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Old 04-07-2014, 06:25 PM   #1
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New kayak outing with the SMB

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!


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Old 04-07-2014, 06:59 PM   #2
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

Eric and Kristie, good looking kayak. Looks like you had some fun on the lake. Did you let Kristie in the boat? I didn't see any pictures of her showing off her paddling skills.

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Old 04-07-2014, 07:22 PM   #3
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

Quote:
Originally Posted by MKRyan
Eric and Kristie, good looking kayak. Looks like you had some fun on the lake. Did you let Kristie in the boat? I didn't see any pictures of her showing off her paddling skills.

Mike
Lol. Oh yeah, she paddled too! She loved it. She did not expect it to be stable and comfy.
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Old 04-07-2014, 08:19 PM   #4
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

I have the same boat and love it. I am looking forward to my first trip in The Yeti that I take the boat with me. It works really well as a solo fishing rig as well.

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Old 04-07-2014, 08:32 PM   #5
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

Great score, I want one! Oh, I'll also take a 4 person RZR!!
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Old 04-08-2014, 06:44 AM   #6
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

^^^ ha, x2 on the rzr!!

cool setup! weve never really got out on the water and have been halfassidly looking at rafts like that fella on the tv show motion uses. i think new they range from 4-600 bucks depending on where you look and he claims they only weigh 6 lbs. now ill have to reasearch these a little more, lol. how small of a package will it compress into, and roughly how much does it weigh when it isnt aired up? are they rated for any whitewater at all?

wife and i hiked to some hot springs a few years back. temps in town were hitting triple digits, so we left at sunup and enjoyed the springs till about 8:30-9 when it started getting warm out. i had stashed a few car innertubes in my pack and busted them out as we were working out the springs. wife looked at me like wtf are those for? i told her we were floating the river out. she gave me the your crazy look. it took us forever to fill those things with a mt bike pump, but it was worth it. going from natural hotsprings with hotness bubbling from the sand to spring runoff was rough at first, but once i was able to lower me twig and berries in the icebath we were good to go. it was a very relaxing 3 mile float out. didnt see one person the entire way. weve longed for something similar again ever since. whether it be another river float, or a paddle to the back of a lake.

oh, and i spy a e39....one of my favorite bodystyles evar
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Old 11-02-2014, 03:57 PM   #7
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

My wife & I purchased 2 Advanced Elements - Strait Edge single kayaks this past summer. We've been very impressed with how durable they are as well as ease of set up and repacking. It's great to be able to get out on the water. We use a four piece carbon fiber paddle so it can be packed with the raft small enough to also take as baggage on the airlines. We also use a small folding anchor that allowed us to paddle out to ocean kelp beds and snorkel dive. The raft is stable enough to easily get back into after swimming. We stow our kayaks in a Thule roof pod on top of the van and carry a 4 ft. step ladder in the back of the van to access the roof pod - works good.
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Old 11-03-2014, 04:14 PM   #8
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

Really nice to have a kayak in a Sportsmobile, isn't it? I had the occasion to test the same you bought about one year ago and I confirm: they are really stable, even with only one in a double kayak. Great deal man!
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Old 11-03-2014, 06:05 PM   #9
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Re: New kayak outing with the SMB

"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." says the Water Rat, from The Wind in the Willows.

And one might say the same for messing around with SMB's...
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