With the current trend in wider fishing kayaks towing behind the boat is a real possibility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIBEebjO65g
Or perhaps you would need a paddle board…………or smaller sot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKtIOkdYGaE
I located a Current Designs Serine at nearly half off. It’s located at a kayak outfitter. The outfitter says the Serine is a great boat for my expectations.
Any experience on the Serine out here?
I have only four summers of paddling experience, but I look at that CD boat and wonder why a $1900 rec kayak has no deck rigging. Box stores sell sit-in kayaks for $170-$250 that are better equipped. CD’s site says nothing about bulkheads or even what type of foot pegs are installed.
Why not demo paddle it for a half an hour or so? Bring some snacks, a water bottle, and whatever else you plan to carry on your adventures and figure out where you’ll stash them. Capsize the boat in neck-deep water (wearing a PFD of course) and grab it while holding your paddle and collecting your water bottle, etc. so you can lug it to shore to empty the cockpit.
If you like the boat, have the outfitter install some basic deck rigging and toggle handles at both ends.
Tried to find online reviews but came up with zero.
The outfitter is trying to sell you the boat. Is there any reason you wouldn’t buy a used boat? You can try it out for a while, low bar money-wise, then re-sell when/if you decide you want something longer and narrower.
@willowleaf said:
My outdoor club has kept a livery of inflatable whitewater rafts for over 50 years – with proper care and maintenance they have served well for hundreds of trips. I’ve used folding kayaks with inflatable sponsons for over 15 years. Despite a couple of minor puncture issues (one from inside the boat from an improperly installed seat frame and one from failure to relieve the pressure before transport on a hot day), have never had a “failure” that created any kind of operator danger or that was not immediately remediable. All my boats have had multiple chambers and I carry repair kits that can be quickly deployed, even patches that can be applied underwater. I would argue that inflatables and folding kayaks are easier to repair and reinforce than hardshells.There are “pool toy” inflatables at one extreme and highly competent and reliable inflatables at the other. There are drawbacks and potential safety issues to any type of watercraft, and I can understand some situational restrictions on certain types. But a blanket condemnation of inflatables as having “too many ways to fail” is unwarranted.
I have read your post and disagree, and base part of my opinion on state rules drawn from incidents with inflatable paddleboards.
I think inflatable kayaks are the way to go. Plastic kayaks are fun but you have to roll them. I’m wondering if the plastic sit in kayaks will be fazed out, I hate having to adjust the foot pegs and having to mess with that spray skirt. I would think inflatable kayak should instead of being called a duckies they should be called kayak rafts, in New Zealand they are called hot dogs. I might go with riverboard they look fun too.
@Gamer202 said:
. Plastic kayaks are fun but you have to roll them. I’m wondering if the plastic sit in kayaks will be fazed out,
Who says you have to roll a “plastic” kayak? That’s all in your head.
Learn how to brace and you won’t have to roll.
@Rookie said:
@Gamer202 said:
. Plastic kayaks are fun but you have to roll them. I’m wondering if the plastic sit in kayaks will be fazed out,Who says you have to roll a “plastic” kayak? That’s all in your head.
Learn how to brace and you won’t have to roll.
@Rookie said:
@Gamer202 said:
. Plastic kayaks are fun but you have to roll them. I’m wondering if the plastic sit in kayaks will be fazed out,Who says you have to roll a “plastic” kayak? That’s all in your head.
Learn how to brace and you won’t have to roll.
Well I’ll get to it later, although the riverboard sounds fun too, good thing they have okc Riversport. It’s a place where you try all kinds of whitewater sports, riverboard, kayak, inflatable kayak, and bellyak.
@Doggy Paddler said:
The outfitter is trying to sell you the boat. Is there any reason you wouldn’t buy a used boat? You can try it out for a while, low bar money-wise, then re-sell when/if you decide you want something longer and narrower.
I agree, i’m not opposed to buying a used one or renting one. The renting one may be a little difficult due to rental kayaks not being on par with the likes of the more quality ones.
My wife and I will have a CD Kestrel 120 on our vacation next week. This is about the closest thing in terms of quality and boat style that we could find to rent.
We hope this boat will give us a good idea on whether we need to go longer, smaller or neither.
Barge: Inflatable SUPs are NOT the same as inflatable (or folding) kayaks. You’re entitled to your opinion but it is one with little in the way of data to support condemnation of an entire class of boats that are widely and safely used.