Kayaks for Cruisers

[PHIL+MARYANNE]

We'd like to bring 2 kayaks with us on our Manta 42. Does anyone have recommendations on folding, inflatable, hard kayaks that take up minimum space, weight, yet are stable and fun to paddle?

Also considering a small dinghy/sailor. We love lasers and bytes, but take up too much room! Any thoughts?

Cheers!
Phil & MaryAnne vS

[Charlie]

Hi P & MA

Have you looked at nesting dinghies? One of my favorites is the Spindrift. Tey a google search for Nesting dinghies and quite a few will show up. If you didn't know nesting dinghies are dinks that come apart in the middle and then nest inside each other so that they take up a little more than 1/2 the space they would if they did not nest.

[colemj]

Hi Phil & MaryAnne,

We carry a 9.5' Necky Sky kayak on our Manta 40. We lash it to the stanchions and could easily carry another. This is a stable and light kayak that is very easy to launch and retrieve (pull it right up the stern steps like a boat ramp). There are other brands with similar stability, size and weight. However, these smaller kayaks are really only good for bays and quiet waters. If you are really into kayaking you would want a longer fiberglass one, but these are heavier and would not fit aboard so readily.

Do you keep your Manta in Maine (do they even allow catamarans in Maine)? Ever get down to RI or CT? What is the name and hull # of your boat? Manta's used to be kind of rare around here, but have been showing up in numbers the past few years (there are 3 of them in Mystic CT right now!).

Mark

[PHIL+MARYANNE]

Mark,
Thanks for your comments. We have just ordered our Manta - Hull #112, due in October! We're still open to name suggestions?! Yes, I believe cats are allowed, but VERY rare here in Maine. We spotted one sneaking into portland harbor last year - Cloud 9 - Manta 42. Missed meeting owners, but MaryAnne chatted to him briefly on phone. There is also a Chris White 63' Cat Ketch!!! (Heron) that goes for 1 sail each year and otherwise sits just below our condo here in Portland. Cool boat, but a bit (lot!) too much boat for us.....

Delighted to hear there are a few Mantas in CT. (We lived in Westport for 20 years, but moved to Maine full time 2 years ago.) We'll be heading to Bahamas then up this way next summer, then back down for a Carib tour.

Happy to chat some more about your experiences - always eager to learn!
Drop me an email if you like - pmavonstade@aol.com.

Cheers!
Phil von Stade

[gosstyla]

I use a Cobra Tandem. At 12ft a little large but I believe it would fit comfortably on your boat. It is a 2 seater that is also good for one person. It also has enough carrying space to be handy at anchor when you don't feel like deploying the dinghy.

[PHIL+MARYANNE]

Thanks those who replied. Looks like a sit-on-top would probably work best, so that we can go snorkelling easily. The Cobra Tandem looks quite interesting. No rush, we have till end October to find something. We'll try a few this summer and report back!
Cheers!

[S/V Elusive]

P & Ma (my aunt's name was Mary Alice - everyone called her Ma) ... anyway .. I carry a Necky 14' single sit-on-top along with my hard dinghy on the foredeck and across the cabin top. Could put another across the top on the other side. I've seen some interesting methods of carrying Kayak - including racks/frames fitted to the outside of the lifelines. Don't know how that would work on a multi (I have a mono). As for dinghies - there is another thread with all sorts of info at: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...play.php?f=117

Good luck!

[ItchySoles]

Inflatables. Look at them before you make a final decision, especially if space is an issue. My wife and I own Innova Solars which weight 25 lbs each, rated for class III rivers and, according to the linked source, could easily last 20 years. http://www.theboatpeople.com/. This guy has excellent discussion of all inflatables. There is also an Innova Junior that weighs only 15 pounds.
Looking at sit on tops, I would recommend you also look at the Hobie pedaling kayaks. http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/index.html
Good luck in your choices. Fair winds.

[PHIL+MARYANNE]

ItchySoles,
THANKS! Very interesting websites! The inflatables look very interesting. The hobbies are 'out there'! Would love to try one, but no dealers in our area. We've got another 3 months before picking ours. You said you like your Solars - based on the website, would your recommend one of the other models for comfort, diving, bay-hopping, sun-durability if left on deck for a few days?
Cheers!
Phil

[Rick]

We live on the water and have 9 kayaks of various types. My favorite is the Pungo 100 for all-around versatility, ease of lifting and stowing and ruggedness. Sure the sea kayaks are better for long runs in the ocean but are too large and ungainly to stow onboard without special racks.

