Inflatable Kayak Blog

Safety should be a top concern anytime you’re on the water, no matter what type of boat you are in. Personally I believe that you should “think safety” first because attitude is a key component to any endeavor. Then you need to think about gear. A properly fitting life jacket isn’t the only kayak accessory you should consider. Other items like alert whistles, first aid kits, tow lines, dry bags and paddle leashes might be needed depending on the type of kayaking you’ll be doing.

Matt Preye is a kayaking expert and instructor with fifteen years of experience as a recreational and a whitewater kayaker. He made this video about kayak safety gear that every kayaker should watch. Even though he’s talking about hard shell kayaks, remember that all these safety tips apply to folding and inflatable kayaks as well.

Planning on getting someone a kayak or kayak accessory as a gift? If so, I have a few suggestions. Make sure you buy them something they’ll like. In other words, you might not want to make it a total surprise. A little research goes a long way and you’ll be glad when your gift is welcomed with open arms rather than a confused facial expression.

In the case of avid kayakers, you should be familiar with what they are paddling now and whether your gift will fit their preferences. Kayaks are kind of like shoes. One size or type doesn’t “fit” all. Ask their friends, fellow paddlers or significant others for advice. A portable (inflatable or folding kayak) may not be the perfect choice for someone who’s used to paddling a hard shell kayak. However, if they’re tired of storing or car carrying the hard shell, a portable kayak might be the perfect gift. Accessories, especially paddles, can also be very user specific. Find out what they have, then buy them what they’d like to have.

If you’re buying for a newby it’s even more important to research your choice. I’ve seen a few situations where a wife or husband has purchased a tandem (two person) kayak without consulting (or even hinting to) the other person only to be disappointed when they experienced that “confused facial expression”. The hassle and expense of returning the kayak could be easily avoided if you could have discovered in advance that the “giftee’s” idea of water sports is lounging on a Caribbean Cruise or maybe they have an aversion to paddles or … you get the idea.

If you need a few gift suggestions, maybe these will help you out. A Sea Eagle 330 or 370 is a great gift for a beginner who wants to start out paddling. Sea Eagle Explorer Kayaks (340, 380 or 420) or any of the Innova inflatable kayaks are terrific for someone who wants to upgrade from a beginner level kayak. PakBoat’s Arrows or Puffins folding kayaks are nice for a hard shell kayaker who’s tired of carting around and storing that hard shell kayak. PakBoats track very much like a hard shell, too. And, of course the TRAK adjustable kayak is perfect for the kayaker who has everything and wants more. All of the above also travel very well on planes or in car trunks or the back of a minivan. Some kayak accessories you might look at include these items that can all be used by any type of kayaker, traditional hard shell or portable. You could buy someone a new, lighter fiberglass or carbon Cannon paddle, a PakPod Deck Bag/Paddle Float or one of the new WindPaddle™ sails that fit most any type of small boat, kayak or canoe. If there’s a paddler on your list that’s also a photographer, an AquaPac 100% waterproof/sand proof case is a nice gift. There are also AquaPac cases for cell phones and MP3 players.

There’s some great gift ideas here, made even better by a little advance ‘gift giving’ research.

Taking good care of your kayak is important, but taking care of your accessories is important, as well. One of your most valuable accessories is your life jacket or paddling vest. It should be cleaned and checked periodically. Most of the time, you’ll find specific instructions for caring for your particular PFD on the manufacturers’ label. Recommended cleaning methods may vary, but in almost all cases you should not put your PFD in the washer or dryer. This could damage it. Also, make sure it’s dry before putting it away for the winter. Giving it a chance to air dry outdoors will usually suffice. Also, don’t store a life jacket in plastic because that will trap in moisture, which can result in mold damage. Check all the straps, zippers or clips for any damage, too.

Keeping your personal flotation device (PFD) in good shape isn’t very complicated but it pays off in the long run. A good life jacket or paddling vest will last a long time if cared for properly.

Choosing the length of your kayak paddle can be confusing, especially for beginners. First off, understand that most anyone can use most any paddle and get the job done. So, paddle length is not such a crucial factor that it will destroy the fun you’ll have in your kayak. After you’ve been paddling for awhile, you’ll have a better idea what you like or don’t like in a paddle. If you do have a choice in paddle length, here are a couple of general questions to ask your self.

1 – What type of kayak are you going to paddle? Hard shell and folding kayaks tend to be narrower while inflatable kayaks tend to be wider.
2 – How tall are you? Taller people generally use a longer paddle. However, this is an area where exceptions may eventually occur. Some people have a more upright paddle stroke while others are flatter which could result in taller people choosing a shorter paddle or vice versa.

Cannon Paddles has taken these two areas and put together an excellent kayak paddle length guide that helps you choose the length of your paddle, factoring in your height and the width of your kayak. A quick look at their paddle sizing chart and you can make a basic decision on where to start. Eventually, down the road (or should I say down river) you may change paddles but at least you’re starting out with a reasonably good fit.

