Inflatable Kayak Blog

The Puffin Saco is considered to be the most maneuverable of the PakBoats folding kayaks. I had a chance to paddle one, myself and found it to totally live up to its description. The Saco is a 12 foot solo kayak that can be paddled with or without the optional deck.

A PakBoat dealer in Austria posted a video on YouTube that demonstrates just how easy it is to paddle, turn and do all the things you would expect from your kayak. The video speaks for itself.

You’ll find the complete line of PakBoat folding kayaks, including the Puffin Saco, available at PortableKayaks.com.

By Victoria Adams

With approximately 200 lakes, and beautiful Mountain views, and fresh green trees California is one of the most majestic and scenic states to plan a fall kayaking trip. The problem was choosing exactly where to find that perfect breathtaking view, and the type of waters we wanted to kayak. After much deliberation and argument my husband and I decided that Lake Tahoe, and Emerald Bay State Park was our choice.  The calmness of the water, beauty of the surrounding area, and relaxing atmosphere were just what we needed for our getaway.

When my husband and I arrived at the bay, the first thing I noticed was the deep velvet blue of the lake and the crisp clean air. I couldn’t wait to get out into the water and enjoy myself with a bit of sun and fun.

We paddled around the bay and took in the sights and sounds of the water lapping as if it were calling to us. We planned to go out to Fannette Island that day, but due to a bit of a later than usual start we decided to save that adventure for the next day.

Our short expedition in our PakBoat Saranac folding kayak was amazing. Words simply do not do justice to the majesty and unspoiled beauty that is Emerald Bay. As the sun began to set we headed back the short distance to our campsite and ate dinner while watching the sun slowly dip below the waters of the bay.

Our vacation was filled with warm sunny days of paddling, picnic trips to Fannette Island, and a lot of great memories. My husband and I had such a wonderful time, we are planning to go back next summer, and bring the PakBoat.

This was the first time that we’d purchased a portable kayak and I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical in how they would handle since I had only used hard shells; but the folding kayak is simple to assemble, and performs every bit as good as what we’d been used to. The PakBoat Saranac is a tandem (two person) kayak, so we only had to bring one kayak with us instead of the two we carried before.

Emerald Bay “Located 22 miles south of Tahoe city the park features Vikingsholm, one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the western hemisphere. The “Tea House” on Fannette Island, the only island to be found in all of Lake Tahoe. Emerald Bay was designated an underwater state park in 1994. It is the resting place for many boats, launches and barges used in the lake before the turn of the century, during the heyday of Emerald Bay Resort and used in the construction of Vikingsholm”.

Summer temperatures range from about 75 degrees during the day to the low 40s at night, and winter temperatures average from a high of 40 to a low of 20 degrees; during extremely cold winters Emerald Bay freezes over.  Other activities besides boating include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, the hot springs, biking, and rock climbing. Accommodations are close by with several Hotels located right on the coast in Tahoe city. Or you can choose to camp in at one of the three campgrounds in the State park. So if you’re ever in the Lake Tahoe area I would defiantly recommend Emerald Bay State Park as a go to spot.

(Victoria Adams is the mother of two wonderful children, a stay at home mom, semi-professional photographer, and self taught graphic artist.  She enjoys a myriad of other activities to stimulate her creative processes.)

Sometimes new, progressive designs are so good that one new kayak can replace two. That’s exactly the case with PakBoat’s Puffin Saco, which was released last year. The 12 foot Puffin Saco was created to replace the 12 foot Puffin Kayak and it’s been a rousing success. PakBoats creator Alv Elvested didn’t expect it to do more than that, but it seems it has.

Super light weight at only 20 pounds, 2 pounds lighter than the Puffin 12 Kayak, the Saco only weighs a couple pounds more that the 10 foot Puffin Sport and customers have been migrating toward the Saco rather than the Sport this year causing sales of the original 10 foot Puffin Sport to slow significantly. With this trend and customer’s preference for the Saco, PakBoats has stated that “It is becoming clear that we will no longer produce the model, and we are dropping its price to move the remaining inventory.”

The Puffin Sport is a great boat for activities like fishing and wildlife viewing. Because of it’s design, paddling efficiency is very good for such a small boat. The Sport doesn’t come with a deck, which is the way most fishermen prefer, however decks are available at discount prices.

Although we’re sad to see it go, the PakBoat Puffin Sport is a superb bargain at the new retail clearance price of $595, dropped from the original retail of $775. The Saco retails for $890, so unless you absolutely need the extra 2 feet of boat, the Puffin Sport is the way to go.

