Canoe vs kayak

BenBhoy

Well-Known Member
We're lucky enough to have easy access to a beautiful stretch of the trent, so I'd like to buy something inflatable to be able to go out on a nice day. Be me & 2 kids & dog. Im thinking canoe better suited as more space. However kayak seems to be far more popular. Anyone with real world experience of both? Looking at this one to get us started.
All Inflatable Kayaks | Decathlon https://share.google/iBw8Dzot2WXIOs2D0

Sevylor Adventure Canoe Kit | Charlies https://share.google/WDBjC5riXprMgVHr8
 
I have both, canoe and a kayak. The kayak is a sit on top kayak, and for me its the craft most used. Most of my trips are alone, and a kayak is more practical then. And it's safer. Anyone who spend some time in a canoe, will end up in the water eventually. It's a law of nature. To enter a capsized water filled canoe is nearly impossible, but when I capsized on my kayak I simply flipped it back on its keel and climbed onboard as I would a surf board. Nothing to it. But of course, you can haul more gear in a canoe...
 
I'd buy a canoe every time, but it would never be a blow up, too hard to paddle. impossible to paddle in a wind.
For just playing about with a kids I'd probably look at an inflatable paddle board, not cheap though.
Not forgetting on a river you will need a licence of some sort.

Neil.
 
Lidl inflatable canoes bend (ask me how I know) so not as good as something like Sevylor or the Decathlon version. Will work but not as good when laden.

If taking multiple people, canoe all the way unless you're happy supervising multiple boats and know you can handle a mass capsize, especially in flowing water.
 
I’d echo the suggestions to get a hard canoe.

Inflatable canoes and kayaks have their place, but they take ages to pump up, feel very floppy in the water, do not track well and with two kids and a dog will be a pig to paddle. Every time I’ve been in the water in my canoe with friends in inflatables they have been very slow and very annoyed (and a bit annoying!)

Sit on top kayak is safer, but if you put some flotation in your canoe, have buoyancy aids and are on a captive body of water you don’t really have any safety concerns and nothing can match the carrying capacity of a canoe - dog, picnic etc.

Inflatable SUPs are brilliant. Supper safe for kids, great fun and also a joy to padddle solo on an early morning instead of going for a run.

If you can get a hard canoe now and the kids like being on the water you can then add paddle boards later and have a family flotilla.
 
My daughter and I built our own kayaks. She was about 12 at the time, iirc. Working alongside me, copying what I did, we built one each, then used all the left over bits and pieces to build a third one which we sold to cover the costs of the whole project.
It was a fantastic way to spend a daddy & daughter week or two of the summer hols. Memories were made that'll last forever.
I would recommend it.
 
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