Inflatable Kayaks

[Zen]

Anyone have any thoughts or experience with them? I don't want to spend money on a roof rack and can't see myself putting a kayak on one by myself.

I'm also considering price. I don't see myself using this for much other than putzing around on the Monocacy

[Zen]

Then there's this
or this
Which kind would I need for the Monocacy (or Blackwater?)

[Cataboo]

Both are whitewater boats - which I don't think you'd want at blackwater. You could use a whitewater boat on the monocacy & you'd probably be okay because there's a bit of a current. The latter boat (prijon one) would be more suited as a river runner, so it might be okay on the monocacy, but they're asking an awful lot for what I think is an old boat.

I've got my whitewater boat & my touring kayak up here, so we could try 'em both on the monocacy if you want some evening this week (providing it's not too flooded) - I'm debating selling the whitewater boat, so brought it over here to try to see how frustrating it would be or not as a boat to use around here. We can switch back & forth on boats - one of us'll be frustrated, I think.

I had some friends with inflatable kayaks that were orange & they bought them at REI & they loved them. We did paddle with 'em once on some river in delaware that emptied out into the beach/ocean... They were all fine paddling on the river, but got seat sick in the waves when we got out into the ocean, so they went back in.

Other boats to look into - the foldable boats, they can be expensive, but there's a website on how to make your own if you're feeling creative - I could help you with some of it 'cause I've been meaning to make one one of these days.

[Kalidurga]

My dad's got an inflatable (never used) that he's thinking of selling, if you want to pay for shipping from Florida. I'll have to see if I can get his Craiglist link.

[Zen]

Or I could wait for you to visit him

Other boats to look into - the foldable boats, they can be expensive, but there's a website on how to make your own if you're feeling creative - I could help you with some of it 'cause I've been meaning to make one one of these days.

Is there duct tape involved? I'm envisioning all sorts of monstrosities there

[Kalidurga]

You'd be waiting until September, when they come up here for Labor Day.

I think this is it: Inflatable Kayak - Stearns - $220 (Punta Gorda)

[Cataboo]

Here's an inflatable on craigslist:
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...227708900.html

making boats:
http://yostwerks.com/

No duct tape involved unless you wanna... Somewhere there's this pretty hilarious link about a math graduate student who was building his own foldable boat and after building his frame, was super excited & wanted to try it out before getting the skin put on it - so he wrapped the frame with saran wrap & went off to the river to try the boat out.

[Cataboo]

how long is the mothership? Can you fold down the seats? Julie manages to stick that sit on top of hers into her husband's honda element - folds down the passenger side seats and it just slides in. I think that kayak is like 10-12 foot long or something, I took her over to appotomatox river company (paddleva.com) once & she picked it 'cause it fit in that car... I don't think it was more than like $300-400 new. Appotomatox river company sometimes has great prices on boats, although it's a haul getting down there from up here.

[Zen]

I could stick it out the sunroof.

[lph]

I don't know anything about inflatable kayaks, but I just wanted to say that I found a technique for sliding my kayak onto a roof rack that is very easy. As long as you can lift one end of a kayak you can do it, unless you have a very tall car maybe.

[Zen]

Well, the roof rack would also be another added expense
A good paddle costs almost as much as a kayak!

[Cataboo]

roof racks are things you can sometimes get cheaper on criagslist if you know the parts you need...

paddles, steepandcheap has had some carlisle ones lately that aren't bad... otherwise, bending branches makes some nice inexpensive paddles. Unfortunately I've sold all my spare paddles that I'm allowed to, or julie inherited them. You used to be able to get bending branches infusion dream paddles, which were a plastic paddle with a crank shaft that weighed about 37 ounces - good paddle in that you never had to worry about the blades ( my carbon fiber paddle blades - I cry when they scratch) especially in rocky areas. I still have one of the unfusion dreams, but unfortunately the bf likes that paddle a lot.

Check out the CPA kayaker forums to see if anyone's selling anything cheap (cheasapeake paddlers association)


I've gotten my last couple paddles off ebay "relatively" cheaply.

[Cataboo]

Well, the roof rack would also be another added expense
A good paddle costs almost as much as a kayak!

You know... if you started skiing in addition to the kayaking, then you could join me in the full range of the most expensive hobbies on earth without having the income to match...

Between cycling, kayaking, photography, computers for photos & the internet, skiing, lightweight camping/backpacking gear and the rest of that.... It gets mighty expensive.

Of course, other people somehow just ride their 20 year old bike and never upgrade anything and are fine.

add in kite surfing, kites are freaking expensive too. luckily i can talk the bf into buying those for himself & just use his.

[7rider]

You know... if you started skiing in addition to the kayaking, then you could join me in the full range of the most expensive hobbies on earth without having the income to match...

Between cycling, kayaking, photography, computers for photos & the internet, skiing, lightweight camping/backpacking gear and the rest of that.... It gets mighty expensive.

Ain't that the truth.
But she'd have to ad scuba diving to the list to really induce an economic coronary.

[Zen]

These knees can stand just so much. I only joined the ski club for the parties