Inflatable Kayak Blog

It’s that time of year again when we all think about making some New Year’s resolutions. I say “think about” because even though you may not make them, you have to admit, they do cross your mind, right? But what about some kayaking resolutions? After all, making resolutions about the fun things in life are much better than those crappy ‘lose weight’, ‘quit smoking’, ‘reduce stress’ or endless other typical resolutions.

I did an internet search to see if anyone had written anything about kayaking or paddling resolutions and I found an article by George Sayour that listed 5 excellent resolutions for paddlers. I can relate to this list.

1. Learn a New Canoe or Kayak Technique
George didn’t specify which technique he wanted to learn, but this resolution makes a lot of sense. Even the most accomplished kayaker can learn something new. And I can specifically attest that learning a better way to execute a stroke can improve your enjoyment of the sport. A couple years ago I started practicing a new technique that made my paddle strokes much smoother and added speed, too.

2. Canoe or Kayak in a New Location
On this one, George is “preaching to the choir”. Kayaking in new waters is one of my goals in life. It’s always exciting to paddle and take in the scenery of a new location. But remember to do a little research about the area first because everything isn’t as it looks.

3. Take a Paddling Lesson
This suggestion might seem like a repeat of the ‘learn a new technique’ resolution, but it’s actually an extension of it. It’s a pretty good idea, especially if you plan on tackling higher whitewater ratings or if you plan on extending the length of time you paddle. Good techniques can reduce fatigue on trips and might even save your life in raging waters. And, you know that competitive paddlers have trainers, so us mere mortals can use the occasional lesson.

4. Try Something Different
This one relates to what I just mentioned. How about tackling some whitewater, if you haven’t already? Or maybe doing an overnight trip and camping along with your kayaking. If you’re into an extended kayaking trip, read this article that Jim Schutze wrote about his adventure in Quetico Provincial Park in his folding kayak.

5. Spend More Days on the Water
Great resolution, don’t you think? Resolving to paddle more has got to result in more fun and more relaxation. Actually, paddling your kayak for more days this coming year might just help you lose weight and reduce stress, too. Now that’s an efficient New Year’s resolution!

Informing potential customers about a price increase isn’t exactly a pleasant task, however I figure that telling you about it now, ahead of time, is somewhat of a public service. If you’ve been considering a purchase, now is the time to act, before January 1st.

At PortableKayaks.com, Sea Eagle inflatable boats are our most popular products and in the past 5 years, the company has not had any major price increases despite rising manufacturing costs, shipping rates and all of the other reasons that have caused companies to raise prices during that same period. The cost increases have finally caught up with them and on January 1, 2012 prices on many boats will go up.

The Sea Eagle Sport Kayaks, the 330 and 370 models, which are the most popular inflatable kayak packages will increase by $50 per package. PaddleSki catamaran style kayaks will go up $200 per package. LongBoard11 inflatable stand up paddle board packages will also be $200 more. Similar increases are set for the Yacht Tender and the Sport Runabout inflatable boats. The 285fpb frameless pontoon boat will also increase by $50.

The largest increases, $300 to $400, will hit the FoldCats. The 375fc and 440fc inflatable fishing pontoons have metal framing in addition to their inflatable material and the cost of manufacturing these frames has gone up considerably.

There is some good news, though. Not all models will be increased. The 385ft and 465ft Fast Track kayak packages will remain priced as they have been. So will the smaller inflatable motormount boats, the SE-8, 9 and 124.

If you have specific questions about any of the boats, give me a call or reply to this post. In the case of larger priced items, we sometimes offer a layaway plan to buyers so they can take advantage of the current prices and take delivery later.

Even with the price increases, Sea Eagle products will remain one of the best values for the buck whether it’s an inflatable pontoon, inflatable boat, inflatable stand up paddle board or inflatable kayak package.

Sabrina Marx here with the last article in my series of gift ideas for the paddler on your Christmas list. I personally love to read and because of that, I think there is nothing better than a great book. In this case, here are 3 excellent books for a range of water lovers on your Christmas list.

The first one I recommend is Paddle Your Own Kayak: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Kayaking by Gary McGuffin and Joanie McGuffin. This book is fun and easy to read and covers all the basics of kayaking. If you have someone on your gift list that has just started kayaking or a kayaker who is in the process of buying a boat, this book covers all aspects of kayaking and what type of boat works best. It’s also a great resource for any level of paddler with fun illustrations to help you remember key paddling pointers. Along with all the great information, it has beautiful photography. Your gift recipient won’t want to just put it away on a shelf, but leave it out for others to enjoy.

Stand-up paddle boarding is growing in popularity. Here’s a book that covers all areas of the sport. Stand Up Paddling: Flatwater to Surf and Rivers (Mountaineering Outdoor Experts) (Moes) by Rob Casey. If you have someone on your gift list that is thinking of getting into SUP this will make a great stocking stuffer. But even someone who has been stand up paddleboarding for a while will find great pointers for perfecting and expanding their existing skills. This book has all the help you will need to get started or get better.

