Foldable/Inflatable Boats?

[Bravo30]

We’re looking for a foldable/inflatable recreational boating option that we can either carry inside our Sprinter van or up on the roof. We’d prefer something with minimal set up time as this would be used at the spur of the moment or if we plan to visit a lake for the afternoon. So far I’ve come across inflatable/folding canoes. They seem like solid options, especially the inflatable ones.

thoughts?

 

[Tudor Tanase]

https://www.porta-bote.com/

Highly recommended. Put a 2-3HP on it and you can go anywhere (slowly )

 

[Bravo30]

https://www.porta-bote.com/

Highly recommended. Put a 2-3HP on it and you can go anywhere (slowly )

I could put that up on the roof easy just need to figure out the logistics for the motor!

 

[robert]

I've seen the boats on the sides of RVs like on their webpage (https://www.porta-bote.com/rv-mounting/) and small outboards carried on the ladder on a back door.

 

[dreadlocks]

I've been thinking of adding some inflatable Kayaks to the rig.. I was hesitant on an inflatable and was leaning towards a Canoe or something like PortaBote, but after talking to a couple of my fishing fanatic friends who been using Inflatables for decades they changed my mind.. I was thinking it'd be miserable like my old days on an Air Mattress that needed replaced every season or two, but they got boats that are decades old and never given em any grief, and they use em every week in the summer..

Catarafts seem really nice platforms suitable for all sorts of water.. but finding a place for the rigid frame might be a bit of a trick on a sprinter.. I was thinking I could hang frame from the ceiling of my toy hauler and it'd be out of the way and easy to get down.

 

[Bravo30]

I've been thinking of adding some inflatable Kayaks to the rig.. I was hesitant on an inflatable and was leaning towards a Canoe or something like PortaBote, but after talking to a couple of my fishing fanatic friends who been using Inflatables for decades they changed my mind.. I was thinking it'd be miserable like my old days on an Air Mattress that needed replaced every season or two, but they got boats that are decades old and never given em any grief, and they use em every week in the summer..

Catarafts seem really nice platforms suitable for all sorts of water.. but finding a place for the rigid frame might be a bit of a trick on a sprinter.. I was thinking I could hang frame from the ceiling of my toy hauler and it'd be out of the way and easy to get down.

thtis is a nice looking canoe buts it bulky when folded up.

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[dreadlocks]

This company was about the only good thing I found after going to all the RV/Boating shows here trying to find what I was looking for: https://www.flycraftusa.com/

The frame you could store on the roof and use it kinda like a roofrack to attach more stuff onto mebe.. it meets most of my requirements, breaks down for easy transport, can put a motor on it, low draft for stability and easier human power, suitable for everything from ocean coves to lakes, to white water rivers.. only damn problem is the price, but what do they say about boats? something about a hole in water you throw money into..

No way I'm crawling into a Canoe w/my 2 boys w/out some outriggers on it, Ive been flipped in a Canoe enough to not wanna have to walk along the bottom of a lake to get to shore again.. so pretty much anything I'm looking at is gonna have some sorta frame I gotta store.. and a transom for a trolling motor is required.

 

[calicamper]

I just replaced my 1986 Avon Redcrest inflatable with a WestMarine 310 inflatable $1000. Its big enough and stable enough 2 people could adventure a large lake over night etc. Probably bigger than you want regarding storage. Go with a 8ft vs the 10ft 310 model. Much smaller to store.

 

[Grenadiers]

We have a 10 foot Porte Boat, and it's not quite what I'd describe, as a minimal setup! It takes a bit of time to install the four seats, and we have an older one with the removable transom. We use an electric motor and big battery, which adds more setup time, and the boat gets pretty heavy, so to speak. We have the wheels that attach, but, then you have to store those too! Attached to the side of our overland vehicle with the factory supplied brackets. That part is sweet! However, on the beaches of Baja, where we plant our butts for a couple weeks, the boat stays setup, and works great for our needs.

 

[SDDiver5]

Has anyone ever tried the OruKayak from Shark Tank? Not a boat but small enough to do what you're looking for.

Folding Kayaks That Go Anywhere | Oru Kayak Europe

Oru Kayak Europe designs high-performance, folding kayaks for all types of paddlers. Oru kayaks are easy to transport and store, letting you explore like never before.

www.orukayak.com

 

[Bravo30]

Has anyone ever tried the OruKayak from Shark Tank? Not a boat but small enough to do what you're looking for.

Folding Kayaks That Go Anywhere | Oru Kayak Europe

Oru Kayak Europe designs high-performance, folding kayaks for all types of paddlers. Oru kayaks are easy to transport and store, letting you explore like never before.

www.orukayak.com

That’s a nice option but we have a dog and would need to bring some gear as well. I’m looking into Sea Eagle Kyaks now. The 2 person canoe isnt cheap but it would be perfect for us and the dog. We could also do some flat water camping as well.

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[BritKLR]

Sorry, I can not remember the name of the company that was at OE East last year. Their booth was across from ours and they sold some really cool pack kayaks that were designed for the Special Forces. They came in olive drab and dark colors and in single or double occupant styles. They're design to be packed in for covert river crossings and built mil-spec. I want to say they were based out of Buena Vista, Colorado. I really wanted one for our Tiger built they were sold out of the style/color I wanted.

 

[OverlandNA]

Home

Thank you for visiting Klepper America Klepper Folding Kayaks For over 100 years Klepper Folding Kayaks have been hand crafted in Rosenheim, Germany. Klepper America, is the official Representative, Distributor, Service Center and importer of Klepper Folding Kayaks and related products for the...

www.klepperamerica.com

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

Sorry, I can not remember the name of the company that was at OE East last year. Their booth was across from ours and they sold some really cool pack kayaks that were designed for the Special Forces. They came in olive drab and dark colors and in single or double occupant styles. They're design to be packed in for covert river crossings and built mil-spec. I want to say they were based out of Buena Vista, Colorado. I really wanted one for our Tiger built they were sold out of the style/color I wanted.

I believe you are thinking of Long Haul Kayaks, out of Cedar Edge, Colorado.

(https://longhaulfoldingkayaks.com/pages/contact)

Of all the folding kayaks we looked at, while not inexpensive, they built the highest quality boats. They’re basically a Klepper on steroids. LHK also does repair work, including new skins, on Klepper kayaks. You can pick up an Inexpensive old Klepper, have it refitted, and have a like new boat.

 

[AbleGuy]

Has anyone ever tried the OruKayak from Shark Tank? Not a boat but small enough to do what you're looking for.

Folding Kayaks That Go Anywhere | Oru Kayak Europe

Oru Kayak Europe designs high-performance, folding kayaks for all types of paddlers. Oru kayaks are easy to transport and store, letting you explore like never before.

www.orukayak.com

Friends have two of them. Their experience is these don’t track well, are a bit tough to enjoy in windy weather or wavy conditions. These kayaks pack small is the best they could say about them. And they’re pretty pricey.

Our used for many years rig is an Advanced Elements double inflatable kayak. It’s affordable, durable, easy to get back in to from the water, pretty much unflipable, tracks ok. We’ve had great fun in it in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as rivers and lakes all over the west. It gets carried folded up in a bag in our overhead bunk for transport.

Some of the above rigs that need trolling motors (and the heavy batteries needed to run them) are really only one way, downstream boats on moving water.

FolBot out of the SE US used to make a great, much less expensive version of the Klepper. We had one for years and it was capacious and could go anywhere. But the size of the big storage bags was an issue. Don’t know if they’re still in business tho.