I’ve worked with the Gig Harbor Fly Shop for years, guiding from kayaks, fishing from kayaks, and selling kayaks. Now with the opening Gig Harbor Watersports we are able to bring in many new styles of kayaks and paddle boards.
Hobie 12.6 Tour Inflatable
One of the big misconceptions I had over the years is that inflatable watercraft are fragile or are going to be punctured with normal use. This certainly can happen, however it is pretty unlikely. My first instinct when someone ask about a inflatable kayak or paddle board has always been “Stop! You don’t want to invest in that!” and make no mistake, there are a lot of inflatables on the market that made me think that.
However, Hobie and Bote changed my mind. When we brought in Hobie we were pretty quick to ignore their inflatable series of kayaks and paddleboards. We actually ignored inflatables for the first year we had them in the shop and the overwhelming amount of questions and special orders we had for them changed our mind and made us give them a chance. Here is why.
1.) Drop Stitch Flooring – With Hobie’s “Drop Stitch Floor” you loose the feeling of being on a inflated floor. The Drop Stitch flooring allows the user to use enough air pressure to create a rigid base. Previously I had imagined a very flimsy unresponsive base, and with drop stitch flooring this is just no longer the case.
2.) Weight – Many of Hobie kayaks are significantly lighter than their molded counter parts. Meaning if you are having trouble getting a 80lb kayak on top of your car or truck, the weight you save from the inflatable could be your best bet for a stable sit on top option!
3.) Storage – This is the pretty obvious reason to own a inflatable… you can deflate it and put it in your closet or trunk. With an electronic or large pump you can inflate most of these with very little effort. Storage is one of the major reasons many people are buying inflatables. Many of these inflatables can even be checked on a flight so you can bring the fun with you wherever you go.
Hobie’s i11s Inflatable Sup/Kayak Hybrid
4.) Features – Most folks think that they will sacrifice features to get an inflatable, but many of the same features and some extras are able to fit into the inflatable platform! Bote Boards even allows for a stakeout hole, and tackle management in their inflatable paddle boards! Hobie and Bote pack a lot of features in their inflatables.
5.) Durability – Are you someone who is hard on gear? If you are going to invest in a product for its performance, an inflatable provides the peace of mind that you’re not going to harm it if you drop it. This is why most whitewater companies on planet earth run rafts instead of drift boats.
We have several inflatables currently in stock. Stop by the store or shop our collection online here.
