Inflatable Kayaks, yay or nay?

Never been into boating but Ash and I both want to get into it. I have a canoe I use to fish from but after taking out some Tributary Tomcats the other day on the Middle Fork of the Flathead (class II section) we had a blast and really enjoyed how easy it was to inflate/deflate and toss into the back of the volvo. They seemed really stable and a lot of fun if used for some overnighters on the North Fork and for fishing as well as just floating and beer drinking.

Anybody use IK's? Are they a good buy for what we want to use them as (family outings, occasional class III's, overnighters)? We can get a deal on Aire/tributary and NRS boats. Are some better than others? Right now I'm thinking the Aire lynx I and Lynx II (would a two person IK be too difficult for me to paddle by myself while Ash is in a solo?)

Thanks in advance.

IKs aren't necessarily the raddest thing out there, however I love them. I've paddled the Hudson, Gates of Ladore and the Alpine section of the Snake River outside of Jackson in one. To me, you get the benefits of both, rafts and kayaks without the whole "stuck upside down" problems you get with hard boats. If you tip over in an IK, just jump back onto it and you're good to go -- even if it's upside down.

Right now, we have a 1-person Strike and we're thinking about getting a tandem to use as a gear boat (we're thinking of doing self-supported 2-person overnight trips -- and yes, that would be with a groover of some sort.). While I've used both, 1- and 2-person Tomcats, I've found the Strikes are not quite as stable, but they are a bit more agile and manueverable. In other words, the Strikes are a bit more tippy, but they turn much easier than the Tomcats. Still, you probably can't go wrong w/ either.

Here's a loaded Tomcat tandem on Gates of Ladore:
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/7925560-md.jpg

Here's a pic of my gf in her Strike...notice how much higher in the water this boat sits:
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/7925540-md.jpg

^^^Nice!! That looks exactly like the kind of stuff I wanna use them for. Whats the tandem like when paddling by yourself w/ or w/out gear?

I paddle an IK full time and it is the only way that I will go paddling. Made the switch two years ago from a hardshell to an IK because of leg issues. You do lose a little performance going with an IK, but the easy to use nature of the boat makes up for the loss of performance. I have a Custom Inflatables Thrillseeker that I paddle most of the summer, and I just picked up a Tomcat Tandem this spring to take friends and also to use as a solo gear boat. The Tomcat Tandem takes a little extra work to move around the river by yourself, but with two people it is a breeze. The Thrillseeker boats just like a hard shell. I have run multiple class III/IV runs in my IK's and have never had a problem. They do allow you to run a little more gnarlier water thand you would feel comfortable in a hardshell.

If you have any question about boats feel free to shoot me a pm.

Here is a photo of my Thrillseeker
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2486875_n.jpg

:wave: [ame="http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87414"]inflatable kayaks?[/ame]

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Originally Posted by AsheanMT

^^^Nice!! That looks exactly like the kind of stuff I wanna use them for. Whats the tandem like when paddling by yourself w/ or w/out gear?

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I've solo paddled the tandem Tomcat once on the Snake and it was fine. I just had to make my moves sooner. If anything, the tandem felt even more stable than the single. (Of course, when I did it in the single, I tried to run the meat of Big Kahuna.)

There's no shame in an IK. I grew up in an IK most of the time on the river and they are a blast for almost anyone on the river. Most IK's can handle any white water a sane person would throw at them. I've been on the snake, main salmon, ladore, yampa, west water, grand, ect and they have never let me down. Consider getting a tandem if your doing over nights and self supporting. We had the Aire Force XL on the grand and it surfs and punches holes like a king.

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Originally Posted by tenex198

They do allow you to run a little more gnarlier water than you would feel comfortable in a hardshell.

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As long as you are OK with swimming in that gnarlier water.

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Originally Posted by RootSkier

As long as you are OK with swimming in that gnarlier water.

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Quoted for truth.


Might also check out the Shredder, two person cataraft, prolly not what you're looking for but what the hell, and also the boats Jack's Plastic Welding sells, the Pak Cats...

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Originally Posted by RootSkier

As long as you are OK with swimming in that gnarlier water.

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Hear that. Re-took my swiftwater cert two weeks ago and was again humbled by the river. I will never run gnarly water. I'm man enough to know I ain't man enough.