I can one-hand the two pungos onto the deck by first pulling the bow of the kayak with its painter up to the safety lines, and hual it aboard with one hand on the cockpit coaming of the kayak. One stows on the port side and one starboard nestled on its side against the forward lowers. One is red and the other blue, should have gotten a green one ha, ha!

With our good sea kayaks we are very careful going ashore to not scratch the hulls but with the Pungos we can drive right up over barnacles, etc. without much concern. These track better than other "equivalent" brands and are very stable. I recommend getting skirts to go around the cockpit if you are going to travel through waves or large wakes. The cockpit is large enough so that it is easy to get into and out of near docks or up a stern or side ladder of the boat. Sun exposure is no problem with this model whereas the higher tech model 120 is more fragile in terms of stowage and sun exposure (much more pricy as well).

These beat inflatables kayaks in a lot of ways.

[ItchySoles]

Rick made a comment about hard sided kayaks being better than inflatables in many ways. That is true. There are also advantages to inflatables. Other than to say that inflatables can be rolled up and stored in a much smaller space, I have no desire to get into a debate over the merits of each.
Phil and Mary, if you would like some discussion of merits of each, say so, and I am willing to discuss. I did a lot of research and thought before I chose my current inflatables(I definitely could have bought a hard-sided cheaper).
On Hobie kayaks, if you are really interested, this one on EBAY is located in Buxton which isn't too far from you. If you are really interested, the auction doesn't end for six days and you might be able to get them to let you try it out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HOBIE-MIRAGE-TANDEM-PEDAL-PADDLE-KAYAK_W0QQitemZ200001594249QQihZ010QQcategoryZ3612 2QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

On to your questions. I have never ridden any Innovas besides the Solar so my answers are based on the Solar and what I have read on their other kayaks. My recommendation, if you can afford the additional $170 each (all numbers based on theboatpeople.com website. By the way, I have no affiliation with them. I live near them and bought from them and like the way they do business), I would recommend the Solar II over my Solar. Comfort. They are all fairly comfortable. My grandkids have slept in them on the floor in my living room. Could actually make a nice place to sleep on deck on warm nights. When we stop on deserted beaches(California), we turn one over and lean the other one against it and use it for a very comfortable back rest.
Diving. The Solar II is 2'6" longer and 1½ wider than the Solar. It is also rated for around 400 pounds compared to about 220 for the Solar. That should make it a more stable platform. I think it will take a little work and practice with any kayak to learn to reenter them from the water.
BAY-HOPPING. The additional length should make it a little faster. Speedwise, they will not match the best hard-sided, but do pretty well. Our longest ride was nine miles (very calm slough waters). Did it in about four hours(we never hurry).
Sun Durability. They should last pretty well from what I have read. If you occasionally use the recommended UV Tech cream on them, it should help a lot. I would also recommend tossing a tarp over them when they are laying on deck. Remember, I have only owned mine for about two years and I almost never leave them in the sun except when they are in use, so what I am telling you here is based on what I have read. All their boats are made from hypalon so there should be no difference between the various models.
Additionally, the new Solar IIs are set up so you can rig them for one person using them or two persons. That means you can take someone else along if you have two of them.
At about 35 pounds each, getting them on and off your boat should be very easy.
Feel free to ask any other questions. Glad to be in an area of discussion where I can add some knowledge.
Edd Hedrick

[Polunu880]

I am looking into getting an inflatable kayak, have looks at several, but the one that has cought my eye is the airis by walker bay, no local dealers here in san diego. so I can't look at it in person first, so anybody have any experince of exposure to this new kayak?

[farotherside]

I personally wouldn't want my way back "home" to be inflatable. one encounter with a barnacle-covered rock and you're stuck swimming! I guess that's different in the summertime, but right now it's awfully cold out there.

I read a bunch of glowing reviews about the Necky Manitou kayak, and it seemed perfect for my needs... until I realized that the majority of times I row to shore, I'm carrying a bicycle in my dinghy.

[barnakiel]

Inflatables from Surveylor are OK - the ones with bladders in and canvas out. Cheap, paddle well and easy to fix if punctured (but it it is pretty difficult to puncture them.

b.

[Gordon]

We have the Airis Sport 10 and they are very tough, stable and easy to manage on and off a cat.They inflate up to 6.5PSI so very hard and material is extremely tough, bounces off the hard bits. They only weigh 9kg. and matched up with light carbon fibre paddles which pull apart for easy stowage are ideal for cruising. They inflate very quickly and the same to deflate and pack away, no hard bits to bump anywhere.