Don’t miss this 50% off early Black Friday deal on a Aqua Marina inflatable drop-stitch kayak, recommended by the skipper of a kayak-excursion support vessel.You may not need\u00a0a drop-stitch kayak while you\u2019re cruising, but after spending a season as the skipper of a support vessel for kayak cruises in the Mediterranean, I\u2019ve got a pretty long list of why you should want one.
\nEvery night around a overflowing pot of pasta, I would listen to the clients rave about what they had seen from inside these simple craft; caves, impressive overhangs, fish and flora and perfect beaches. It sounded magical, but I had to stay with the boat.
\nFinally, one night in Saint-Florent, Corsica, I got my chance to join them.
\nWe anchored in a bay near the Fiume Santu, and took the kayaks from onboard to the mouth of the river after dinner.
\nHeading inland, we paddled over the stars and a mirror of black water in total calm broken only by bird calls and the wind rustling through the reeds. Occasionally, a jumping mullet would startle us into laughter.\u00a0It was still, quiet, surreal.
\nAfter months of watching the coastline from afar, I had all but forgotten the smell of green, of cold sand and fresh water. Now I could feel myself disappearing into the landscape, noticing things I never had before. On the kayak I felt invisible, and so low on the water that I might as well have been a part of it. Not even the frogs hiding in the riverbanks seemed to mind our passage.
\nThe kayak offered what I was missing from life on the water: a seamless connection between boat, water, land, and shore.
\nWhy you should keep a kayak on board
\nPhoto: Viveka Herzum.
\nWhether it\u2019s to get ashore or just to explore, kayaks have clear perks.
\nThey don\u2019t require noisy, smelly outboard engines, extra fuel, or stress around damaging the tender\u2019s propeller or scraping its bottom. They streamline the physical effort and comical clunkiness of rowing a rubber dinghy.
\nWith minimal effort (and lower risk of freezing, getting wet, or falling in\u2026 I\u2019m looking at you, paddle-boards!), kayaks allow you to enjoy the open water, approach land, and explore the intricacies of the coastline. They won\u2019t harm the landscape, leech fuel, or disturb wildlife.
\nNo noise, no pollution, fewer seasonal limitations\u2013 it\u2019s all just as good as it sounds. The only trade-off is the extra space onboard.
\nBut with an inflatable drop-stitch kayak option, even that finds an easy solution.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\nThe drop-stitch kayak: stable, durable, and easy to store
\nDrop-stitch kayaks are a middle ground between the performance of a rigid hull and the comfort and convenience of\u00a0 basic, stowable inflatable kayak.
\nUnlike in a basic inflatable, the air chambers in a drop-stitch kayak have threads throughout to ensure the foldable panels don\u2019t over-expand and threaten the vessel\u2019s structural integrity. These high-pressure panels offer more structure, and high buoyancy.
\nThere are entire facebook groups singing the praises of the drop-stitch kayak and compare notes on prices, perks, and troubleshooting.
\nI combed through them for long enough to know that a whopping \u00a3500 (that\u2019s an impressive 50%) mark-down from Decathlon is a stellar deal you won\u2019t want to miss.
\nWhether you\u2019re already a fan or just kayak-curious, this is your chance to sink your teeth in.
\nBest early Black Friday deal: \u00a3500 pounds off a top-notch, drop-stitch inflatable kayak<\/p>\n
\tWas \u00a3999, Now \u00a3499 \u2013 \u2013 Tomahawk Air Kayak High Pressure Drop-Stitch Speed Kayak from Aqua Marina \u2013 Decathlon\u00a0
\n50% off this top of the line kayak from Aqua Marina is pretty insane. It drops the price from \u2018maybe someday\u2019 to \u2018I could give this a try today.\u2019 You get a higher end product with a starter-kit budget. Best of all, the Tomahawk is easy to inflate, and comes with everything you need: the kayak, 2 seats, 2 fins, an airpump, and an added rucksack. If I were to pick up a kayak to take cruising right now, I\u2019d pounce on this deal in a heartbeat.<\/p>\n
\tView Deal<\/p>\n
Other drop-stitch kayak deals from Decathlon
\nSingle-seaters:<\/p>\n
\tOptimal Single Inflatable Dropstitch Kayak \u2013 Sandbanks Style \/ Decathlon \u2013 Was \u00a3699, Now \u00a3449
\n\u00a3250 pounds off is still an impressive drop for a comparable one-seater option. The Optimal is a cross-over model, designed to give you the convenience of an inflatable kayak without compromising on performance. It\u2019s a versatile option with plenty of room, good stability, and useful straps to help take dry bags and other gear along on your adventure. For solo would-be paddlers, this is a steal (and it comes with a 5 year warranty!).<\/p>\n
\tView Deal<\/p>\n
\tStealth Single Kayak \u2013 Vast \/ Decathlon \u2013 Was \u00a3699.99, Now \u00a3529.95
\nThe Stealth is another great single seat option, and it\u2019s currently \u00a3170 off. It\u2019s ultra sturdy, quick to assemble, and folds right back into its rucksack for easy storage. Another great way to get started, for less.<\/p>\n
\tView Deal<\/p>\n
A double-seat alternative:
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\tExplorer Double Inflatable Dropstitch Kayak \u2013 Sandbanks Style \/ Decathlon \u2013 Was \u00a3765, Now \u00a3565\u00a0
\n\u00a3200 pounds off is still a great discount on this alternative to the Tomahawk. This model is slightly less streamlined, as it\u2019s designed more for flat, calm water like lakes and rivers, and has a wider bottom for stability. It\u2019s a comfortable, more affordable alternative to a hardshell model, and endlessly more convenient for life on board.<\/p>\n
\tView Deal<\/p>\n
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If you enjoyed these drop-stitch kayak deals\u2026.<\/p>\n
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The post It\u2019s not Black Friday yet, but this drop-stitch kayak is already \u00a3500 off and perfect for curious sailors appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Don’t miss this 50% off early Black Friday deal on a Aqua Marina inflatable drop-stitch kayak, recommended by the skipper of a kayak-excursion support vessel.You may not need\u00a0a drop-stitch kayak while you\u2019re cruising, but after spending a season as the … <\/p>\n