These are not your ordinary inflatable kayaks… they are made from much higher quality materials, and can be inflated to much higher pressures. That means they stay the shape they’re intended to be, rather than turning into a banana!
The key to it is the dropstitch floor, essentially the same stuff as is used to make inflatable paddleboards. Once inflated a lot of passers-by confuse it for a solid insert, which it isn’t – it still rolls up when deflated – but has much the same effect. Add to that the tough side tubes, made from the same material as RIBs, and excellent supportive seats, and you have a really good inflatable kayak.
By really good we mean one that’s actually decent to paddle, and is tough enough to last for many years of use.
An ever-increasing percentage of our customers now use them instead of a yacht tender, because they roll up smaller than any dinghy and there’s no need for an outboard motor. The Aquaglide Chelans are also very stable, important when you’re climbing down into them from a larger vessel. In the right hands they’re surprisingly capable sea boats even in quite a chop, with massive reserves of buoyancy… but that’s not to say they can’t also be used for general messing about on the local river!
There are three sizes:
– the one-person 120
– the two-person 140, which can also be set up as a very spacious single
– the three-person (or at least 2 plus a little one) 155, which a lot of people buy as a spacious double
You do pay more for the quality and design, but these inflatable kayaks are not to be confused with “middle aisle” supermarket specials… they shouldn’t even be called the same thing in our opinion!
Special Offer Boat Show Prices from £750.