My third book recommendation is for the float tube fishermen on your list. More and more fishermen, especially fly fishermen are turning to float tubes to get them into areas on the water that can’t be reached by wading or walking. The book is Float Tube Magic: A Fly Fishing Escape by Patricia C. Pothier. This is a well-written and beautifully illustrated book. With all the information you will need to get your fly fisherman started on his or her use of a float tube to catch those fish just waiting to be caught.

Books are a great gift to complete your list. They are good for the ‘hard to buy for’ folks and usually easy to find or order as last minute gifts. These are just three books I think readers will enjoy, but if you do some research on topics that interest your paddler or outdoor lover on your list, I’m sure you will find something that will make a great Christmas gift this year.

Hope this series has been helpful with some unique gift ideas for a paddlers and water lovers on your gift list this year. I wish you a very Happy Holiday Season and remember to keep your paddle in the water and your butt in the boat!

Sailing your kayak. It’s easier than you think with these two portable sails that can turn your kayak into a sailboat. Sabrina Marx here, with part 5 of my series on gift ideas for the paddler on your list.

Even though paddling a kayak is a lot of fun, sometimes you’d like to do something different on the water, like sailing, but don’t want to buy a regular sailboat for an occasional wind-aided ride. There are two sails on the market that make it very easy to convert your kayak to a sailboat. The WindPaddle kayak sail and Sea Eagle’s newest product, the QuikSail. Both sails are reasonably priced and don’t require additional hardware or rigging to be added to the kayak.

These sails are completely independent accessories and that’s why buying someone a kayak sail might be a really good gift. You’ll be adding to the paddler’s options without making them alter their kayak setup. Another great thing about these sails is that they will fit almost any type of kayak, folding kayaks, hard shell models or inflatable kayaks.

The sails are totally different in design. The WindPaddle Sail opens up into a circular sail that allows you to sail downwind with very little breeze. Weighing in as light as 13 ounces (the Adventure & Scout models), the WindPaddle stows on deck in a small folded coil 1/8th its deployed size. It’s available in 3 models for kayaks and small boats and the Makani sail is made for stand up paddle boards.

Sea Eagle has designed the QuikSail universal kayak sail in a more traditional upright v-shape. When favorable winds blow your way, it can be deployed in less than a minute. The QuikSail not only works well downwind, but because of it’s more traditional sail design, will sail up to 45 degrees to the port or starboard. It collapses to around 43 inches for storage.

As I mentioned, although both of these sails were designed with kayaks in mind, they work well with other small boats, too, so keep them in mind as gifts for other water fanatics on your list, too.

Next week I’ll wrap up our gift suggestion series with more groovy gift ideas for paddlers. Until then, keep your paddle in the water and your butt in the boat!

Hi, Sabrina here with more in my series of Holiday gift suggestions. This time, I have a gift idea that is not only good for the paddlers on your list but for any active outdoor lover. This gift idea came to me when I was looking for a gift for my sister who enjoys camping, hiking and water sports. She recently got new prescription glasses and was complaining about not being able to find sunglasses she liked to fit on her new glasses. So if you have someone who wears prescription eyewear, this might be something they will find quite useful.

Cocoons Sunglasses:
Like the name implies, these sunglasses fit completely over most prescription eyewear. I had a chance to try them out this summer at an outdoor trade show. I was quite impressed!
· They feature Polaré polarized lenses.
· Are available in clip-on and flip up styles.
· Come in a variety of lens tints, grey, copper, amber, yellow and mirror.
· Frame colors include: sand, slate, black, tortoiseshell, ivy & burgundy
· Six different sizes from – small to extra large.
· Flex2Fit® Temples designed for quick and easy manual adjustment of the shape and curvature of the earpieces.
· 360° of UV Protection®
· Included accessories: a protective neoprene case, lens cloth and a limited lifetime warranty.

I especially liked the polarized lenses. They are scratch resistant & deliver 100% UVA and UVB protection. Polarized lenses channel reflective light before it reaches your eyes, eliminating the blinding glare. The Polaré lenses are optically correct, meaning that there is no visible distortion, which is extremely important when wearing sunglass lenses over prescription eyewear.

I also like that Cocoons provide 360 degrees of UV protection. Not just the usual straight on protection found in most sunglasses. Cocoon sunglasses provide complete protection for your eyes from all angles. Their patented frame designs block UV light and glare from all angles, top, bottom and sides.

They are priced under $50.00, which won’t break the bank either.

If you or someone you know wears prescription glasses, a great pair of Cocoon sunglasses might just be the perfect gift. I know I really liked what I saw, literally, when I tried them on.

Be sure to join me next week for another gift idea to help with your Holiday shopping. Until next time, keep your paddle in the water and your butt in the boat!