Monday, June 1, 2020 - North Landing River - south oxbow
NEW KAYAK
I decided that it would be difficult to take my regular kayak with me while towing the camper, so I got a high quality inflatable kayak to take camping. It's from a company named Advanced Elements.
It features a rigid bow and stern with aluminum ribs, integrated front skid plate and rear tracking fin, military-style spring valves and twistlok valves, double PVC-coated nylon rip-stop material on the top deck with tarpaulin polyester material on the bottom of the hull, bungee deck lacing to hold extra gear, Velcro paddle holders, high-back inflatable (and adjustable) lumbar seat, adjustable foot brace system, straps on the back of the seat to attach fishing rod holders, and a high-pressure inflatable dropstitch floor for extra rigidity. The kayak has zippers in the deck which allow access to storage areas in front of the cockpit and also behind the seat. It packs into backpack carry case, is lightweight, compact, and inflates in minutes.
Specifications
Dimensions: Length 10' 10" - Width 33"
Weight: 35 lbs kayak with seat and floor
Folded size: 31 x 18 x 10 inches
Max load: 350 lbs person and gear
So, I decided to test out the new kayak and see how it sets up and paddles. The kayak has 7 separate air chambers. The hull consists to 2 separate chambers, one inner and one outer, which allows for safety (if one deflates, the other will keep the boat afloat). Together the hull chambers are inflated to a total maximum of 2 psi. The dropstitch floor is a single, stabilized air chamber strengthened by thousands of nylon threads from the top to the bottom of the floor which also allows it to be inflated to 6 psi. The dropstitch floor creates a hull with chine, which enhances the tracking and hull speed. The front deck has two small air chambers (deck lifts) that serve to shape the deck and cause water to run off the sides (1 psi each). And the coaming around the cockpit has two additional small air chambers that inflate to help keep water out of the cockpit (1 psi each) and allow attachment of an optional spray skirt. The high-back seat also has an air chamber which allows for adjustable lumbar support.
The kayak comes fully assembled (other than attaching the seat) and folded in the storage bag. Inflation and setup of the kayak only takes about 10 minutes. The air chambers inflate quickly with the double-action pump. You might be tempted to use an electric pump, but it really isn't necessary. Once inflated, the kayak is very rigid and not "saggy" at all.
I set it up in the driveway yesterday to get some good pictures and videos of the setup and takedown process. It took 8 minutes to set it up and just over 6 minutes to deflate and pack it back into the bag.
Deflating the kayak and packing it back up was relatively simple and quick. The military valves allow the air to escape quickly and completely. And folding the boat up is straightforward. And it ACTUALLY all fits back in the bag! :)
But of course, you can't just test in the driveway. Since it was very windy yesterday, after work today, I took the kayak over to Pungo Ferry Road for a shakedown cruise. I launched from the beach kayak launch at Pungo Ferry and paddled south under the bridge and into the south oxbow.
The kayak paddled great! It tracked well and slipped through the water effortlessly. I tested out a system for putting the GoPro camera on a tripod on a deck bag in front of the cockpit. That seemed to work out well although I haven't edited that video yet.
Setup and takedown at the launch went smoothly.
I will need to take it back out of the bag and rinse off the sand and let it dry out completely before storing to reduce the possibility of mold forming on the fabric.
1 hour and 20 minutes on the water and 2.4 miles on the GPS. Scroll below the pictures to see the track map.
This was a great shakedown cruise and I this kayak should be a great addition to my camping trips so I can go kayaking without having to deal with a heavy, rigid kayak. It might also expand my possibilities for kayaking after work. I can keep it in the back of the truck and head out for a quick paddle in the evenings after work.
Stay tuned!
