opportunities here but someone would need to make enquiries as to what, where and when :)

Whiteadder Reservoir (Scottish Borders)

Millport

Shrewsbury
 
Probably not at all the right sort of thing, but I'm very keen on getting one of these.

kayacat.com

KAYACAT UK

More than just a kayak/water-craft. The kayacat is a personal catamaran you can paddle like a kayak or sail, sup, slide seat row, motor and more, and each kayacat fits in its own backpack which you can carry as hand luggage on most airlines!
kayacat.com
 
Zingano said:
Probably not at all the right sort of thing, but I'm very keen on getting one of these.

kayacat.com

KAYACAT UK

More than just a kayak/water-craft. The kayacat is a personal catamaran you can paddle like a kayak or sail, sup, slide seat row, motor and more, and each kayacat fits in its own backpack which you can carry as hand luggage on most airlines!
kayacat.com
Click to expand...

Neilfg

also I have sent you a private message with my opinion about kayacat and their UK agents.
 
Garfields said:
We have one of these
Broken Link Removed
Can be used single handed if required
I know your somewhere in the Scottish Borders fairly close i think
If you want a sit in one send me a pm easy enough to inflate in the garden
We like it but because of the inflatable sides you have to hold your arms slightly higher than in a normal kayak
Click to expand...

That is very kind of you but they are too narrow :(

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