Kayak as tender

[Waughey]

I have looked at various converstions about kayaks but there doesent seem to be anything recent on the forum. I have a Sigma 36 and like the idea of using an inflatable kayak as a tender. I first have to fit some ladders in any event.....any suggestions welcome. Does anyone have a view as to how practical a kayak might be? I know the technology has come on leaps and bounds over the last few years. Any specific brand info would be great too.
Thanks

 

[V1701]

I recently bought one for use as a tender on my Bowman 26. I think it's stable enough to get from boat to kayak and kayak back on to boat in reasonable conditions. I've yet to try the getting on/off boat bit but she is already very low in the water and I'm reasonably agile so I don't anticipate it being a problem. It packs up so small, weighs about 7kg and is properly tough - Gumotex twist 1 (single skin), they're about £350. The double skinned kayaks (Sevylor, e.g. and Decathlon do one that's very reasonably priced) get decent reports but do take a long time to properly dry out due to the water getting in between the inner & outer so are less practical, the single skin ones you could easily dry off with an old towel if necessary & pack up straight away...

I do have a lovely and very expensive Achilles tender but it weighs over 30kg, doesn't pack up anything like small enough to stow anywhere on the Bowman 26 and would be a nightmare trying to inflate/launch/recover on a tiny foredeck...

Edit - I see from another thread that congratulations are in order, she looks to be a cracking boat...

 

[willbank]

I bought a Sevylor on a special on Amazon - Amazon.co.uk : sevylor inflatable kayak

I also bought these clever paddles so either 2 people can use them or they join into 1 double ended paddle for single use. They also pack up into 4 small sections for easy stowage. Have found it very stable and an excellent tender when needed. Bravo 4-Piece Canoe/Kayak Paddle | Force 4 Chandlery

 

[RupertW]

I got one a few years back for the times I didn’t want to hoist the very heavy GRP 3m rob from the foredeck and love it.

But only guests have used it in recent years as we realised the joy of a lighter tender and bought a 2.5m aliminum rib.

 

[Catalina36]

They can be cold in winter. You can't have your kayak and heat it.

 

[HenrikH]

I bought a Decathlon 2 1/2 person while in the Med two years ago. Packs up, stores away and inflates real easy. A convenient way to get ashore while at anchor. We have just transferred North, it will be interresting to see if the colder water will detract from the experience.

 

[duncan99210]

We’ve got a Sevylor one. It’s stable and fun but I wouldn’t call it practicable for regular use as a tender as it’s too much like hard work getting in and out of it from the boat. We use double paddles (kayak style) and they drip water on you in use: you really need to kneel to use the single blades type properly and that’s not possible with the seats in the Sevylor. It does pack up small though if that’s a factor.

 

[ashtead]

We have a sevylor 2 person . Have had for about 3 years. It is usually deflated in locker on board or in loft at home but has survived in good condition. We tend to use the rib but that’s because we usually would go ashore as more than 2 persons. I guess how good it would be depends on usage, if you are planning to keep yacht on mooring might not be ideal but for occasional use in warm water when going from anchor or buoy when alone might be sufficient. In summary guess you need to say more about your usage plans,crew numbers etc.

 

[Sandy]

I have a pal who just uses a normal kayak and it works for him. He has a wee Westerly Pageant and sailed from the Exe to Plockton and back last summer.

 

[Neeves]

We are no experts on kayaks - and ours are hard not inflatable. I have a sit in kayak, my wife has a sit on kayak.

They are great as a form of exercise and allow you to explore in much more silence than using an O/B.

As a tender - not really practicable. If you have guests? If you want to carry stores, diesel, water, food, dog anything? They can be difficult to handle in a cross wind or cross sea. Difficult for those not used to kayaks to use (and stay dry). We would not do without ours - but we also have a Fold-a-Bote and O/B

Given a choice - if its one or other - we'ed have a tender.