IKs are great. I have two, a Sotar and a Lynx II, Both are very different boats but I would recommend either.
I bought the Lynx II thinking it would be OK to use solo and Tandem but it's a little too big and the waterlines too long to be a good WW boat. I'm not saying it' a bad boat (I've run Boulder drop in it), it's just not going to turn as quickly as a solo boat. I've used it solo to do overnight trips and it's great for that, it will haul a ton of gear and still leave lots of room to paddle comfortably. You sit a little higher in the Lynx making your center of gravity higher but it's width makes it a very stable boat. I've added thigh straps for both paddlers, extra seat straps (to move the seat around easily) and a removable foam footblock (for paddling solo).
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/f...g?t=1245688733
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/f...Run2010011.jpg
I really like my Sotar, The hull has a continous rocker that lets it turn much faster and ride over waves instead of punching thru them. It's narrower than the Aire and you sit lower in the water (but your ass is still above the water) making it a very stable boat.
Stilettos (not the ones made by Star) are another good boat to look at, they have a foam floor so they take up more room but they are probaby the best performing boats made (with Sotar number 2). Thier pointy bow punches thru waves and they surf almost as well as a hardshell.

>>They do allow you to run a little more gnarlier water than you would feel comfortable in a hardshell.<<

In my opinion, this is absolutely wrong, I guess it depends on how good of a kayaker you are. That being said, I love my Lynx II and paddle that far more now than my hardshell. It's not really for gnarly water though, you will get knocked out of the IK in many more situations than a hardshell. I find it far more comfy though and it's far better for overnighters and long days and it carries a hellovalot more beer. We take 'em down the Forks of the Kern at low water:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...amesCarson.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...amesVortex.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4.../Confusion.jpg
For fishing, it absolutely rocks cuz it's silent and comfy and you can put your bow paddler right into the perfect position for fly fishing under that shady tree. The Lynx II is good for both single and double occupancy and is easy to rearrange the seats.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...n/IMG_2074.jpg

Sooooo....planning on breaking the helmet out once you hit Lake Isabella? :rolleyes::cool::eek:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4.../Confusion.jpg

D'OH!

Well, that's Joe...he's on his own...;)

You know what, I have to rethink the whole gnarly water thing, too. When I was on my best kayak game, I was MUCH safer in a kayak than an IK. But now that I'm older and less confident in my roll, I paddle the IK in more situations just because if I fall out I can just jump back in, like someone else said earlier. But if I know I'm going to go paddle the gnarl at big water, I can bust through holes and big waves, or avoid them altogether, far better in the hardshell.

But usually, if the guys are going to go paddle the gnarl at big water, I just stay home. :p:frown::eek:

Get the inflatables, Sean. I have very limited kayak/canoe experience, particularly in whitewater, but had an f'n blast in one on the North Umpqua last year. Ease of transport and storage is a plus.

Inflatables are great.

I have a shredder, which is ever better but a bitch to R1.

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Originally Posted by tenex198

If you have any question about boats

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Yeah when are you gonna come over here and run the Gally/ Bear-Trap with me so I can try that fucker out?

Huh? We're waitin on ya there Guy!

I guess my choice of using the word "gnarly" has thrown some off. In my days of running hardshells I never really had a great roll on balance, which made bigger runs impossible. The IK is just a little more stable for me than when I used to paddle a hardshell. They also allow people with minimal paddling skills to get on the water with out all the extra work that comes along with a hardshell.


Lexi, I will be in town this weekend, which boat do you want to try? Shoot me a pm.

Right on, and in that case you are totally right. But in those photos I posted the water is flowing about 300 cfs, the ducky's are fine at that flow. But if the water is flowing over about 600 cfs you would be a fool to take a ducky down that run. The local kayaker studs run it up to 7000-8000 cfs...I conveniently have to go snowboarding that weekend, thank you very much.

edited cuz I just heard a story of them running it at 8 grand!

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Originally Posted by tenex198

They also allow people with minimal paddling skills to get on the water with out all the extra work that comes along with a hardshell.

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Like learning to read the river? Just like fat skis + JONGs in the backcountry. :fmicon:

I think a couple of questions will help decide if an IK is right for you:

1. Are you a chick being dragged onto the river by her gnarly boating boyfriend?

2. Are you gay?

If you answered yes to either, IK's are right for you.

(I'm kidding. They are pretty practical, but you've got to make fun of them)

Lava must be easy class 3 and this guy is gay and a chick.???

Have a lynx 2 and love it, good for a lot of possible types of river trips, ocean, & lakes. but if I lived in Whitefish would go back to whitewater canoeing...although packing into the Bob or running some of the more mellow creeks would be really fun with the ik. If you want to be more connected to the ik you can get thigh straps.

What's wrong with an IK? I know it lets some people boat who are otherwise terrified of being upside down in a hardshell.

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Originally Posted by AsheanMT

^^^Nice!! That looks exactly like the kind of stuff I wanna use them for. Whats the tandem like when paddling by yourself w/ or w/out gear?

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2 person lynx paddles great as a one person, and gives you a lot of room for gear

Or you could always go the Jacks Plastic route...

http://www.jpwinc.com/images/falls.jpg

These things are a ball :the_finge, although I prefer R2

I kayak but also have an old momentum self bailing duckie to loan to non kayaking friends. it is the bomb for newbies.

