Kayaking - Part 1 - Selecting the Boat

July 11, 2012 - Item#46 - 4 down, 56 to go...

Background:
Even if it was only on the Tempe Town Lake and there was lots of airplane noise, I loved kayaking in Arizona.  I had a kayak that I could mount on my SUV by myself.  It weighed around 40lbs.  However, I sold that kayak before we moved to Hawaii in 2007.

Hawaii:
Although I was a little reluctant to a buy 58lb kayak, Scott and I bought two ocean kayaks. Unfortunately for me, I needed a second person to move the boat.  Scott did not love the sport as much as me.  I was lucky if we went out once a month! And when we did go out, he was bored with the calm waters that I wanted to travel and I was scared of the big waves he wanted to ride! Not exactly a compatible kayak outing.  So, add the ordeal of loading the boats into the trailer, strapping them down and then reversing the activity at the beach, only to pack them up less than an hour later and then unpack, clean and store when we got home. We just didn't kayak much.  I longed for my kayaking days in Arizona with a lighter kayak that I could handle alone...

I liked the calm waters, Scott the waves...

Prescott:

Lynx Lake, Prescott, AZ

When moving back to the mainland in early 2011, I wanted to be near water so I could use a kayak.  Luckily Prescott has some small man made lakes that fit the requirement; the largest are Watson Lake, Willow lake, and Lynx Lake.  However, little did I know that, except for Wednesdays, you have to pay a $2 - $5 parking fee to use the lakes!  OMG, better start a kayak fund...



The Boat:
I recently purchased an inflatable kayak; Advanced Elements "AE1017 Advancedframe Sport".
Length: 10'5" Width: 32" Weight: 26 lbs. Mx. Wt.: 250 lbs. 

I have been searching for a kayak used or new since I moved to Prescott over a year ago.  The two main criteria to be considered: weight and portability.  I only had knowledge of hard shelled kayaks.

At first I thought I would purchase a rack for my Prius and I did at $450+!  However, I took it back.  The slopped back end of the Prius and the Bluetooth antenna did not lend itself to sliding a hard shelled kayak onto a roof rack.  Thule makes a pretty slick side loading rack at close to $600 and you still need to have a roof rack, ouch!  As a result, I started to look for alternatives.  Perhaps a trailer to haul it?

I did purchase a small trailer to haul green waste and thought it could double as a kayak hauler.  However, most kayaks are too long and would stick out beyond the 3ft allowable limit.  I probably could have built a homemade rack.  In addition the selection of kayaks 40lbs or less is very limited.  So, I began to look for more alternatives especially inflatables.

Years ago I did buy an Sevylor inflatable kayak and took it on our houseboat trips to Lake Powell.  It was more of a plaything then a serious kayak which tracks well in the water and is durable.  Years later, to my surprise, inflatables have come a long way baby!  Prices are still high then I would like, but I purchased the kayak and paddle on ebay for $369 with free shipping.  I was happy, now to test drive it!

AE1017 Special Features:
Hull Design: Built-in aluminum ribs define the bow and stern and improve tracking.
Durable: 3 layers of material for extreme puncture resistance.
Easy To Set Up: Simply unfold, inflate, and attach the seat.
Style: Looks and paddles similar to a rigid hard-shell kayak, with the portability of an inflatable.
Compact: No roof rack needed! Pack in the trunk of your car or fly it to remote destinations.

I received the boat about two weeks ago and it is still siting in the box.  I have been waiting for a dual action pump which I just received.  I could not find one locally!?!  Bottom line, I need to take this baby for a test spin!