National Safe Boating Week (May 16 – 22, 2009) takes us right up to Memorial Weekend, which is always a busy time for boaters and paddlers. This year the National Safe Boating Council is spreading the message of safe and responsible boating with the “Wear It!” safety campaign, increasing awareness about the importance of always wearing a life jacket or PDF (personal flotation device) while on the water. To learn more about life jacket wear and the options that are available when it comes to comfortable and lightweight life jackets, you can go to the safe boating campaign web site page that features Life Jacket Information.

Cold water can rapidly incapacitate and even kill a paddler in a very short time, removing heat from the body 25 times faster than cold air does. Survival can be reduced to minutes. Cold shock is what happens when you are suddenly immersed in cold water. The most common shock response is not being able to control breathing. There is a gasp reflex that happens as soon as your skin is in contact with the water, and if you head is underwater you will immediately drown. This can only be prevented if you wear your PFD at all times.

Following the hue gasps comes hyperventilation. This causes diminished blood flow to the brain resulting in confusion, dizziness and possible loss of consciousness. Prolonged hyperventilation can cause a tingling in the hands and feet, which progressively develops into severe cramping of the extremities.

Finally there is a risk of heart attack. When your head and chest are exposed to cold water there is a sudden increase in heart rate and blood pressure that may result in cardiac arrest. You could also experience pain, claustrophobia and general disorientation caused by the other shock responses, which will also raise the heart rate and blood pressure beyond normal and can also trigger a heart attack.

Whether you are an experienced cold weather paddler and are familiar with this dangerous aspect of paddling or if you are just starting out in cold weather let this serve as a reminder to keep safe and know what to expect from very cold water.

You might think that it’s a long and tedious process to pump up an inflatable kayak, pontoon or float tube every time you go out, but it’s really not that difficult or time consuming. People often say that’s why they wouldn’t own an inflatable boat, but when you compare the time it takes to strap the boat on top of a car or truck or deal with a trailer, spending 8 to 10 minutes inflating your kayak is minimal effort. The high-pressure bellows style pumps that come with most inflatable kayaks can really blow some air with very little foot pressure.

There are also electric inflatable boat pumps that can be hooked to vehicle batteries or plugged into cigarette lighter outlets that can speed the process up. They won’t do the whole job though. Electric pumps normally don’t inflate your boat completely. You’ll need to ‘top it off’ with your foot or hand pump.

If you’ve been looking to add a few kayak accessories to your gear, here’s a chance to do so and save some money. It’s unusual for companies to discount accessories but Sea Eagle is discounting all their accessories 20% this month (October 2008). If you’ve thought about adding an electric or battery operated pump to make it easier to inflate your kayak, pontoon or inflatable motormount boat, now’s a good time to buy. Many of the accessories aren’t limited to Sea Eagle boats. They can be used with other craft as well. Their kayak accessory sale also includes paddling vests, paddles and accessories for their FoldCat inflatable pontoons and the catamaran style PaddleSki inflatable kayak.

If you’ve just purchased a kayak, you are probably anxious to take it out for a spin. But before you rush out too quickly, make sure you have the necessary kayak accessories. (And invest in a few unnecessary ones as well just for fun.)

-Kayak paddle: Obviously, this accessory is necessary. Some kayaks come with paddles, but others do not. Be aware of this when purchasing. There are a wide range of paddles on the market, so do your research about feathered versus non-feathered, weight, and price.

-Foot pump: If you’re paddling around in an inflatable kayak, a foot pump is going to be an absolute necessity. If the funds are available, invest in a really nice, efficient pump. If your kayaks are a pain to inflate, you’re going to be hesitant to take your kayaks out.

-Spray skirt: While spray skirts are great to have, they aren’t absolutely essential. If you are kayaking in particularly cold water, however, they are great for keeping you dry and warm.

-Kayak seat: If you’re going on long trips, an extra cushioned seat can make the trip much more enjoyable. Comfort becomes key on long trips, but it is definitely one of those “extra” accessories.

On the floor at the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show in the Salt Lake Convention Center, we got together with Erik from Clear Blue Hawaii at their booth. A question that’s been on many minds for awhile is “when will the two person Hanauma inflatable kayak be back in stock and available for purchase?” Due to manufacturing problems, the Hanauma has been unavailable since March. Erik told us that it looked like the Hanauma would be available, hopefully, by the end of August. We hope so, too, since we have a long list of potential customers wanting to buy one.

We also saw a new product, expected to be available in 2009. Clear Blue Hawaii has developed a self-inflating kayak carrier. It’s a set of two rectangular padded straps that attach easily to the top of any vehicle. They’re super lightweight and can be carried in a small bag until you’re ready to use them. They have a self-inflating system similar to some life vests. They won’t scratch the car top and they can be used for any kind of kayak or boat, depending on the width. Folding kayaks don’t usually work well with carriers because the strain of tightening them down bends the frame. This padded carrier should reduce some of that pressure and may be an answer for those of you who have folding kayaks and want to occasionally ‘car top’ them.

Over the next few days we’ll continue to post several blogs that will have specific information about more of the individual products we’ve tested and seen here at the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show.