Looking at a Star Paragon IK. It has a number of holes at the edges of the hull (self bailing). Anyone know how wet the kayak will be in flat water moving slowly? How much water comes in? I understand it flows out while paddling moving water, is it quite wet (for feet and butt) in flat water? Any info appreciated!
I just looked at this boat online, am not seeing it shown as self bailing. It is listed as not self-bailing, nor do I see how that could work at a typical speed for it. Did I miss some specs or get the wrong boat?
Here is the link I found w the most info https://www.nrs.com/product/86247.02/star-paragon-inflatable-kayak
As to being wet in a kayak, any kayak. Yes. If you really hate it you can spend the bucks for dry bottoms. Be ready for sticker shock, but unless you swim your lower regions will be dry from the water. From sweat on a hot day not so dry. I wear dry bottoms even in the summer for a reason unique to me so I know this behavior.
Where would you normally be paddling? Lake, pond, moving stuff?
The 2019 version (on sale) is self bailing with a series of holes in the hull. The 2020 is no longer self bailing. Yes, lakes ponds slow moving rivers.
If you sit on the floor of a self bailing kayak you will get wet and stay wet.
Even sitting on the seat on the drop stitch floor?
We bought our son one of the solo Stars with drop stitch floor, and it is markedly drier than the older designs. Also quite a bit more efficient in water than older kayaks. But if being dry and efficient are top priorities, look elsewhere… self bailing kayaks are what they are.
I have a seat I strap onto the tubes of mine. I can quickly get on the floor sitting or kneeling if need be.
Tells me the answer right there.
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it should be pretty dry, the drop stitch flloors are prettty rigid, and the seats will help. You could always cover some of the holes with duct tape to make it drier. I usually have the opposite problem with duckies- in ww they are slow to drain, kind of like paddling a bathtub full of water.
I was at the takeout yesterday (new river grandview sandbar) when two of these showed up. Talked to owner of the ducks (an old New River Adventures Guide) and he told me they were a dry ride. He preferred the fishing model over the ww version because the length helped it track better. With the diminishing tubes and stiff floor it really has an “old thrillseeker” look and feel. In fact the owner used to paddle a thrill seeker and confirmed that they surfed as well. Star (south korea) has taken over the production of the NRS line of non commercial inflatables. They seemed to have upped their game a bit, My saturn duck which is just a few years old looks pretty basic in comparison.
I got 15 years in “old” thrillsrkers, year round. Maybe ordering another shortly from Atilla(or possibly an Aire Lynx). Wet Ass Syndrome is determined by where one sets the floor height in any SB IK(be it I-tube or dropstich-I’ve tried just about all of 'em, at one time or another.)
My formula for when to take a self bailer and leave the hard hull boats at home is simple: Gnarly class 3/4 that I’ve never run before=self bailer. Paddling class 2plus or minus entirely by myself=self bailer. Flatwater rec paddles: canoe/hardshell kayak.
ahh we could just get an aire force duckie with its thick thigh straps, mega back support and combine it with a thrill seeker (diminishing tubes, rocker, rigid floor). Then maybe get soar to design a rigid canoe seat that you could take on or off so you could paddle it like a canoe when you wanted…sometimes it’s nice just to daydream
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I’m pretty sure the Star we have says made in Vietnam…
Tdaniel, infltatble canoe seats will work on/in a kayak. Or just trap a board across the tubes, etc
Fill your bathtub with 1/2 inch of water and sit down. You will get the feeling.
Personally, I prefer NO seat in an IK–Just an inflatable thwart. Lower COG is more desirable just like with a hard boat. Because even with their wider beam, they can and do flip in big water. Does this mean I sit in water for my entite paddle? Not at all. The self bailing hull features are designed on quality brand boats to shed water UNDER the floor, when used at proper inflation. I’ve paddled icy water in January and not sat/taken on any water, save that what comes from crashing into giant waves like my friend here
That said, I would not recommend the Paragon with SB to the OP. It’s another combo job that tries to sell on “versatility.” “It tracks well and handles whitewater…” Blah, blah, blah. Nobody in whitewater wants anything to do with boats having skegs(unless they are drop down) or prounounced tracking keels. To overcome yaw and go straight, one just needs to learn how to paddle properly. And not mind getting their ass wet sometimes
It depends on how much you weigh and the weight capacity, but chances are if you have an self bailing inflatable you are going to have a wet butt even on flat water with drop stitch floor. How wet depends on how the floor is situated , raised versus right on the bottom and how the water flows through the scupper holes when you are moving, plus how much of and “impression” you make in the shape of the bottom of the boat. I have one that is 14’ long with a 100mm dropstitch floor that is raised 2" off the bottom and a nice seat and at 240 ish pounds, I still end up a little soggy. In order to have extra carrying space, I built a seat that mounts on the tubes so I can paddle it like a canoe. Then I can stay pretty dry.
The thing about IKs is that the floors are also inflatable, so you are usually sitting above the water that may come in. For example, I used my Sea Eagle Razor Lite today, and even though when I got back to shore after a 7 mile paddle, I was dry. When I opened my drains though, a good amount of water flowed out.
the drop stitch high psi floors have helped with dryness, some folks are using the mini lawn chair style (frame with webbing) for fishing in IKs. I would think that would increase dryness but decrease performance- raising the center of gravity.
I find the struggle with every duckie I’ve ever paddled is getting the weight forward, sitting upright- it’s an ab work out.
Whitewater duckies lose some of their appeal in the winter, unless you like sitting in a ice bath, but that is pretty much a ww concern as the water coming in over the sides doesn’t drain instantly and you are more exposed to the elements.
I was told star boats are being made in south korea but I don’t know if that is accurate.
We (wv whitewater crowd) were originally pretty skeptical about any boat with glued seams (saturn, star, rocky mtn.) but they are holding up pretty well. The drawback is that they are a bit heavy. Rocky mountain rafts/duckies (despite the name they are not made in us) have really taken off locally (wv).
I bought a used Custom Inflatables Super Duck from a rafting outfitter … it was well used then, more so now, and all the glued seams are 100%.