By the way, the Puffin Sport clearance models are all 2010 models, made for this year, and the PakBoats 3 year warranty is in effect.

PakBoats has been designing and manufacturing excellent folding kayaks for several years. Their Puffins have been an excellent value, more boat for the money, than most other folding kayaks on the market. The only issue was that the Puffin line was a fairly “short” collection of kayaks ranging from 10 feet to 14 feet long, while many kayakers prefer their crafts to range from 15 to 18 feet long. 

The XT series has changed that. In 2009 PakBoats introduced the XT-15 and XT-16 folding kayaks. The XT-15 is a solo model and the XT-16 can be paddled as a solo or tandem, depending on which deck you decide to use. Not only are the XT’s longer, but their unique design that features steep stems results in the XT kayaks having waterline lengths similar to other kayaks that are at least a foot longer. 

For 2010, PakBoats has introduced the XT-17 folding kayak, an even larger (17 foot) member of the XT family of touring kayaks. There has been plenty of advance excitement generated in the XT-17. It was mentioned in Canoe & Kayak Magazine’s Buyers guide well before it was available for purchase. The XT-17 is a “stretched” version of the 15 foot XT-15, and the two share almost all components. If you are a large person or need to carry a heavy load, the XT-17 will be good news. This really is a “full-size” touring kayak. But it does not make the XT-15 obsolete. For paddlers under 200 pounds, the XT-15 has a nice, sporty “feel” to it.

The designer and owner of PakBoats, Alv Elvested, commented in his blog about how he felt about the XT’s. “I generally like smaller boats so it is not surprising that I like the XT-15 for day trips. The XT-17 may well work better for you. They are both really nice, “friendly” kayaks with great paddling performance, excellent stability – and the most comfortable seat we have found in a kayak!” 

You’ll find excellent prices on all the PakBoat XT folding kayaks at PortableKayaks.com.

By Guest Blogger … Sheryl Connelly

It’s no secret that you bought your portable kayak because of it’s compact storage and transportability. According to most customers, that’s the number one reason they purchased an inflatable or a folding kayak instead of a traditional hard shell model. And the possibility of taking your kayak with you on an airplane may also have been a key consideration. But with all the changes in baggage requirements, is that still a viable expectation? The short answer is “yes”. However, there are some things to investigate before you fly ….
·    Find out EXACTLY what the policy is of the airline you will be flying regarding transporting portable boats. You need to know what your specific airline and airport’s baggage policy is. Your WORST CASE scenario will be the “official policy” of the airline. If the check-in attendant is having a bad day or is a stickler for the rules you need to be prepared to pay any extra charges or plan on leaving your kayak at home.
·    If you do take your kayak with you, our readers tell us they have had the best luck putting them in a surfboard bag or large duffle bag. Be discrete, polite, and ask them to HELP YOU with getting your boat to your destination. There are different baggage allowances for domestic and international flights. It is helpful to inform the airline that you will be taking an “inflatable boat” or “small surf board” with you when you make your reservation. That way, they’ll get the idea that it’s something compact. If this information is pre-loaded in their computer when you check-in, your kayak is more likely to get through. We’d also suggest that you avoid using the word “kayak” when you interact with airline personnel. they may not comprehend that a kayak can be carried in a bag.
·    DON’T BELIEVE what you hear (unless it is in writing). Processing hundreds of people for a Trans-Atlantic flight can be stressful on attendants and things are often different at the check-in counter.
·    ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS  have a Plan B ready if something happens, like an emergency rental or purchase option in should Plan A fall through.
·    Be familiar with current customs policies and be sure to take off all sales tags to avoid the question of duty and taxes.

What are the most convenient portable kayaks for traveling? Weight is the main consideration when flying. Here are a few recommendations that are all super lightweight, compact, inflate or assemble quickly, and paddle very well.
·    Innova Sunny – Tandem but can also be converted for solo, 29 pounds, very fast, great for flatwater, calm rivers and oceans
·    Innova Safari – Solo, 24 pounds, extremely popular whitewater kayak, good for up to class III rapids and ocean surf
·    Sea Eagle 330 – Tandem but can be converted for solo as well, 26 pounds, best for flatwater, calm rivers and very calm oceans, however it’s capable for up to class III whitewater.
·    Any of the PakBoat Puffin folding kayaks. Ranging from 17 to 28 pounds and easy to assemble, they all paddle great, best for use on calm water.
·    Also take a look at the Airis Sport or Play. These solo kayaks come with their own backpack!

Sheryl Connelly is a writer and an avid outdoors woman. Learn more about Sheryl at www.managemmm.com.