I am currently looking for a 2 person inflatable kayak (due to lack of storage and transport space). My partner and I are only beginners so we don’t want to invest to much to start with (~$300). I was looking at the following kayaks:
AIRHEAD Performance 12’ Travel Kayak - 2 Person
Stearns Spree Two Person Inflatable Kayak
Sevylor 10’ Ranger Nylon Outer Hull Kayak
Advanced Elements DragonFly 2
Sea eagle 330 or 340
I am 6’3" and my partner is 5’7" so I am a bit worried about the size. And we are not looking for white water kayaks, just lake, flat river, sea,…
Can you please advise me on the various kayaks? Any other bit of info on inflatable kayaks (as well as place where I can buy them) is welcome
Thanks
tracking and space
– Last Updated: Aug-04-05 10:38 AM EST –
I own a sevylor tahiti (about the same size as the sevylor on your list). I can say two things about most inflatable kayaks at that price range. Most will not track very well. 10-12 ft inlatables will be to small for two people comfortably. Topkayaker.net has some good info into inflatable kayaks. I do not have experience with any of the yaks on your list, however, and can not shoot any down or recomend any of them either. I did look at them all and some were quite interesting.
Good Luck,
scott
I Only Have Singles
I have a few inflatables, but all singles.
Maybe add one to the list in that price point. The Sevylor SVX200
Sea Eagle is probably the best
on that list.
Innova makes some good doubles but are more expensive.
You can always look for a used boat
via places such as the gear swap at www.nrsweb.com, eBay, and others. For another 100 dollars or so you can get a reasonable tandem. As mentioned, the SVX200 is a good low-end choice as is the AIRE Tomcat. If you can find them on sale or used, they are very close to your budget target.
www.theboatpeople.com has good info. Be sure and read his FAQ area.
Advanced Elements thoughts
I have a Advanced Element Airframe which is a single seat Kayak and think it’s a pretty good boat for starting out. Lightweight, good construction and it trackes pretty well. If you decide to get an inflatible be sure to get a good pump with the right fittings on the end to make it easy to inflate the boat. I would highly recommend the Sevylor River Boat Pump model number RB2500.
Careful though, I bought this boat to see if I liked kayaking and within a month I was totally hooked. I ended up buying another kayak because I wanted something that was a bit faster, easier to paddle, and a bit more comfortable to paddle for a longer period (i.e. 6 hours instead of 1 or 2 hours). I think the dual seat version of the airframe kayak is about $500, check out the REI website for pricing info. Good luck with your search!
Inflatable Sevylor
I paddled a Sevylor Tahiti 85 miles down the Willamette river and immediatly sold it afterwords. It was more like paddling an innertube than a kayak. Especially on flatwater, the tracking and speed are so bad that they are very frustrating. Also, given the lenght and the paddlers’ closeness to each other, you have to develop a perfect rythem or you are going to zig zap across the lake. This may, if you are like me and my partner, cause a fight or two.
THanks!
Thank you all for your advices. I think I will up my budget a bit to get a better kayak. I will definitale add the tomcat and SVX200 to my list.
Cheers
Nicolas