Inflatable tandem Kayak to fit in a Class C

[ed holly]

I would highly recommend a Intex Explorer K2 Kayak. Very stable in rough water. Everything needed comes with it.

[tomden2]

Originally Posted by ransil

I picked up a sea eagle inflatable last year, have not taken it out to test it, reviews say they are good.

My wife and I have been using a Sea Eagle for the past 4-5 years. No problems. Any quality inflatable should work.

[gozierdt]

I had the Advanced Elements 15' Tandem inflatable. It paddled very well, but it was a PIA to set up, and it weighted 52 lbs (heavier if you went with the drop-stitched floor). I returned it.


I bought the Sea Eagle FastTrack 385FT Inflatable tandem Kayak (12' 6"). I think it's the same one Kamani74 has. It weights 32 lbs, and paddles 95% as well as the Advanced Elements 15'. We've been very happy with it. I can handle the 32 lbs much easier than 52 lbs. I find it's faster to set up and take down also.

[Streamintrip]

Originally Posted by Vtwin996

We have a 25ft Minnie Winnie Class C pulling a 2 dr Jeep Wrangler. We have 2 kayaks, a 10ft and a 12ft. Originally we planned to carry the kayaks on the Jeep with a Garvin rack system but after installing it, we find that loading the kayaks on top of the Jeep is just not going to work. We are in our 70s, I have a shoulder problem and wife doesn't have the strength to assist.
We have decided to investigate an inflatable tandem 2 man kayak.
Does anyone have experience with one of these? We are somewhat limited in space in the storage area of the class C and would like to keep the weight down to something reasonable.

We have a SeaEagle Fast Track 385 which is a great inflatable. A newly- designed kayak just announced last year. For an inflatable, it is very advanced. It is a 3 person deal, but we have two of their upmarket seats and go out with 2 Corgis amidships!

seaeagle.com/fasttrackkayaks/385ft

[GScott423]

I didn’t read all 4 pages of reply’s so sorry if this is repeat. We were where you are and loading the 2 kayaks was a bummer. We bought a FAST high pressure Razorlite from SeaEagle. It is 16’ and barely 35#s. I can paddle it as a long solo or my wife and I tandem. It is not cheap but quality is worth it. Also it was a bit of an adjustment as it is a bit skittish compared to our short boats.

[Hygge]

I had an Aire brand inflatable, quality wise, they can’t be beat. The material is like what you find on the professional guide boats.
I had a storage backpack made for kayaks, I think it may have been NRS brand. I thought the amount of room it took for a tandem was pretty reasonable.

[jimmoore13]

Inflatables are terrific - in their own right.

An inflatable SUP. Terrific. They are pumped to high pressure (ever see that workout on the shore?), and they are rigid and sturdy.

Kayaks?...depends.
A good inflatable has a ballistic nylon shell - similar to that of a towable wave skimmer. The inflatable bladder is contained within the tough nylon shell.

A good inflatable has good, hard-shell seats. Inflatable seats stink. The gunwales on a good inflatable are smooth so they won't chafe your forearms as you paddle. Good inflatables have all attachment points attached to the ballistic nylon shell...not to the fragile bladder where torque threatens to tear the bladder apart.

A good inflatable has a bladder that can stand reasonably high pressures. 1.5 to 2 PSI isn't enough to ensure decent rigidity. There's nothing quite like a boat that bends in the middle.

In my opinion, if you're serious about kayaking, keep your hard shells. They are infinitely faster and more agile than any affordable inflatable, and in the end, the hassle of inflation, setup, tear-down and deflation will substantially offset the hassle of loading and unloading hard shells on a roof rack. Not to mention that a good inflatable...one that has a chance of living up to your expectations...will cost $700 and up.

For years I toted a 14' Mad River Passage https://www.ebay.com/i/113892725195?...hoCjCcQAvD_BwE canoe on the roof of my Ram 1500 Crew Cab using removable racks https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a rope from the bow and stern to the front tow hooks and rear hitch to stabilize it. It was solid enough up there to withstand 60 MPH and off roading to get to the lake. I sold the canoe because, at age 71, it was a beast for me to load alone (about 78 pounds), and I bought an inflatable kayak, because it was light (35 lb) and compact (fits in a big duffel). We've used it exactly 3 times in 2 years...and we camp on a lake ever single weekend. (below)

In my experience, selling the canoe was a mistake. I don't have a great inflatable kayak, but even the good ones don't hold a candle to a real boat.
My suggestion? Put a rack on the Wrangler, and tote your kayaks there.

