|
Hello there, this is a thread about boats you can carry somewhere "easily." My packable boat of choice is an inflatable kayak, looked down upon by many hardshell kayakers. It doesn't track well, it's slow, it's fragile, etc. Well they're right about those things but there's one area where even the nicest hardshell can't compete: going inside a backpack. This makes it great to store in my 1 bedroom apartment, fit inside the trunk of a normal car, and can be hauled up a mountain by yours truly. Once you acquire a packable boat, it opens up a whole world of lakes that you can have all to yourself if you're willing to put in the effort to haul it up there.    My kayak itself is an Intex K2 Explorer and it's been a pretty good boat for me. I've had it for about a year now and have taken it out a bunch of times, I even have a sail for it! It's paid for itself many times over paying for rentals and I can take it anywhere I want. Drying it is a pain in the rear end though. The bag I keep it in is an army surplus duffel bag, available at a surplus store near you. It's big and has a water-resistant plastic coating inside. For life preservers, I use an inflatable life belt with a CO2 cartridge. Nothing else I could find packed away easier. I also just recently got some collapsible canoe paddles that are smaller than the kayak paddles that pack even better in the bag but I haven't used them yet so idk how good they are. I've also got a sea eagle drop stich tandem with a sail kit:   There are many choices for packable boats, many companies make "packrafts" that are very lightweight and small. Many of them are even under 10 pounds! For comparison, my 2 person kayak bag weighs a little over 40 pounds with all it's gear and a water bladder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC_A618SBQo I've never used one of these little packrafts but if they get you on the water they're probably good enough to splash around a little lake. There are also folding Oru kayaks but I've never seen anyone actually carry one of these somewhere. They're still pretty large even when they're folded. Post if you've done it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CGclIZBlRA https://i.imgur.com/CEQ1gu7.mp4 Boats of this nature can be had in all price ranges. You can get an entry level Intex challenger for $60 on a sale or you can spend $1800 for a custom made packraft. Or you can get a drop-stitch kayak in between. The world is your inflatable oyster. Anyway discuss carrying boats to places you can't drive to here. Are you going to a remote camp site? Paddling off to smoke weed in peace? Lots of land between the lakes you want to visit? 
PokeJoe fucked around with this message at 01:29 on Jul 20, 2021 |
#
¿
Jul 18, 2020 02:25
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 21, 2024 04:15 |
|
|
Poopelyse posted:my wife and i are in the market for an inflatable paddleboard and some kind of inflatable boat/kayak that could fit one of us plus the dog. where do i even shop for such things? and does anyone have any recommendations? we want some outdoor toys we can do more fun stuff outside. How big is your dog? The Intex k2 I have could fit 2 adults and a dog if they aren't that large and could easily take a human and a pup. Sea eagle makes a little longer, little more expensive one too if you think you need more room.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 18, 2020 22:18
|
|
|
Bubbacub posted:Oh hell yes, I have a packraft and it's awesome. I live in a dense urban area and don't have a car, so I need something easily transportable on a bike. Mine is an Alpacka classic. This is awesome! I've been on the lookout for hikes where I can park near the river, hike a few miles up stream and put in, then float back to the car.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 20, 2020 08:06
|
|
|
Took the yak out for a spin, tried out my telescoping canoe paddles finally. They're definitely a slower way to get around than the normal kayak paddles but they pack into the bag much much better. I think I'm gonna keep using them for longer backpacking trips but stick with the normal kayak paddles for drives to the lake. I stay a lot drier with the canoe paddles, i think I'm going to try to lengthen the kayak paddles with a dowel rod or something to try to enhance them. We also used the sail a bit and had a few speed boats cheer at us when we sailed by them, one of these days I'll take a good pic of it in action. 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 3, 2020 06:49
|
|
|
Woah that looks cool as hell. I'd never even considered building my own inflatable. It seems like some arcane magic
|
|
#
¿
Aug 20, 2020 01:21
|
|
|
i keep going back to those diy kits you posted as a potential winter project but I think my gf might kill me since the only room I have to do it in is our living room
|
|
#
¿
Sep 2, 2020 20:26
|
|
|
Took the inflatable out for probably the last time this year, great to see some fall colors but the water is extremely cold. Snow is already falling on some of my favorite spots. Come back summer  
|
|
#
¿
Oct 5, 2020 19:57
|
|
|
Looks awesome! How does it handle?