Those who don't/can't kayak can always paddle a ducky. They are forgiving and don't take an hour to set up like a typical raft.

the down side is that that they are cold and wet, plus you will swim, but that is part of boating.

I don't recommend walmart duckies on the alpine section of the snake at high water, but having said that: Here's a couple walmart duck pics at lunch counter @ 20k.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...e/IMG_0778.jpg

Nice air bracehttp://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...ye/ducky-1.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...nye/ducky2.jpg

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Originally Posted by Summit

What's wrong with an IK? I know it lets some people boat who are otherwise terrified of being upside down in a hardshell.

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i.e. gay.

I kid, I really do kid. I used to kayak a lot in the east. No serious boater would dare paddle ducky back there. But, the rivers are different in the west, and there are a lot more boaters who are just interested in getting out there to enjoy a day on the river, whereas, in the east, I think it's more of an ego thing. If you're not handpaddling the upper blackwater in a playboat, you're considered a pussy (exagerration).

The only downside of a ducky is that you just don't get that carvy nimble feeling on the water, which is my favorite thing about kayaking. But they're are fine for just getting down class 3-4.

Here's some of our local IKers getting down some class 3 drops
http://riverlog.blogspot.com/2006/06...-and-limp.html

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Originally Posted by refried

Here's some of our local IKers getting down some class 3 drops
http://riverlog.blogspot.com/2006/06...-and-limp.html

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Sweet stuff! I see they're using knee straps...I assume there are also foot pegs on those duckies too? From what I've heard, if you've got a decent pair of straps and pegs, you should be able to roll those things.

I think thigh straps and footpegs or block of foam is absolutely necessary for any IK, without them you have no way to stay in the boat. Fish (the one making the big drop) can roll an IK,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA2hV...layer_embedded
but he can walk on water too
http://www.professorpaddle.com/media...p?File_Id=4468

Last week on The Forks, a singleblade paddle makes a ducky much more interesting:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james1.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james2.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james3.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james5.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james4.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james6.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james7.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...man/james8.jpg
In this last shot, you see the rock outcropping that's just behind James' boat? We call that "The Thing", when the water is up that thing creates this massive swirling vortex of spooky funnywater that's scary as shit. You get a 14' oar boat caught in that thing you better have brought lunch cuz you're gonna be there for a while.

cool photos

Flaskman, what length of singleblade are you using with your duckie? I am really tempted to give it a try.

Some say the shorter the better, but I've seen some that are just too damn short. I bought a Werner bandit, the shortest one they have is a 54" and that's what I got...I love that paddle.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.a...35&deptid=1117

James, the guy in the photos above, customized an old rafting paddle by cutting down the shaft and reinstalling the handle grip. Short cuz you are often in shallow water and in tight rocks and a long one is just a pain in the ass. Also, a shorter one is better to do crossover strokes and not get hung up on the ducky.

I don't know if you have been following my dilemma on this, but I resisted this change for a long time. It was actually very much the same situation as me resisting the change from skiing to snowboarding. But all my superior paddling friends were adamant about it and I had to give in and give it a try...now I'm sold. So even though a kayak paddle is superior technology and has the advantage of having blades on both sides, once your C1 skills get better and you get used to a single blade, you'll never go back. My kayaking buddies all get together and hike in to the headwaters of the Kern River and singleblade down with quite a bit of gear strapped to the front and back and spend almost a week camping along the way. It forces you to learn to read the water more and plan ahead more, and that has helped my kayaking skills along the way as an added benefit. The only time it really sucks is going against a strong wind...that just plain sucks, but as your C1 skills get better it's managable. If you are like me, it's not something you will like the first time, just like snowboarding, but if you give it a few chances you will catch on pretty quickly and people will notice and you will be a better paddler.

A big advantage of the ducky: it is light enough to easily rollerblade to the put in while carrying one.

Have been boating in IK's for years. Self supported trips down Middle fork of Salmon, southfork salmon, selway and owyee. Aire lynx I is my preferred boat(mine is 12yrs old) Use drybag as seatback, lace river straps everywhere to secure gear. Flip ready. Thigh straps required though. Makes paddling much easier in whitewater. Aire boats are also quite light and bomber. Great for running low in low flow conditions that rafts cannot.

duckies are lots of fun, especially if you wanna take someone else boating
there are many paddlers that own duckies and only use em occasionally. you can run anything in them!
i wish i had one, but they are too expensive for my thin wallet!
low vol creeks and multiday trips are a cinch with ik's

The ride...
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...an/Booger1.jpg

The victim...
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/Flaskman/fish1.jpg
That was just the biggest one...it was another good day in the ducky.

I got an Innova Safari and love it! I got it for the convenience, but it's really a lot of fun. I'm in Illinois and get to paddle class 1 & 2 (occasionally 3), and it's fine for that. It has a removable skeg so it tracks ok on flatwater. Holds plenty of beer.