Jonathan

 

[stranded]

We are no experts on kayaks - and ours are hard not inflatable. I have a sit in kayak, my wife has a sit on kayak.

They are great as a form of exercise and allow you to explore in much more silence than using an O/B.

As a tender - not really practicable. If you have guests? If you want to carry stores, diesel, water, food, dog anything? They can be difficult to handle in a cross wind or cross sea. Difficult for those not used to kayaks to use (and stay dry). We would not do without ours - but we also have a Fold-a-Bote and O/B

Given a choice - if its one or other - we'ed have a tender.

Jonathan

Agree. We have a Sevylor Ottawa. It’s good and stable - you can carry a lot of supplies, and stand up in it very happily if you like. What Nonathon says about cross winds etc is true though.The floor bladder has burst and we are moving to hard kayaks but you can have it if you’re prepared to collect -Exe estuary and buy a new floor bladder - £115 last time I looked.

 

[canvey]

One of the problems of kayaks as tenders is that they are too tender. Good luck with a gas bottle or 25lts of water.

You want something you can hack up for free?

Try a windsurfer catamaran. Two old windsurfing boards, bolted side by side, with a platform across them. Materials will cost you nothing as they have no resale value now. Pretty much unsinkable. Can carry a load. Bolts together and fits on your car roof!

 

[thinwater]

I Like hard kayaks and carry one all the time. But high pressure, drop stitch boats are very stiff. and likeable. This one (Airis), however, is out of production.

 

[Catalina36]

The most inventive use of a tender I've seen was in the Scyllies a few years ago when a couple loaded a tandem into a small inflatable then motored off out to their yacht, one of them standing to hold the bike.

 

[rotrax]

We have a Stearns Backcountry. It is a great way to explore harbours and creeks but has little luggage carrying capacity. When we load our boat for a trip it is at least two trips in a proper dinghy/outboard rig.

As pointed out, the canvas outer skin means it takes longer to dry. It cost 200 quid cash seven years ago at Exell, last day of the show. The guy did not want to take much home so a deal was on offer.

We are fortunate in having a large bathing platform so in/out is easy.

One time up the Yealm we paddled to the pub, lifted it out and put it in the car park. We had a nice lunch and took the last of the ebb back to the boat.

It is great for stuff like that.

 

[seumask]

We have a couple of inflatable paddle boards that supplement the inflatable tender well, allowing different members of the family freedom at anchor, in calm conditions you can get 2 on a paddle board. Drop stitch canoes are significantly stiffer IMHO. Here's an example Glider Drop-Stitch Double Inflatable Kayak | Yellow

 

[Mikey90]

Agree. We have a Sevylor Ottawa. It’s good and stable - you can carry a lot of supplies, and stand up in it very happily if you like. What Nonathon says about cross winds etc is true though.The floor bladder has burst and we are moving to hard kayaks but you can have it if you’re prepared to collect -Exe estuary and buy a new floor bladder - £115 last time I looked.

Hi Everyone, sorry for strolling in and hijacking the thread. This came up as a suggested page due to my recent browsing history, Kayaks, tenders and boats in general seem to be my (fairly) new obsession. Long story short, I'd definitely be interested in the Sevylor Ottawa. How much are looking for? Collection wouldn't be an issue for me. Cheers, Mikey.

 

[Mikey90]

Also I can vouch for the Itiwit kayaks from decathlon, if you can live with the aforementioned drying issues they are a great kayak at a really reasonable price. Currently out of stock everywhere though, paddling has all of a sudden become very popular!!

 

[Waughey]

Thank you for all the helpful replies and recommendations. More research at my end.
If anyone had any recomendations of ladders that would work on a Sigma 36 please let me know.

 

[Bluetack42]

Ive been having the same thoughts, the Glider double that Seumask suggested looks great. Any idea how stable it is? How would it get on in the wind blown chop of an anchorage? Say 9 inch wind blown chop? How easy is it to get into from a sugar scoop?