|
|
#
¿
Dec 18, 2020 07:55
|
|
|
^^ You can put a removable skeg on it yeah. My inflatable works much better with it on vs off. You can even add more than one if you like, some of the nicer inflatables ive seen have like 3 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32920457925.html Theres a lot of types to choose from on aliexpress
|
|
#
¿
Dec 20, 2020 19:39
|
|
|
Does anyone know anything about drop stitched inflatable kayaks? I'm thinking about buying one this year but the price range is pretty big and also high.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 16, 2021 20:47
|
|
|
I ended up ordering a sea eagle drop stitched tandem kayak and it's on backorder till may  glad I decided to order it early
|
|
#
¿
Feb 12, 2021 02:46
|
|
|
Busted out the boat today for the first time this year (and last time till I get my new one)  Went to chuckanut island which is a little nature preserve you can wander around. I've been getting stir crazy bad this winter
|
|
#
¿
Mar 14, 2021 03:15
|
|
|
Got my sea eagle a few weeks ago and I took it to lake crescent WA today. First impressions, it's huge!   It's waaay faster than the intex k2 I have, and tracks much better. Harder to put back in the bag too. I got the "upgraded" carbon fiber oars and they feel really good, nice and solid. 2 pieces but they feel like a single piece and not as wobbly as the 5 piece ones. The boat feels a lot easier to tip though, especially since the intex is pretty much unflippable. I'm gonna get some training wheel outriggers for it so I don't have to be so careful about tipping over when I turn around to rifle through my dry bag. Pretty pleased with it though, lots of leg room. I could probably fit a 3rd person in here comfortably if I took the seats out.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 23, 2021 04:35
|
|
|
Yeah it sucks to dry these boats. I have to inflate mine a little and leave it on my balcony for a few hours and it still doesn't really get completely dry. It's annoying but eh i can keep it packed up in my apartment so it's an ok tradeoff. I took my boat sailing yesterday, it was awesome. I got a 45 square foot sail that clamps on my razorlite. It takes a bit to setup and launching it is more work but the sailing itself is pretty fun and the boat performs well enough. The equipment really fills out the car though. Took it and some camping gear this weekend and there wasn't any spare room at all in our car. Unfortunately I didn't take any pics because my phone died but I'll try to get some next time. PokeJoe fucked around with this message at 19:23 on Jun 23, 2021 |
|
#
¿
Jun 23, 2021 18:34
|
|
|
Went out sailing again, wish it was a little windier but I was able to dick around a bit. Amazingly this whole thing still fits in our hatchback.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 6, 2021 08:13
|
|
|
it's a kit from sailboatstogo. The sea eagle one doesn't have a boom so you can't use it in as many directions.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 6, 2021 16:30
|
|
|
Chainclaw posted:I'm looking at kayaks, but I got the no-go for a regular kayak because my partner thinks it would be too ugly to keep around the house. I got pointed to inflatables from a few threads. Are they as good as regular kayaks? How long does it take to inflate with a hand pump? How long does it take to put away when you're done? I'm not sure what a deck box is but your exact situation is what caused me to buy my first inflatable. If you just want to dick around in a boat you can paddle they're great. I was tired of renting too and we wanted to paddle some lakes with no rentals available. If you want to do more intense kayaking like distance or camping you'll probably want something mid or high tier. Drop stitch kayaks are more expensive but perform well in a way comparable to hard kayaks. IMO if I were to start over my first inflatable kayak would have a drop stitch bottom and regular sides, it should be a good mix of performance and stability Inflating takes ~10 or 15 mins I'd say. And you can get an electric pump but I've never bothered with one.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2022 08:57
