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!

Probably the most unique folding watercraft on the market today is the TRAK T-1600 Folding Kayak. The TRAK changes shape. Hydraulics inside the cockpit enable you to instantly shift the shape of the kayak’s hull. So you can adjust your TRAK for straight speed, then shift its shape to turn easily. Or neutralize a cross wind without a rudder. It’s kind of like having an “all-wheel drive” performance vehicle on land, or “gears” on a mountain bike.

The TRAK has been a ‘high end’ priced kayak, but the current sale has prices marked down up to 40% and since it’s priced in Canadian dollars, the US Dollar price is even lower. The sale, initiated by the manufacturer is called the “8 Weeks Of Christmas” and the discount is larger the sooner you buy. Check the details out at PortableKayaks.com.

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.

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.