Thanks @willowleaf for understanding and the detailed recommendations! I will definitely look into it!
You might try searching âmodular kayaksâ. There are a lot of choices including tandems and some are listed as touring models, although many are rec or fishing kayaks⌠These can be easily broken down into three or more parts for storage. The main tradeoff is weight as they are heavier than a one piece kayak. One company put together a 100 person kayak for the fun of it.
I have seen a couple of three piece fiberglass sit-in and SOT touring kayaks, but I donât know who the manufacturer was. Other than that, no personal experience.
There are other companies that make folding kayaks now such as Oru and others. Again I have no experience with these.
The OP has stated a desire to get away from plastics. There are natural options in water craft.
If using any inflatable in calm waters, you need the skeg for proper tracking.
Donât worry about the odor it soon goes away and the CA rules are just plain ridiculous. They label everything from Tiffany lamps to coffee as causing cancer.
The 300x is a tough kayak and has been used on white water for decades.
NOT a pool toyâŚOne just has to know how to paddle it properly, and not expect exceptional flat water touring performance from what is, a whitewater inflatable kayak.
I used one from 2007 to 2013. Ran dozens of rocky Class 4 rivers with itâŚAnd having owned or used four other IKs, I can honestly say, I prefer PVC when it comes to such boats. California regs be damned.
âHere are some shots of the Sea Eagle 380x in action]()
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Reply from Sea Eagle to me when I asked about materials used. Note that it is not just the lead, PVC itself is harmful to health.
Our inflatables are made of PVC, so there is some amount of lead in all of our boats, kayaks and SUPs as well as most accessories. As a requirement of Californiaâs Prop 65 regulation, any product that has any amount of lead in it needs to have a warning label. All products made of plastic have some amount of lead in them. We have been making and selling inflatables since 1968 and have never had anyone report any ill effects from our products.
Are you using the skeg? This will assist in tracking. For kayaks of ours with improved tracking you may want to look at our FastTrack Series which features a rigid inflatable keel.
Doubt heâs running rapids.
Iâm sure theyâre not.
PVC is not recyclable. And it wouldnât personally be my first choice in hull materials, weâre it not for the fact it has saved my bacon countless times (and the SE 380 x remained PUNCTURE FREE all the time I owned it.) When I gave the boat away to a friend who mistakenly left it rolled up and outdoors over the course of a couple harsh NE seasons, it resulted in its premature demise:Result: Boat came apart at welded seams. (But the PVC itself remained intactâŚI advised him to cut up what was left and re-purpose as roof patch.)
PS - I never used the SE 380âs skeg when rec paddling. To compensate for the wide beam flat hull and âyaw,â the drill is the same as for a canoe: Learn proper strokes to compensate and propel forward. Will one keep up with touring yaks/canoes? No.
Can you still paddle it reasonably and have fun on flat water? Yes.
Note to OP: Build a CLC boat. Mostly wood.
âŚwood, fiberglass and epoxy. However many are modular and store in smaller spaces. Except the OP doesnât have a car either. Needs
To be equiped like Dubside. https://paddlingmag.com/stories/going-commando-kayaking-s-man-in-black/
Is that the cottonwood that two young women from Indiana paddled around Lake Michigan?