Inflatable Kayak Blog

I’m always on the lookout for good places to kayak and I recently conducted an online search, hoping to find some new locations to add to my list. I found a site called ListAfterList.com – Top 10 Places to Kayak in the United States. The list had some nice locations. I knew about some of them, but a few we’re new to me.

1.  The Outerbanks, North Carolina
2.  Down East Islands, Maine
3.  Pictured Rocks Lakeshore, Michigan
4.  Prince William Sound, Alaska
5.  Baja, Mexico
6.  Glacier Bay, Alaska
7.  San Juan Islands, Washington
8.  Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada

You may have noticed that the “top 10” list only had 8 locations on it. Does anyone think it is odd that the “top 10 places to kayak” only has 8 locations listed? Or that two of the top 8 are not even in the US? It did say “Top 10 Places to Kayak in the United States”. Anyway, I thought it was funny and worth a blog post. 

One spot deserves a better look. Since we are in Michigan quite often, I’m thinking maybe we should look into a trip along the pictured rocks shoreline. I know that’s a beautiful area.

Maybe we should make our own list. If anyone would like to contribute a suggestion, I’ll try to compile our own “inflatable kayak blog” list of the top places to kayak. Let us know and we can get our own list going.

The TRAK adjustable folding kayak is the world’s only performance kayak that fits in a pack that’s about the size of a golf bag. Not a bad way to travel with a 16 foot kayak. The adjustable aspect is totally unique. 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. Although the suggested retail price is $4900, they are currently on sale for $3399 and during their special 2009 holiday promotion, you can get a Sea Sock free with purchase. The sea sock secures snuggly around the coaming and fits loosely around your legs. It keeps the water and sand out of your kayak for a dry and cleaner boat. Regular price on the sea sock is $125, but it’s free with a TRAK kayak purchase until 12-31-09. Shipping is free, too if you order through PortableKayaks.com.

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.

With varying gas prices and economic changes over the past year, a trend has developed toward more portable and economical fishing crafts. If you’ve been considering a move in that direction, Creek Company is making the decision a little easier. This holiday season (through 12-31-09) they’re offering some really big discounts on all of their float tubes and several of their inflatable pontoons. Some of these discounts are up to 40% off the regular prices.

Float Tubes: The Original U-Boat is only $79.99 ($50 Off), the U-Boat Super Combo, with pump and fins, is only a penny more ($80.00)! The very popular ODC 420 Lightweight Combo that also includes pump and fins is just $200.00 ($89.99 Off) and it qualifies for Free Shipping.

Inflatable Pontoons: The ODC (8 Foot) Sport XR is marked down to $349.99 ($50 Off) and the ODC Super Sport XR is just $399.99 ($100 Off).

Creek Company has been designing innovative watercraft for over 20 years. This is a great time to purchase one of their excellent quality inflatable pontoons and float tubes for fishing.

The days are a bit shorter this time of year and you don’t always have the best light when you’re rounding up your camping or kayak gear. Here’s a quick and easy tip that might help. You can make it easier to find loose items in the dark by marking your water bottles and camping tools with ‘glow in the dark’ stickers. For items that you don’t care how they look, you could even use ‘glow in the dark’ spray paint. It sure makes packing up quicker and there’s much less chance of leaving something behind.

As we head into the ‘off season’ for kayaking, except for those areas where you folks get great weather year round (lucky people!!), most thoughts turn toward storing your gear for the winter and maybe planning some ‘off season’ fitness efforts (after the holidays, of course). However, in some areas of the country, November can often warm up enough to get in one last paddling adventure. We’re located in Southern Indiana and this weekend we’re experiencing some above average weather. The forecast is for near 70 degrees and sunny. Pretty good kayaking weather, I’d say. Here are a few tips for you, if you get one of those nice days.

· Swimsuits or shorts probably aren’t going to be the fashion of the day, but it’s important to dress in layers, so that if you do warm up while paddling, you can relieve the heat. After all, we’re talking about a sunny day that’s warmer than usual and direct sunlight can feel pretty warm.
· Even though this year may be an exception because of the heavy rains much of the US has experienced, water levels are generally lower at this time of year, so you should be well aware of the waterway you plan to paddle in.
· You may be tempted not to wear or secure your life vest because of the bulkiness of additional clothing. Not a good idea. If you do fall in the water, the additional clothing makes you heavier and it’s harder to swim, so that life vest is all that more important.
· Another factor, if you’re using an inflatable kayak, is that the inflation level of your boat may change depending on the water temperature. If it’s cooler, you may have to have a little more air pressure in the chamber to match the level you’re used to in warmer weather. That’s because warm air expands and cold air contracts.

I like to paddle my inflatable kayak and I enjoy the water, but I wasn’t a Boy Scout and I didn’t grow up around the water so I didn’t learn how to tie useful knots for paddling purposes or, for that matter, any purposes. I’m kind of a knot clutz, if you will.

If you can relate to my quandary or if you’d just like to learn a few more knots to add to your repertoire, you’ll like the web site I found. It’s ProKnot.com and it has some nifty animated diagrams that show you how to make a variety of paddling knots, fishing knots, boating knots and outdoor knots.

Hope you enjoy the site. I’ve got to get back to practicing my “running bowline” knot.