Thread: Inflatable kayaks

Hi Ranga,
Something else to throw into the mix may be the Alpacka pack rafts.
https://www.alpackaraft.com/index.cf...log/Packrafts/

I don't have one (would like one though ), however from what I have read and seen they are a strong, compact raft. Unfortunately though they are not cheap.

This forum also seems pretty good and there is an Australian section there too. Packrafting.org • Index page

Hope this helps.
Cheers, Sam

Originally Posted by Ranga

Having a Trayon camper means a conventional kayak would be difficult to carry. My 6yo daughter has a great time on a friend's rigid kayak, and we've considered getting her one for her birthday.

Anyone know if any of the inflatable jobs are worth bothering with? They seem much lighter than the rigid type, which would also be good for the wife when I'm not around.

I thought these looked interesting Multimedia - QuickPak.

thanks for finding this, that K1 model looks perfect for our needs, might need to go shopping.

G'Day Ranga.
Make sure the yak is almost as stiff as a solid one.
The ones you are looking at seem to have a number of stiffeners so should be ok.
To anyone looking at inflatable kayaks or canoes.: don't go cheap. You will rue the decision as you waste 70% of your energy fighting the flex, twist and lack of directional stability.
As they are lighter, you need some form of chine or strakes to assist with direction or you will be constantly correcting your direction, the opposite of a relaxing paddle.
With all of these type of craft, the greater the 'rocker' the more easily they change direction.
Rocker is the distance off straight from bow to stern along the keel.
IE: the flatter the keel the straighter it tracks.
If you want something to go hard and fast in, fine. but if you want ease of paddling to match ease of transport, take heed.
With a flexy inflatable, when you sit in it you greatly increase the rocker and thus its' propensity to turn or pivot aound your axis.

If you want a proper sea kayak that will fit in a station wagon or Land Rover then you can't go past the Australian made Iguana.

Iguana Sea Kayak | 4.9m Modular sea kayak | Made by Australia | Australis | Sea Kayak Sales | Retail | Wholesale | Hire | Sea Kayaking

I can vouch for their stability as on a pleasant cruise down the Swan river last year with the spray skirt at home, the South Westerly blew up & the ensuing 3 ft waves filled the middle portion up to the top. Quite refreshing and although a little slower than normal seemed to make no difference to the handling. Must have been 100 ltrs of water with me. Trouble is it seems expensive now - I got mine on special back in 2008!

Cheers Nigel

I believe that I saw two of those K5s on Wamberal Lagoon last Sunday.

Two young teenagers paddled around in them for a while and then their parents had a go.

I can't tell you much about how long they took to set up or how well they handled because my daughter and my three and a half year old granddaughter and I were too busy paddling our own kayaks. (Photographic evidence attached)

I have my own preferences or prejudices when it comes to kayaks. I like light and efficient. A lot of people don't realise how little stability a small child needs to be safe in a kayak. Because they are so light and their CG is so low, they can feel quite comfortable in a kayak that an adult would find terrifying

People usually say they want want something the kids can use to have fun on the water and I agree that is a good enough reason to get then in a kayak. However a child can have a lot of fun and be quite safe in a kayak the right size for them. They can be quite frustrated and it can have its own dangers if they are in a very stable adult sized kayak.

A stable adult kayak will normally be so wide that they have difficulty reaching out to paddle it, it will be dreadfully slow and more importantly it can become dangerous if there is anything more than just a breath of wind. With so much kayak above the water and so little kayak in the water, it can become impossible to control and even impossible to make it back to safety. Even in a light wind, a big, stable kayak can be dangerous in the hands of a tiny child.

My attitude is that they should be put in a child size kayak with a suitable PFD. My three and a half year old and eighteen month old granddaughters wear a brand called Oceantot, which I know from using them in the swimming pool will keep them afloat with their faces out of the water.

As with so many things, there are trade-offs and compromises when it comes to kayak selection. The more you try to maximise one feature, the more you diminish another. My argument is that an oversize kayak can be frustrating for a small child and you need to be just as vigilant in supervising a big stable kayak as a less stable child sized kayak.

Unfortunately often people have to select something that will be acceptable for a range of uses and for different size people.

There seem to be quite a few inflatable kayaks available. If I had known you were interested, I would have paid more attention last Sunday.

I was hoping you would respond Alan, and you raise some very valid points

I wish I had the skills or resources to acquire one of your marvels - they are truly something to behold!

Anyway, after Amelie paddling around on an adult surf-ski (not kayak) recently, I saw how much she enjoyed it, and would love to encourage her in a great, healthy outdoor past-time. Heck, it might even get me doing a bit more exercise (even though my current tempo job has me doing more physical labour than I have for years... )

So, given we can't fit a regular kayak conveniently, an inflatable seems the go. I always insist the kids wear appropriate life-jackets when on the water, but you've given a great heads-up about ensuring she doesn't go too far out to not be able to make it back to shore. I'm not a bad swimmer, but shudder at the thought of not being able to make it to a kayak that is being blown away!

It would be good to be able to try these inflatables before buying...

We have one of these (with hatch) Wanderer 4.5m tandem kayak by Q-Kayaks | Kayaks Australia - Sydney | Kayak Sales | Kayaking.

We have done overnight trips with 2 people and a dog, and think we could manage the same with 2 people and a small child.

The places we go often have plenty of rocks and branches (need to portage occasionally). Our kayak has plenty of minor scratches on the hull.

I checked out a couple of (quality) inflatables the other week. I think we would constantly be repairing holes if we owned one...

Originally Posted by isuzurover

We have one of these (with hatch) Wanderer 4.5m tandem kayak by Q-Kayaks | Kayaks Australia - Sydney | Kayak Sales | Kayaking.

We have done overnight trips with 2 people and a dog, and think we could manage the same with 2 people and a small child.

The places we go often have plenty of rocks and branches (need to portage occasionally). Our kayak has plenty of minor scratches on the hull.

I checked out a couple of (quality) inflatables the other week. I think we would constantly be repairing holes if we owned one...

Thanks, but I've mentioned that carrying a full length kayak is not an option. Naturally, we wouldn't take an inflatable where scratches are an obvious issue. This is more intended as an entry level for calm water without obvious hazards.