NiceAft wrote: ↑Mon Feb 02, 2026 10:06 am
Herschel posted:
Does anyone have any experience with inflatables after the 10-year period? Are there any time related issues regardless of use such as seams and seals?
My Achilles (9.5’ with inflatable floor) is twenty-one years old. Except for the inflatable keel, I have never had a problem. You would never know that it is that old.
Boat picture with the pretty girl.
That is consistent with what the Achilles rep stated. Great news. I think the Defender rep thought I might buy another one and give mine away; hence his 10-12 year longevity comment.
As for Sea Eagle, I had been looking at the fast track series, too, but the 473fl series looks inviting, as well. https://www.seaeagle.com/ExplorerKayaks/
The new V-bottom version of the FastTrack looks like they are trying to recreate the double concave profile the RazorLite already has, must track really well. I do appreciate the flat bottom on our "classic" FastTrack when not moving, like when I stand up to futz with the sail, or when pulling myself back in from the water, it's pretty much a rigid paddle board sitting inside a kayak's body.
Checking out their site again got me perusing their *pricey* motor options and googling the cheapest Watersnake Venom listed, I found Walmart currently sells it for $98! Delivery scheduled for Friday.
When I was taught how, when in the water, to get back into a canoe, one should either board directly over the bow, or the stern. It appears your craft is stabler than it looks.
My Achilles weighs 75 pounds. A lot more than 45. The 6HP 4 stroke Merc. weighs 55.
My Bimini tech is still working on my new Bimini, so lets keep talking kayaks and such. I watched some Sea Eagle YouTube videos tonight. It got me wondering what my Achilles would paddle like if I had two West Marine beanbag seats facing forward, two kayak paddles, and a make shift skeg of some sort on the motor mount. I could call it my Sea Ducky!
Herschel wrote: ↑Wed Feb 04, 2026 7:45 pm
My Bimini tech is still working on my new Bimini, so lets keep talking kayaks and such. I watched some Sea Eagle YouTube videos tonight. It got me wondering what my Achilles would paddle like if I had two West Marine beanbag seats facing forward, two kayak paddles, and a make shift skeg of some sort on the motor mount. I could call it my Sea Ducky!
Paddling mine with the steering oars strapped down in the back is a major hassle, and that just bumps the width out 6” or so beyond the standard 36”. Kayak paddles in rafts suck cause of them big fat pontoons, but get yourself a whitewater center seat that gets you above pontoon level, a couple real river oars, that thing would party down river in some nice class III rapids!
The 6HP 4 stroke Merc. weighs 55.
