Look what I found

[Smaug]

in a local Charity shop;

folds up great too;

OK, the paddles that came with mine are pathetic broom handle & plastic ones off a kid's toy & the thing is probably almost 40 years old, but I suspect it has not been used a great deal & should fit in my roof box, possibly alongside my old Seagull featherweight. Fortunately I have a set of jointed wooden oars that will go well with it too.

I must go down to the Canal again,
The lonely cut & the sky,
I left my muddy socks there
I wonder if they're dry . . .

 

[silverweed]

Looks great. Surprising what can be found at charity shops

 

[phillybarbour]

Is that to get off the site if the area floods?

 

[Smaug]

Is that to get off the site if the area floods?

:lol-053:

Could be.

TBH, I didn't actually need another dinghy as I have an inflatable in the dinghy store at Caernarfon for access to my boat. But it was just so cute & nobody seemed to have wanted it - the price had originally been £175 & it had been reduced significantly twice. I couldn't resist the bargain.

Anyway my grand-daughter thinks it's cute too & wants to know if she can play in it at Bala this year. I'll have to make sure they don't try dragging it over the stones tho, or jumping on it when it's upside down! It ain't going to take the knocks that polyprop or grp canoes & the Laser can.

 

[stepaway]

That's awesome, I've never seen one of those before let us know how she goes on her maiden voyage.

Here's mine, got a little 4 horse mariner 2 stroke to push her along.

 

[Smaug]

Quality boats the Honwave, my rubber duck is an XM240, had it for years but not taken it landcruising, it's part of my sailing gear.

 

[Squibby]

it's the way ahead

I had a fiberglass kyayak for years it was a light weight modle so that my kids could use it, some bugger took a liking to it and nicked it from my roof rack. So i replaced it with an iflateable version, it's briliant, just have to watch the winds so the kids don't get blown away.

The kids love it as it's easyer to manover. Mostley used on lochs but also on the sea if the weather is good.

Squibby

 

[trevskoda]

had one

in a local Charity shop;

folds up great too;

OK, the paddles that came with mine are pathetic broom handle & plastic ones off a kid's toy & the thing is probably almost 40 years old, but I suspect it has not been used a great deal & should fit in my roof box, possibly alongside my old Seagull featherweight. Fortunately I have a set of jointed wooden oars that will go well with it too.

I must go down to the Canal again,
The lonely cut & the sky,
I left my muddy socks there
I wonder if they're dry . . .

had one and sold it to customer ,i run a marine biz here in n ireland i sell parsun outboards and seapro boats,the fold up you have is a good job as it an be stored on board,but do place boyancy bag in or fenders around her as it will sink like a stone ,not good for the kids.

 

[NigelT]

Inflatable kayak

Hi, looking at things watery I have roof racked canoes around for years, but finally shifted to an inflatable last year, very dubious at first but can highly recommend the Sea Eagle Fast Track, bit pricy, but inflates fast, is really tough and it's a good gear carrier. Maybe 80% efficient compared to a plastic kayak and much more stable. I got the Pro pack with nice wrap round seats that work well. My research was mostly done off a Canadian website called 'Inflatable Kayak World', that I found excellent. So, if in doubt do a bit of Googling. I got a small sail option for mine and that works nicely when I'm overcome by laziness (fairly regular with me!). I see this year it's been reeisigned with a skinnier bow, so maybe there are some bargains about.... The boat is currently stashed away in one of my van lockers and counting the days till I can get going again....if in doubt, do....Nigel T

 

[Smaug]

had one and sold it to customer ,i run a marine biz here in n ireland i sell parsun outboards and seapro boats,the fold up you have is a good job as it an be stored on board,but do place boyancy bag in or fenders around her as it will sink like a stone ,not good for the kids.

Good point, thanks.

I do have some old dinghy bags in a shed somewhere, may be a bit hard by now but worth a try. The kids are all good swimmers & will have bouancy aids so not that big a deal, they will be discouraged from going out too far. A capsized boat is no problem if it can be righted, but that swamped (even with some bouyancy) will not be rightable & probably can't even be baled.

NigelT;
I like the sail on that, but do you have any keel or leeboard to stop sideways movement? I had a small add-on sail, leeboards & rudder for an inflatable but it never really made much progress to windward & has remained packed away in the aft cabin for the last 20 years!

I often think I must get it out & set it up again as I now have a dink with smaller sponsons so the leeboards may go deeper & be more effective. But once on the boat there are always too many other more urgent or more interesting things to do.