Inflatable canoe advice » Reviews http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com First-hand experience of buying and using an inflatable canoe. Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:33:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Sevylor Colorado v Stearns Backcountry: Battle of the boats http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/sevylor-colorado-v-stearns-backcountry-battle-of-the-boats/ http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/sevylor-colorado-v-stearns-backcountry-battle-of-the-boats/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:00:33 +0000 canoefan http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/?p=31 Most popular inflatable canoes of 2008

Sevylor Colorado vs Stearns Backcountry
The Sevylor Colorado and the Stearns backcountry seem to be the most popular inflatable canoes of this season. Both seem to be well made and stable, and aimed at the same market. They are both well-suited for rivers or coasts and are ideal for beginners.

So which inflatable canoe is right for you?

Watch this video, then decide.

Credit: timsayers

So what will it be?

Sevylor Colorado or Stearns backcountry

]]> http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/sevylor-colorado-v-stearns-backcountry-battle-of-the-boats/feed/ 0 The stability of inflatable canoes http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/the-stability-of-inflatable-canoes/ http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/the-stability-of-inflatable-canoes/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:02:28 +0000 canoefan http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/?p=16 This is a well-shot film showing the unpacking and use of a Stearns Backcountry inflatable canoe.

I love the lingering shots of the seat buckles. It’s all very detailed! It’s worth having a look at 1:30 in, if you have any doubts about the stability of inflatable canoes.

]]> http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/the-stability-of-inflatable-canoes/feed/ 0 Whitewater video of inflatable canoe http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/whitewater-video-of-inflatable-canoe/ http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/whitewater-video-of-inflatable-canoe/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:44:22 +0000 canoefan http://www.eaitken.co.uk/inflatablecanoes/?p=12 When inflatable canoes first came onto the market, I thought they were a bit gimmicky. I saw the first one when I was on holiday in Florida, and was very tempted to buy it there and then. I resisted – partly because I thought it would probably be flimsy and unreliable. I don’t remember what make it was, but it was a bright yellow 2 person canoe.

I might have been right about the quality of inflatable canoes at the time – I’ll never know. This video shows that they are certainly not flimsy now. (Note: this is not me – they’re far more compentent than I am!)

Very solid, and manoeverable – this canoe looks like it was built to last. It seems to be a Gumotex Baraka, which is one of the larger canadian-style inflatable canoes on the market.

]]> http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/whitewater-video-of-inflatable-canoe/feed/ 0 What can you do with inflatable canoes? http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/what-can-you-do-with-inflatable-canoes/ http://www.inflatablecanoesonline.com/2008/08/what-can-you-do-with-inflatable-canoes/#comments Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:27:30 +0000 canoefan http://www.eaitken.co.uk/inflatablecanoes/?p=3 There has huge progress in the development of inflatable canoes in recent years. Nowadays inflatable canoes such as the market-leading Colorado seem to be capable of everything that a hardshell can. But it is worth keeping in mind that you still get what you pay for. Here’s what paddling.net has to say about them:

Are inflatables costly? No more so than many canoes and kayaks. The cheapest boats usually have unreinforced vinyl tubes. They’re great beach toys for good swimmers. Period. Better boats have Hypalon-coated fabric tubes or encapsulated air-cells. These are more expensive, but they’re a lot stronger, too, and they’re still no more costly than even the cheapest folding kayaks. As an added bonus, better-quality inflatables withstand higher inflation pressures. Higher pressure means greater rigidity, and rigidity translates into easier paddling and better control.

It’s a useful reminder that if you are intending to do more than amuse yourself for a couple of hours at the beach, it’s worth doing your research.

On that note, here are some of the basics you should be looking for in an inflatable canoe if you are considering it as a serious alternative to a hardbody canoe.

  • How much weight to you want to carry – even 2 person boats vary quite a lot in what they can handle.
  • Do you need room for storage, e.g. camping equipment?
  • Are you going to use it for whitewater, sea, or still water?
  • Is speed or stability your main priority?

Some recommendations, from a browse of the reviews:
Streamlined paddling on rivers or lakes: Stearns Spree 2-Person Inflatable Kayak for paddling on river or lakes
Whitewater and for those looking for stability: Sea Eagle 340 Inflatable Kayak
All-round favourite: Sevylor Colorado Inflatable Canoe

Whatever you want to do with your canoe, it seems like there should be something out there to meet your needs.

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