Inflatable Kayak Blog

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!

These two strokes are mirror images of each other and move the kayak side ways for approaching jetties or other landings. They can also be used for course corrections. These strokes are more popular as canoe paddling strokes, but are useful as well for hard shell, folding or inflatable kayaks.

To perform the Draw Stroke you hold the paddle in forward paddling position and turn your torso to the side. Put the power face of the blade two to three feet from the boat and pull the blade towards your hips keeping the top hand relatively fixed.  Keep the boat level and do not lean toward the blade. A variation is the “hanging” draw stroke, shown in the picture, where the paddle is more vertical.

To perform the Pry Stroke hold the paddle in the forward paddling position and turn your torso to the side. Plant the poser face of the blade next to the boat and pry it away from the boat by pulling with the upper hand and pushing gently with the lower hand. This will push the boat in the opposite direction.

A useful paddle stroke when you’re out in your kayak is the “forward sweep stroke”. This stroke will move the kayak in the opposite direction of the stroke. It’s executed by making a broad sweeping stroke on one side of the kayak. The power face of the blade is buried in the water and the stroke starts at bow and is swept in a wide arc with the power coming from your body twist. The stroke finishes when rotation finishes. The sweep will push you in the opposite direction. This is especially helpful in fast moving water to keep the kayak on course. Whether you’re paddling a hard shell, inflatable or folding kayak, knowing the techniques for a variety of paddle strokes will add to your enjoyment on the water.

NOTE: An example of the stroke is shown in this YouTubeVideo.

One of the basic strokes for moving a kayak through the water is the Power Stroke. To get the correct grip on the paddle, place the paddle above your head with your elbows at right angles and your hands the same distance from the blade on each side. You could place some electrical tape on the shaft just inside your hands to help keep your position when paddling. Now that you have your hands in a comfortable position for you, Bend at the waist and lean forward. Plant the blade at a comfortable extension and smoothly draw the blade parallel to the boat’s waterline. As you complete the stroke, rotate the kayak paddle to the other side. Use the same power stroke on the other side and you’re moving forward. Keep the strokes nice and even and you will be moving along with very little effort.

If you own a PakBoat, now is a good time to add accessories at a 15% discount. They are having a (Fall 2008) folding kayak accessory sale on footrests, spray skirts and decks for the Puffin II two-person folding kayak. The spray skirts (shown in picture) come in two types, a regular style and a breathable style that allows air to pass thru, but not water. The Puffin II decks allow you to use the boat as a one person (solo deck) or two-person (three piece deck) model.

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.

A few months ago I spotted a new product online that really shortens the setup time for a campsite. The Wind Ridge Tent from Eldorado Outdoor Products is a revolutionary new tent that’s both durable and lightweight. It sleeps three adults and sets up in only 3 seconds. That’s right, 3 seconds! The Wind Ridge Tent is fast and easy to setup in only 3 seconds because of a revolutionary central hub system. This system quickly pulls its strong flexi poles into place and takes away the hassle of setting up a tent.

The tent is built for 3 seasons; Spring, Summer and Fall. It’s been tested to survive the most challenging weather. Interior dimensions are 7 foot by 7 foot with an interior height of a little over 4 foot. The tent weighs less than 9 pounds. Just take the tent out of its carry sack, hold it by the top and give it a shake. The Wind Ridge Tent is up and ready. It’s a perfect tent for overnight kayak trips or backpacking.

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.

The indoor portion of the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show began on Friday and runs through Monday. The Salt Lake Convention Center was jammed with booths and exhibits from manufacturers from around the world. The main rooms, the hallways, and smaller meeting rooms we’re all filled with exhibitors. There were even exhibits outside of the building. This show is the largest in North America and our feet learned why!

As we’ve said, the reason we attended this show is to visit with our current distributors and to look for possible product additions. In addition to touching base with PakBoats and Sea Eagle, who we also got to see at the ‘Open Air Demo’, we we’re able to meet up with Erik from Clear Blue Hawaii and Stuart of Cannon Paddles and learn more about what’s happening with those products.

Some of the new items we really liked were the K-Pak Folding Boat, the Aqua-Pak line of waterproof bags, the “Spot” Satellite Messenger and the Kona inflatable stand up Paddle Board. The “Paddle Boards” were considered one of the ‘show stoppers’ at the ‘Open Air Demo’ and are quickly becoming be one of the hottest new trends in paddle sports. When we saw them at the ‘demo’ we could see how much potential they had, but it looked like they all were of solid construction like their surfboard cousins. Since that didn’t fit into our ‘portable’ watercraft niche, we didn’t think much more of it … until an accidental meeting with the man who distributes the inflatable version. Our general conversation about each other’s businesses led to the discovery that there was an inflatable paddle board and we could become a dealer! There are more details to be finalized before we have these products on PortableKayaks.com, but the future looks good for all of them to be added to our line.
 
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.