Which brand of inflatable kayak do you use for the Ranger OB

[andmark]

I'm looking to purchase an inflatable kayak to use on an R 27 OB. Criteria

Lightweight- under 50lbs
Easy to maneuver on and off the coach roof.
Narrow beam
Relatively stable
Hold at least two people and supplies

I've looked at a couple of manufactures. ie Eagle, Sevlor, Intex and Advance Elements.

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with any of these?

 

[BradOwens]

I've heard good things from owners of the Sea Eagle. My sister just bought two Sevylor singles and likes them, but the paddles are poorly made. One already broke.
We have an Aquaglide Chinook Tandem XL and love it. Weight as I recall is 37 pounds. Very stable, plenty of room for two people plus gear, and comes with a small saddle style seat for an additional child or small adult. The bottom is heavyweight vinyl for abrassion resistance, and there is a semi-rigid keel for even more bottom protection. We don't worry at all about beaching on rocks or barnacles. It has a removable skeg to keep it tracking straight, and a removable drain plug for self bailing. We've never removed the plug because it could let some water in, but in white water or surf it would keep the kayak from filling with water.

 

[NorthernFocus]

We have an Advanced Elements 15ft Convertible. We always use it with two seats and the deck. After using it one season we added the high pressure floor which made a world of difference. It is light, very stable, tracks really well and move along. It handles two people quite well. My wife and I are not large but I've seen a couple of 200 lb friends paddle it and it was fine. Not sure what you mean by room for "supplies". If you mean like camping gear definitely no with two people in it. If you just mean a few things to carry ashore it is doable. The only useful space is behind the aft paddler and is not very accessible on the water. It is reasonably durable but not designed to drag across rough surfaces. We land on barnacle covered rocks all the time but carry if wanting it away from the water. We've had it for almost 10 years.

 

[andmark]

Thanks for the replies. I've heard good things about both the Sea Eagle and the Advanced Elements kayaks. How hard are they to get up and down off the cabin top?

 

[Brian98133]

I know it's not 'inflatable'... but we were looking at an Oru Haven fold-able kayak. But we'd really like to know if anyone with an RT has tried an Oru.

The potential downside of an Oru is it looks like it may take some space to set it up. Fine on land, but when confined to usable space on the RT whilst on the hook, it may be challenging. Maybe just set it up before leaving the home port and affix it to the roof for the duration of the trip? But then, why have a 'fold-able' kayak? Ergh... dunno.

This may be the reason most seem to like the inflatable?

 

[BradOwens]

Any rigid or foldable kayak will be a little harder to get in and out of than an inflatable. With inflatables you can just sit and slide across the tubes. Inflatables are also less likely to scratch your fiberglass while loading and unloading. The fenders are built in. That being said, they tend to move slower through the water for the given effort, so it's a trade-off. Getting either type onto the roof is best done with two people, but can be done alone.

 

[andmark]

Thanks Brad. Useful information.

 

[NorthernFocus]

...How hard are they to get up and down off the cabin top?

The AE is light enough that it is pretty easy to get on/off the roof. I'm 60+ yrs old, 5'10", 180#. I get on the roof and lift one end with a line. My wife helps as well as she can from the cockpit. I will say that without the HP floor the AE will bend in the middle if you try to push on either end to lever it up/across something. With the HP floor it behaves much like a rigid boat. The biggest downside to the AE is that it is not self bailing and with the deck you have to invert it completely to get it to drain. Can't be towed astern like a self bailing boat can.

....Maybe just set it up before leaving the home port and affix it to the roof for the duration of the trip? But then, why have a 'fold-able' kayak? ...This may be the reason most seem to like the inflatable?

We have two inflatables, the AE and a self bailing Saturn which is similar to an Aire. The AE takes a bit more to set up to get everything symetrical. But if you don't take the time to do that it won't track properly when paddling. So it needs room to be laid out flat to set up/inflate.

The Saturn is more straight forward but is still 13 ft x 3 ft so takes some space. You can start inflating in the cockpit then once it starts to take shape put it overboard and finish. That said we inflate both of them at home at the start of the season and they get loaded onto/off of the roof for each trip. That's six/eight trips per season.

