I hooked up with some work friend (Tom and Ron) for a 2 hour kayak outing this morning on Elliott Bay. We met at Alki at around 5:15am and we were on the water by 5:30am. We paddled around Duwamish Head past Seacrest Marina and Salty’s and came back around some barges. We didn’t see any seals or sea lions but we got up close to a few barges and otherwise had a great morning.
This was the second time I took out the inflatable kayak. Tom has an Eddyline and Ron has a Perception – so I was definitely the slow one in the group. So what do I think of the new inflatable?
- Easy to transport and setup. I’m ready to be in the water in about 15 minutes – not bad.
- Very, very stable. This has to be the most stable kayak I’ve ever paddled.
- Fairly comfortable, however it is a little tight in the foot well.
- Not quick but definitely not a slow poke either. I didn’t cause too much angst amoung my fellow paddlers. In fact, I think they enjoyed the breaks they got as I caught up.
- This time I didn’t pack it back into the bag afterwards. Instead I washed the kayak off at home and it’s on our front deck drying off. I need to keep it from smelling (thanks for the tip Jeff).
- I need to get a few things: paddle leash, bilge pump, paddle float, rope, better footwear, and some other clothing.
And for some photos…
Sunrise looking out toward the Space Needle.
Not lager?!?
Tom taking photos and trying not to fall over.
Ron heading for the mountains.
Update: Picture of Ron and Paul taken by Tom…