|
|
|
I've paddled my tandems solo, it's ok for the shorter 12 ft one but the 15 foot razorlite is a little tougher. Costco recently had a pretty good looking inflatable kayak. They also have a tandem stand up paddle board that has kayak seats. But the Intex and sea eagle branded ones I've used have been quite good.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2022 18:15
|
|
|
I see those things out and about, something to keep in mind is that kind has some sort of synthetic woven cover over the inflatable part that protects it a bit more but it takes considerably longer to dry. Sometimes they unzip so you can take them off to dry better. They seem ok performance wise though, I've paddled along people using them and they do ok E: there's also 2 kinds of those, one w a drop stitch floor and one w aluminum spars. I've never used a spar kayak but drop stitch is good Stopped by Costco today and snapped a pic of their offerings: 
PokeJoe fucked around with this message at 03:21 on Jun 29, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2022 18:44
|
|
|
Yes always wear a life vest. Most inflatables come with oars, a pump, and all the adapters you need. You'll probably only need to buy the life vest extra. Some places also require you have a whistle or other signaling device and it's a pretty good idea anyway to throw one on a lanyard attached to the boat or something.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 29, 2022 18:43
|
|
|
The non drop stitched ones will definitely sag in the floor with you in it, mine does and I am average weight. It's not terrible but it is something I notice. Since you're just gonna be noodling around it may not be a big deal though. If you're concerned I'd try one before buying it. Since you've got some kiddos id recommend looking for one with a drop stitch floor and regular side tubes for a mix of a solid base and flip stability. Should be cheaper than a full drop stitch one but with a lot of benefits still
PokeJoe fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Aug 7, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Aug 7, 2022 19:32
|
|
|
Advanced elements has one with a rigid spar pole along the floor that's cheaper than drop stitch ones but I've never used it. That $300 one will serve you fine, I use my cheaper regular one all the time when I don't feel like setting up the bigger drop stitch boat I have but the performance difference is noticable
|
|
#
¿
Aug 8, 2022 03:27
|
|
|
I think it depends on how much you want that 3rd seat, a lot of these different brands of boats have pretty similar construction really. That drop stitch one is actually a bit longer than the 3 seater so depending on its construction it might be slightly more spacious. my 2 person sea eagle is like 15' long and it could comfortably take a 3rd adult if they were of a similar size to me and my gf. e: post a review of it here once you try it out PokeJoe fucked around with this message at 05:39 on Aug 8, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Aug 8, 2022 05:34
|
|
|
Neato, just do as the directions say. I generally fill to pretty much the max unless it's hot out, then a bit less. My drop stitch boat operates at like 10 psi or something absurd
|
|
#
¿
Aug 10, 2022 20:58
|
|
|
Looks pretty good! I put my seat as far back as I can in the rear of my tandem to give the most legroom as well. I didn't realize the floor was a separate piece, you might be able to fix your right drift by just shoving it around a little bit but it does look a little like your front skeg is off center. My boats both just have a back skeg and they do ok with tracking.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 11, 2022 19:36
|
|
|
You could probably cut a piece of plywood to fit in your dinghy, people do it with the softer inflatable kayaks to give them hard bottoms
|
|
#
¿
Aug 13, 2022 19:10
|
|
|
Hell yeah, another satisfied inflatable owner. Glad you're enjoying it!
|
|
#
¿
Aug 23, 2022 00:43
|
|
|
Great question, the Go Paddling app kicks rear end. https://paddling.com/paddle/go-paddling-app RodShaft posted:It's normal to already be planning multi day trips, right? Of course!