Any rigid or foldable kayak will be a little harder to get in and out of than an inflatable. With inflatables you can just sit and slide across the tubes. Inflatables are also less likely to scratch your fiberglass while loading and unloading. The fenders are built in. That being said, they tend to move slower through the water for the given effort, so it's a trade-off. Getting either type onto the roof is best done with two people, but can be done alone.

Getting in/out of the AE is just like a rigid boat. It has a deck with two holes for the paddlers' seats. But it also paddles almost as well as a rigid boat albeit a short tandem at only 15 ft. We much prefer the AE but only use it on trips when we don't take the dog along. She is 60 lbs and likes to stand right on the stem which doesn't work with the sharp entry of the AE.

 

[Red Raven]

It is tough to recommend the brands because they change so often and typically the one mentioned no longer is available. What I can recommend are the features that have worked best for us.

1) Inflatable...required!...not for ease of storage but for protection of the Tug/Cut and for light weight and the ease of getting up and down. Leave it inflated on the roof 24/7. I would not recommend trying to inflate on the Tug/Cut. You might do this once..but never again.
2) High pressure floor...the whole kayak is so much stiffer and entry is so much easier and safer. We would not consider a kayak without it.
3) Cloth seats (Nylon, poly, or other weather resistant material) with strong composite, bronze, or stainless adjustable frame clips. If the seats are inflatable and only attach via velcro etc., don’t buy it, a sure sign of a cheap model. Velcro gums up in salt water and decays in the sun.

Note: We have Sevylor Ocean 17 that we have had for 14 years (not a single leak). It stays inflated on the roof year round (the tug is moored/stored under cover) except for when we are polishing the tug roof or using the kayak. I’m sorry to say it is no longer available as near I can tell. If we needed to replace it we would chose a model based on the features outlined above.

Good luck!

Curt

 

[ethanbarnett]

We have the Hobie inflatables with peddle drive. Love them. Findem used. Excellent product.

 

[NorthernFocus]

...What I can recommend are the features that have worked best for us.

...
3) Cloth seats (Nylon, poly, or other weather resistant material) with strong composite, bronze, or stainless adjustable frame clips. If the seats are inflatable and only attach via velcro etc., don’t buy it, a sure sign of a cheap model. Velcro gums up in salt water and decays in the sun.

Good comments. However, one more bit of input on the seats. Certainly avoid those with velcro attachments. But some of them use straps under the rigid floor. There are a couple of benefits to inflatable seats. First you can adjust the air pressure to your preference of butt pressure. Second if they are bare vinyl/hypalon you don't have to take them out of the kayak to keep them dry. Simply wipe off with a towel and climb in without getting the butt wet. Not an issue for those in warmer climates but something to consider. We consider the inflateable seats to be enough of a benefit that we bought some intended for a different boat and use them in our Saturn in lieu of the nylon/poly cloth seats that came with it. So if you find a boat that you really like for other reasons the seats don't have to be a deal breaker. There are a lot of options out there with a little bit of research and a different set of seats may be possible.

One thing I highly advise is that unless you are already sea kayakers I would stick with a self bailing boat. They are just so much easier to deal with. You stay drier, easier to carry ashore, easier to drag aboard/load on the roof and easier to tow. We love paddling the AE that is not self bailing but it is a pain to handle and has to come aboard every time we move the boat.

Just more food for thought.

 

[Foxislandmotts]

We just replaced our SeaEagle double with two singles. Looking to offload our SeaEagle. Email jmcmott@gmail.com if you're interested. (Tacoma)

 

[Kimberly Dawn]

I have Sea Eagle FT385 inflatable double kayak, 38#, 12'-6" long. I installed a Yakima Jaylow rack on 1" diameter sportrack on port side where straps to bow and stern cleats stabilize kayak underway at 30 mph. Once deployed at first anchorage, I can either place kayak back up on sportrack or conveniently pull it thru transom door and strapped snug to bulkhead to next anchorage or marina. I added an electric Minn-Kota style motor with a lithium-polymer 60 ahr battery that tucks away behind aft seat. I also purchased an electric 2-stage pump which is quick and convenient. This kayak package was recommended to me by a R27-OB owner, and I'll pass it on to you.

Bob
The Doghouse 2

 

[andmark]

Wow, great feedback everyone. Thank you.