Inflatable Kayak Blog

I was looking out my window today and thinking how nice it would be if I could get out and pump up the inflatable kayak and do some paddling. It’s a nice sunny day but the temperatures are in the 30’s. Don’t think I’m going kayaking!

I decided instead to go online to check out some info about how to dress if I ever did ‘lose my mind’ and brave the colder weather. I came across this video posted by Louise Aidie, a kayak guide who was on a kayak expedition in the Artic (Brrrrrr). I though you might enjoy it. Now that’s what I call “Cold Weather Paddling!”

I’ve had a chance to start analyzing the Innova line of kayaks and one of the niftiest and most impressive one-person models is the Solar. It’s strictly recreational with a river rating of Class 1 (only small rapids, if any and basically no water danger). However, as you can see in the photo, the Solar is quite ‘at home’ in the surf.

At 24 pounds, the Innova Solar inflatable kayak is very portable and can be set up completely in 5 minutes. The boat is PVC free, made of the same rugged 1,200-denier Nitrylon™ material as Innova’s whitewater models. For a lower priced model that’s unusual. I guess that’s why Innova is considered one of the highest quality inflatable kayak manufacturers. The ten-foot Solar comes in its own airline carryon drybag/backpack and includes a removable tracking fin, adjustable footrest, and gear hold-downs. The only drawback is that it only comes in red, but hey … that’s a nice color and easy to see on the water!

Early November and it is a beautiful fall afternoon. We won’t get many more nice days like this to get out in the kayak around this area so we took advantage of the beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures and put the kayak in at Buffalo Trace Park. I got a short leg workout as I did all the pumping with the kayak foot pump to inflate the kayak as we hurried to get it in the water before it got too dark. The lake was calm as glass and the reflection of the fall colors was spectacular! I had a hard time paddling, not because I was tired out from pumping, but because I was busy taking so many pictures. We barely had time to paddle around the small lake as the sun was sinking very low in the sky. I took a few more pictures and we packed up and headed home in darkness. What a great way to spend one of the last paddles of the year!

Inflatable kayaks generally ride higher in the water, mainly because of their buoyancy. Therefore, they tend to not track as well as a hard shell kayak. Innova inflatable kayaks, however, have a design that features bladders with a smaller circumference. This sleek Innova design allows them to track more similar to a hard shell than any other inflatable on the market. Innova also differs from most other inflatable kayaks by using a PVC free material on 9 of their 13 models. Their Nitrylon™ material is made of blends of natural rubbers.

Innova Inflatable Kayaks are made for touring and whitewater in solo and tandem versions. There are also 2 inflatable canoes. All the models are heavy duty, very portable and compact. We’re proud to add them to our product line at PortableKayaks.com.

Just thought I’d summarize our paddling adventures in Michigan from a couple weeks ago. We’ve been back home for a week but very busy getting caught up. This is my first chance to blog.

We had been writing about our paddles in the Keewenaw area and looking forward to more when we headed into Michigan’s lower peninsula. The picture shows how rough Lake Superior looked when we stopped near Harvey outside of Marquette on our trip downstate. That kind of nasty weather managed to change our plans for the rest of the trip. Daytime temperatures stayed below 50 and it rained most of time, but the worst part was the wind. It was nearly constant with some strong gusts and sure didn’t make us want to go outside to do much of anything. Even if we did want to brave the elements, inflatable kayaks are not the best performers under such extremely windy conditions so we just left it rolled up in the back of the van. The two days that were OK we’re days that we celebrated a mini family reunion and the last day of the trip when we were on the road on our long trip back home. It did turn out to be nice trip overall and we did see a few spots that we’re looking forward to paddling in when we return next year.

We’ve been visiting family in the Keewenaw area in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. On Sunday evening after dinner, we decided to head out for a quick paddle. It was a little chilly, but the water was very calm and there was very little wind. A couple of family members and friends watched us pump up our Sea Eagle kayak. It was the first time they’d seen it, although they had heard about it since we first purchased it. They were surprised how easily and quickly it was ready to paddle and that it was such a lightweight inflatable kayak.

As we paddled along the shore, we noticed how the sun was lighting a stand of trees. The trees reflected in the water making it a perfect photo op of the beautiful fall colors. We stopped and my wife took some pictures while I steadied the kayak. We paddled a little farther out and back and finished our trip as the sun set over Portage Lake. Great way to top off the day!

We’re staying with my wife’s sister and husband during the portion of our trip in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It had rained quite hard overnight and we wondered if we were going to get in any paddling Saturday since there was rain in the forecast. About noon we decided that since the rain had held off, we’d brave the wind and clouds and head out. Their house is about a block and a half from a boat launch in Torch Lake, so we drove over, pumped up the inflatable kayak and started paddling. Mainly we just wanted to get in the water and get a little exercise. The water alternated between almost calm and choppy due to the wind which also varied considerably. It was a cloudy day, so the scenery wasn’t that terrific, but the paddling was fun, as usual.

We have arrived in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to visit family. After a long drive to get here we spent some time visiting and just before dark we decided to head out to our families cottage on Portage lake. The sun had already set but there was still enough light to get a short paddling trip in. We pumped up our inflatable kayak. It only takes about 8 to 10 minutes with our foot pump. My sister, Sue, has a hard shell kayak and she joined us on our ride. The evening was still quite warm which is surprising for an evening in the UP. The lake was as calm as I have ever seen it and the boats seemed cut through it without any effort. As we paddled along there were people sitting along the shore enjoying the evening around campfires and the setting sun cast a beautiful red reflection along the water in front of us. My sister headed back to shore ahead of us when some bats came swooping along the water. I need to mention she is deathly afraid of bats! So that ended the time out on the water for her. We weren’t ready to go back yet so we headed along the shore a little bit further. However, as we were headed back, it had gotten quite dark and I was getting concerned that we had stayed out too long. This will serve as a reminder that we need to be more aware of the time of day we set out to paddle and be more aware of what time the sun sets and when it will be dark, so we will not be out on the water after dark.

Fall is a great time to do some paddling. The changing colors make for some beautiful scenery and the cooler temperatures keep the sweating level down. We’re headed up to Michigan for a few days and we’re looking forward to a few paddling adventures, enjoying the fall weather and color in our Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak. It’s a little different than our previous trips to Florida and Tennessee in warmer weather. We’re going to have to wear our clothing in layers, since the temperature can vary with the amount of paddling activity, time of day, and if a piece of clothing gets wet (as if that’s ever happened!). If anyone has any additional ‘tips’ for fall paddling, drop us a note.

We’ll post a few blogs along the way. There’s lots of water in Michigan and we plan to enjoy some of it.

Kayaks are a great addition to any active household. They provide great exercise, and you can paddle into beautiful, unique regions to which you wouldn’t normally have access.

But there are many different types of kayaks on the market. Deciding which is best for you will require some research and experimentation. One type of kayak that has proved particularly popular, however, is the inflatable kayak. The following are a few benefits this version has over a traditional hard shell kayak (sometimes known as a rigid kayak).

-Inflatable portable kayaks are easy to repair, whereas rigid kayaks can be costly and time consuming to fix.

-Both inflatable and rigid kayaks are very durable. Although there is a misconception that portable kayaks will be flimsy or easily torn, this is not the case. Just like a plastic or fiberglass kayak, inflatable kayaks are made to last.

-Ease of transport is another huge benefit. You can easily carry multiple boats in one car—even one backpack. While rigid kayaks require car racks for transporting, this is not the case with nflatable kayaks. Just throw them in the backseat, and be on your way.

-Inflatable kayaks are also versatile. Although they are ideal for calm waters, they can also handle more intense rapids.