Well, this is mostly just an excuse to share about a new toy. We finally got something we've wanted for a long time, an Advanced Elements tandem kayak. I've read several threads on here from people who really love these things, but I honestly didn't think it would be as good as it is. I was able to score one only used about 4 times on CL with paddles. We already had everything else we needed since we have canoed for a long time. Problem is, I have no interest in loading a heavy old Grumman aluminum canoe on top of Rusty, way too high and too much trouble.
Here is the navigator checking it out in the driveway right after I brought it home
We had a nice Spring Sunday and decided to try it out at a new place I found on Google Maps. The goal was to to picnic, get away from the house in the van, and practice setting this up, trying it out and packing it up. Setup was really easy with the pump AE sells. The pump is huge and moves some air! I was instantly impressed with how stable and sturdy this boat is for an inflatable.
My son loved it so I can see a lot of paddling with him this Summer, and another goal was to see if I could get both kids on the water comfortably. It worked great.
This is way more comfortable than our canoe, even attempting 3 people! The kids probably like it because they are faced away from eachother. It has a 500 lb. capacity so the three of us were no problem, at least for a couple more years.
We even tried our first obstacle, slipping under the dock
Overall, I'm real impressed with how this thing moves through the water, and the fact that I can stow it on the roof or inside the back doors. It's a sweet addition to the van. Here's an action photo of Rusty in the wild as well
Fun day, but hoping it warms up soon here!