|
|
#
¿
Aug 23, 2022 08:40
|
|
|
Yeah it's amazing I've found tons of spots with it that I would have never known about
|
|
#
¿
Sep 8, 2022 15:37
|
|
|
I haven't paddled one but I did dick around w one in person, and it seemed...fine? They're a lot more attractive price wise than the older Oru models. One thing I prefer w soft inflatables compared to the foldables/drop stitch or even a real solid kayak is the stability, the cheaper inflatables are essentially untippable. What are your use cases? Single person, camping, dicking around on flat water, river trips, etc?
|
|
#
¿
Mar 24, 2023 21:07
|
|
|
That 2nd one, the style of "Regular soft inflatable sides with drop stitch floor" is what I would recommend to anyone looking for a good general purpose portable boat. The rigid floor makes it perform much better speed and tracking wise than one with a soft floor, and the soft sides make it almost untippable unless you do it intentionally. Sea Eagle makes good ones if you don't want the cheapest around, but Intex makes good stuff too. Idk about the quality of other brands but I imagine it's really not that different. Get what looks suitable for you! E: also, is setup time really a limiting factor in your excursions? I know pumping up an inflatable is annoying but in all reality they only take about ~10 mins to set up. If you just don't wanna hand pump you can get car plug in or battery powered pumps to fill em PokeJoe fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Mar 24, 2023 |
|
#
¿
Mar 24, 2023 22:40
|
|
|
For a single person the Sea Eagle 300x Explorer suits the bill but I too an pretty much a tandem only user. Sea Eagle cost a bit more than the other brands so you might find something cheaper, but the razorlite I have from them is quite nice
|
|
#
¿
Mar 24, 2023 23:42
|
|
|
still live in an apartment, still have and use my inflatables
|
|
#
¿
Jun 15, 2023 21:11
|
|
|
If you want the real deal you can buy replacement inner tubes at harbor freight sometimes, or there's always whatever website has them in stock. Theres plenty of swim-recreation based inner tubes available though that might be cheaper or have added features like handles and cup holders which might be more useful to you. Final option: eBay should absolutely have rear end sized inner tubes for real tires/butts
|
|
#
¿
Aug 5, 2023 07:39
|
|
|
I don't have one but I've been eyeing up the power tool style ones like the mentioned Ryobi. All the usual suspects (Milwaukee, Makita, etc) have some sort of air blower that takes their battery these days and they seem pretty ok if you already have the associated real tools. For now I still hand pump but I admit it gets old fast if you're doing it a bunch.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 11, 2023 01:24
|
|
|
It's the drop stitch boat that really makes me sweat 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 11, 2023 03:29
|
|
|
I still use my Intex! You don't need to "upgrade" if it suits your needs. It just depends on where I'm going/what I'm doing. The drop stitch is longer/bigger/can be sailed but it takes up way more space and can't be hauled around in a single backpack. It's also more tippable so I actually prefer the Intex for going for a leisurely paddle or just dicking around a little lake
|
|
#
¿
Aug 11, 2023 03:38
|
|
|
It kicks rear end! The sail is not from sea eagle, it's from sailboatstogo.com
|
|
#
¿
Sep 11, 2023 10:00
|
|
|
I think the options have changed a bit since I bought it but I got the kit that the site recommended for my razorlite. It looks very similar to the "any sail kit" but the guy who runs the place is real nice and sent me some free straps when I had some questions for him since the kayak I bought had some new model updates. If you're unsure of what to fit on a particular boat just email him, he will help you better than I can. https://www.sailboatstogo.com/catalog/product/6004
|
|
#
¿
Sep 11, 2023 17:09
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 21, 2024 04:15 |
|
|
Outriggers are on the website somewhere and reefing my particular sail is not possible. The razorlite is so tippy that running without the outriggers is probably impossible as well. I feel I may have seen an "asian" style kayak sail that was reefable somewhere but i don't recall where
|
|
#
¿
Sep 12, 2023 06:36
|
|