Recently took mine to the Gulf of Mexico and had similar waves. Not what I'd call dangerous, but a lot of fun. Paddled down to a pier where I saw a large green sea turtle, an even larger stingray, and some gnarly looking jellyfish. Was a 2.5 mile trip. Easy getting there, but fought the current the whole way back. Super fun.
These are lots of fun I have a k2 kayak yellow and this k1 single and I take them to Lake Erie Canada and it is awesome on the waves lol no waves means no fun. You need to use the skeg or you will have problems steering specially the single kayak. Steering the inflatables is very different than a rigid kayak as you have to let the kayak float within the water and use the waves to move you to where you want to go as most people will want to push the boat to where they are going. This does not work on inflatables as they flex so you have to make precise movements especially when trying to escape the beach are to get further away, a good trick is to ride the waves out by timing their movement so you can get in front of it. It takes time and learn your row and turn techniques.
Actually In some cases I prefer an inflatable over a rigid. The inflatables are more flat so they do not turn over easily. We had a 16 foot Canoe but had to get rid of it due to the rolling back and fourth on any slight movement since the bottom was not flat enough. No more canoes for me lol . Kayaks are the way to go. I did get some crazy stares in Lake Erie as people were wondering WTF is he going way out there on rubber dingy LOL. Shoot I used to use one of those $10 boats and used to fish with it at Pinnery Park now that was hilarious as people always commented "Look WTF this dude is fishing in a toy boat " LMFAO.
Danfuerth Gillis Fair enough I did find that the inflatables were more easy and quicker to paddle got to admit I did have my fun in it but when I was out in the ocean and I realized that I was deflating it just put me off lol cool story anyways I had a lot of people saying WTF is that I'm sure that your inflatable is a lot safer then my old one
Thanks, the new inflatables have very hard material PVC so it can take a beating. Years ago I used to fish in the Pinnery Provincial Park with those cheap inflatable boats ( about $9.99 ) and they had no multiple chambers. So when people on Rented Canoes passed by they were always thinking oh that dude is smart and does not want to pay $40/ hour for a rental Canoe. I fished there 6 times on that same boat and never had a leak and that river there has bark and tree trunks in the water. it's just a matter of not being silly with what you have like getting your hook caught on the main Chamber LOL.
is k2 more stable? since its able to carry more weight if first seat is removed? please let me know. i want to get a kayak. someone said its good for taller people, k1 is too small. thanks
You're using a kayak for purposes way outside of it's designed purpose. That's kind of like taking a bicycle to the drag strip and then saying it's a horrible bicycle because it doesn't drag race very fast. For what it is actually designed to do, it seems to do pretty well according to people who use it properly. I wouldn't take anything less than a k2 out in water like that, and even then probably not. A Seahawk would probably be the smartest choice for those conditions.
Thx for posting this vid. I'm thinking about buying one of these as my very first kayak. I'm an absolute novice so I may be wrong but let me ask you...should I purchase a longer paddle? It looks to me like this one is just barely long enough to clear each side as you stroke. Or am I way off here?
steveh88 this paddle is fine but if you think you need a bigger one then fair enough also recommend not buying this kayak go for something more stronger
steveh88 the original paddle is a joke, I've my broken on a first ride (calm river). K1 is much stable than any rigid kayaks. only downside - not good for strong wind (too light and hull sits high exposed over the water surface)
I got the Intex excursion pro k2 and it came with the same paddles, lots of wobble in them because they are 5 pieces to make the paddle and the blade is super flimsy so you can't get any power behind your stroke, the blade bends. First thing I did was buy a longer paddle with stiff blades.
I use mine in the sea,long a syou know how to manuevere/ride the waves,you should be o.k.,but,be aware of the conditions at all times,obviously.I bought mine for the express purpose of enjoyment,paddling in calm waters,the scenery,quiet,etc,so.I hardly take it out in turbulent weather,having said that,enjoy
Helms Christ I think that’d be a right fit for you and would recommend getting a two seater inflatable kayak. They’re not much more money. And more room
Yeah, just imagine a shark coming along. I mean, you can get away with using this in calm areas, but I wouldn't push it. These Kayaks are not that much safer than a pool toy.
I have done some sea trips on my wavesport scooter (solid plastic) and the wave conditions would test that. You are in an inflatable kayak and a cheap one at that. They are at best made for calm waters, canals, lakes and slow rivers. When kayaking you have to consider the dangers and use some common sense. I would think that landing the K1 on the beach was really dangerous.
OP mentioned in another comment that the bottom ripped when he landed it. I mean, yeah - its not designed for either surf/ocean conditions or coming onto a rocky beach. One good wave hit would have swamped it. In theory, a higher-end inflatable rated for surf with a spray skirt attachment may be able to handle it, but the K1 is at the opposite end of that scale.
I bought one. When used properly, it's perfect. Yours sucked because you didn't take care if it. People who don't try them say it's crap too. I love mine. Not one problem.. Been out on the water almost 25 times. You can't man handle them...