[jimmoore13]

And PS: Like to fish? Think about fishhooks. 'Nuff said.

[davet911]

My wife and I (early and mid 60s) bought a Aquaglide chelan HB tandem XL several years age. We have padded it all over Oregon, Washington, Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon. It is stable, easy to handle, easy to get into and out of, and, because of the hard inflated bottom, almost as efficient as a hard boat of similar dimensions. We like it so much that we bought another so we could take grandkids along. We use a 12 volt inflator that Aquaglide sells to inflate and deflate. Pumped it up once by hand...ordered 12 volt pump the next day. Bought ours from Airkayaks.com. Lots of great info on their website and they are wonderful on the phone. They will answer all of your questions. Wonderful customer service as well.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by GScott423

I didn’t read all 4 pages of reply’s so sorry if this is repeat. We were where you are and loading the 2 kayaks was a bummer. We bought a FAST high pressure Razorlite from SeaEagle. It is 16’ and barely 35#s. I can paddle it as a long solo or my wife and I tandem. It is not cheap but quality is worth it. Also it was a bit of an adjustment as it is a bit skittish compared to our short boats.

This looks like a first class inflatable. Built much like an inflatable SUP.
At a kilobuck for one person or $1300 for tandem - https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Eagle-Raz...F60MHEB85XQFN7 - , it's rather pricey, but you get what you pay for in this case. I also suspect it would paddle and perform much like a hard-shell.

Add a decent 12 volt air pump, to save the low-pressure portion of inflation exercise, and it would be a very good option.

Sticking to my guns on the hard-shell preference, Old Town has a line of hard-shell tandems beginning at a kilobuck and a particularly sweet one for <$1500. https://oldtowncanoe.johnsonoutdoors...-plus?id=20586 That's not a recommendation as much as an illustration. There are many top brands of hard-shells to choose from.

I confess that I haven't read every comment, and somewhere in the thread, the OP may justify a boat in a bag vs one on a rooftop carrier on that Jeep in tow.

One must have for any hard-shell: https://www.sportsmansguide.com/prod...0aAsTqEALw_wcB Some variation on one of these along with a proper ratchet strap to hold it securely, and you can load your canoe or kayak far from shore and use it to portage all your beach gear to the water's edge. The straps generally included with these, shall we say, suck. But a ratchet strap through any fixed object on the boat, like a thwart, hole in the folding seat back and so on, snugged down tightly enough to slightly compress the boat hull, will hold the wheel frame in place so well that you can climb stairs with it. I pulled my canoe over rocky, stepped terrain many times with mine, and the canoe was usually filled with a cooler, folding chairs, folding table, and my two small dogs. Easy peasy.

In the spot in the photo, the RV and TV are uphill another 10 feet vertically, with a rather steep descent down to the beach area in the photo. The descent is rocky and uneven with exposed roots. The carrier makes short work of transport up and down.

I've made my case for hard-shells, but I truly understand why others would want an inflatable. Good luck with your choice.

[vincee]

Here's another option that I thought about one time: https://pakayak.com/#video.

I guess the reason my DW and I didn't look into these further was the price, $1295 each. To me though the look like a better option than an inflatable.

[ColoradoGo]

Hands down get an inflatable.

We travel with an Aire Tributary 2 man inflatable and LOVE it. Easy to pump up, breaks down small, we are fully comfortable in class 3 water and also tracks well on flat water.

[ColoradoGo]

PS.....don't go for the cheapest one you can find. A quality inflatable is money well spent.

[Podivin]

Originally Posted by orangeminnie

Podivin: We bought the same model but haven't used it yet. How do you transport it (eg: bag, box etc) and how long does it take to deflate and stow? thanks!

I got tired of trying to stuff it back into its bag, so I just fold it and put it in one of the basement areas of the RV.

I've never actually timed it, but I'd say about 20 minutes to get it all set up and ready to go - that includes strapping it to a set of kayak wheels so that I can walk it down to the water.
Deflate and disassembly is faster, but only after it's dried. You don't want to store it wet or it gets a bit mildewy smelling.