I had a conference with m financial advisor yesterday and she said I need to spend more money.
At least that’s how I took it.
So I ordered one of these:
Aquaglide Deschutes 130 Inflatable Kayak | REI Co-op
If you include my two oar boats, the kayak that’s coming next week, and the canoe I have on order, that makes ten boats.
When I decided to get back into paddling, my first thought was to get an NRS inflatable. But they weren’t available.
What made the inflatable attractive was it’s ease of transport and the little space it would take up in my storage room.
The cons of inflatables are you have to pump them up, they can develop leaks, you have to be careful about over inflating, and they don’t paddle as well as a hard shell. Most won’t carry a lot of gear, either.
But getting my canoes and kayak on top of my truck is so difficult that I’m not paddling as much as I’d like to. Almost not at all. If I’m going to get much paddling in this summer, I almost have to have an inflatable.
This isn’t my first inflatable. I had a duckie that was capable of class IV whitewater, in more capable hands than mine, and I had an 18 foot cataraft. I have to say I thought inflatables were a pain in the neck, but old age has made them attractive again.
I figure when it’s all said and done I’ll probably end up in a ducky. Just kinda flop my way in and out of it on the edge of the river. I’ll probably have to invest in one of the pop in thwarts (with the straps attached) to help hold the seat back up. I’m finding it increasingly harder to sit up in my float toys and have noticed that some manufacturers ( like rocky mountain raft) now sell the strap in thwarts separately. I’ve thought about purchasing so I can address the sagging seatback problem in my tomcat, sevylor, and saturn. I’m living proof that you can paddle a ducky laying down (the opposite of striding).
You’ll enjoy the high psi floor . Give us a review of how she handles. Design not to different than my older sevylor xk1. Currently I own five inflatables- only two are useable… so it goes. One or possibly two of my boats need to go to the dump but I can never quite throw them away.
again, congrats on your new purchase.
38 inches wide(ok 37.?) How long a paddle do you need for that craft. I get the weight issue, but if you need to spend money, get a Stellar SOT…this goes to SOTconvert
I missed it. Have you talked about a. SOF yet.
I have some pretty long paddles because I plan on using a kayak paddle with my solo canoe and, it would seem, the only way to keep water from pouring off the blades and into the boat is to use a long paddle in a low angle style.
This boat is meant as a paddling exercise boat. Something it’s easy for me to throw in the back of the truck and haul to the lake.
You need a trailer and to stop buying kayaks and start paddling.
Shhhhh! Or do you also chant “Bloody Mary” in the mirror hoping she’ll come visit you?
