Inflatable kayak vs standard one?

[stevenO's]

Hi all,
I thought this would be a good place to ask this... I am looking to buy my first kayak to use on the Gunpowder. Inflatables intrigue me a lot because I can easily move them without having to buy racks or a trailer. However, I have heard that they might not perform as well. I'm looking into a sea eagle like one of these http://inflatablekayakreviews.org (the 330 or 370). Do you think one of those would work well in the Gunpowder? If not, what would you guy recommend?

-thanks a lot

[MetroMan]

DONT DO IT!!

I have kayak fished from a Sea Eagle (I can't remember the model, but it was definitely one of those two models). It was horrible. It didn't track well....easily blown around by slight breezes, and was all around awkward to paddle due to its shape. Access to gear was awkward and cumbersome. When inflated, the sides kinda bulge in, so its impossible to move around. This kayak is good for floating down a river. Not good for anything more serious than that... all my opinion of course. WHen I used it, I was on a back creek/tributary in Edgewater.

[MetroMan]

The only neat thing was the portability...

[stevenO's]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely stay away from the Sea eagles. In the top picture, are those red ones yours? And if so do you like them and are they these?

[MetroMan]

They belonged to my friends I was with. I believe they are Advanced Elements kayaks. I haven't paddled them, but they seemed to work well on the back waters for a simple kayak fishing solution. My friends pretty much left me in the dust. They were able to easily paddle them.

[Beerboy]

I could never see myself in an inflatable. Just too limiting on where and when you can go fishing. But that is me. My advice to you would be to sit down and list the things you want to do with the kayak.

With the inflatable you will need to be much more aware of weather and tides. If a wind comes up, you may have trouble moving into it and getting back to your launch. You also will not be able to install rod holders and a fish finder on it. Depending on the kind of fishing you do, maybe that doesn't matter.

Is storage or transport a real big deal to you? You can certainly find light weight sit insides that can easily be lifted up on a rack. If this is a big issue you might want to look at folding kayaks such as folbot. These are serious boats that will handle most conditions, though I would worry about river rocks such as you would find in the potomac and susquehanna. But again, I doubt you can install any equipment in these. And they are quite pricey. If money is also an issue, just go used. Craigslist will have people selling yakima or thule roof racks as well as all sorts of kayaks. Best of luck with your decision.

[MetroMan]

+1 ^

[ChpkeBeachBum]

Inflatable Boat
Lure under keel, a slight tug
Set the hook Quickly!

[J.A. Veil]

I agree with the others that a regular kayak will be more seaworthy and functional than an inflatable one. Also consider the potential issues of having sharp hooks around an inflatable hull.

My backup kayak is a Malibu Mini-X. It is 9'3" long and weighs only 39 lbs. I drive a Honda Odyssey minivan. I can push the Mini-X inside the van and close the rear door. I took it with me last weekend to southern NJ and fished four straight days. I paddled several miles each day and caught fish each day. There are other smaller kayak models available from different manufacturers. In my opinion, you will be better served by one of those than by an inflatable. Plus if you decide to sell later on, the resale value on the regular kayak will be considerably higher.

[MetroMan]

And for what its worth when I first started kayak fishing, I transported my yak without roof racks. I used a bath mat, foam blocks, and straps. It worked. I also had an inflatable roof rack system that I used for a short while. It wasn't the best, but again, it worked...without me having to install anything on my car. (That initially was a concern for me as well)

[On the fly]

If the size is the issue Jackson Kayaks just came out with a 10' cruise SOT fishing kayak. http://jacksonkayak.com/jk-kayaks/ka...ise-10-angler/

If you are interested you can contact Delaware Paddlesports, they are a Jackson dealer and great people to deal with.

[dDreadnaught]

Interesting concept but not practical for fishing.

Origami Kayak: http://www.orukayak.com/

[DOGFISH]

I agree with everyone else. Go with a rigid kayak. Unless storage is an absolute factor, a rigid kayak is the way to go. You cite loading as a reason. Remember you will have to inflate and deflate the kayak every time. That is worse than loading.

[hooked again]

My first yak was a Sea Eagle thinking the same way as you - put it in the trunk and go. I spent a lot of time blowing it up to get going, then deflating and cleaning and drying it out after each use - pretty much a pain in the butt. It was really hard to fish out of, the least amount of breeze blew me all over the place. So I returned it within the 6 month window and got my money back.

I've had 2 yaks since a Jackson Coosa and Native Ultimate. If you can, try out different yaks at dealers or through friends. Craigslist is great to find a good deal.You can make a real inexpensive roof rack out of pvc pipe and pool noodles. In fact you can have my old one if you want. Just pm me.

Take your time and find something worthwhile that you like.