I have spent three weeks in the autumn of 2006 and the spring of 2007
paddling the Advanced Elements Advancedframe Kayak
and Advancedframe Convertible Kayak on the Solway.
They are innovative inflatable boats which use aluminium frames to
give the bows and sterns a traditional kayak shape. They were
supplied by Mike Thomson of Scottish Paddler Supplies. They share a
packable design that can be unfolded from a suitcase sized bag and
inflated within about 5 minutes using a two handed double action
barrel pump.
180 kg of finely toned muscle can drive the Convertible Kayak up to
a maximum of 10.4 km/hr, which is faster than some composite single
seaters!
This is the one man Kayak version which I also tested in 2 foot
waves and a force 5 wind. It surfed well but was blown about more
than a conventional kayak. It was surprisingly rigid crossing steep
waves. I was very impressed by its performance in these conditions.
I am not saying that it is the ideal type of kayak to set out on a
long trip in these conditions but it is great fun to use off the
beach. I would also say that a competent kayaker would be quite
happy to paddle home a fair distance, if caught out in these
conditions.
The single Kayak version in comparison with the Valley Nordkapp LV.
Side on to steep waves you do feel the boat rocking but it does not
feel insecure. In contrast a narrow boat like the Nordkapp LV just
bobs up and down with the waves from the beam.
A 9 and 6 year old were able to paddle the Convertible Kayak version
for 1.5 miles with no previous experience. Despite their
inexperience, it tracked well due to an inbuilt permanent skeg.
Despite their diminutive size, they were able to turn it using sweep
strokes.
The bow and stern are formed from cloth stretched over an aluminium
frame giving a surprisingly fine entry for an inflatable boat. (Most
inflatables) just have a big blunt round tube. In rough water the
bow cut cleanly through the waves. In calm water the fine stern
meant there was little visible wake behind the boat which is a sign
of an easily driven hull.
Standard on the one man Kayak , and an option on the longer
Convertible Kayak , is a deck with an inflatable rim that will take
a spray deck. The seat base and back are comfortable and in the
convertible you can have two (fore and aft) or one (mid) seat
positions with zip on decks available for each option. There is also
an adjustable inflatable footrest. There is a puncture repair kit in
the seat back pocket.
There is a continuous air chamber which runs right round the boat.
Inside this are two separate air bladders, so if one punctures you
still have air right round both sides of the boat. Three layers of
cloth contain the air. The hull has excellent longitudinal stiffness
and I suspect that the two bladders within the one air chamber
contribute to this stiffness. The materials and finish are superb,
it just oozes quality. It can carry a lot of gear in dry bags below
the deck, it has lots of lashing points and deck elastics. It has
decent carry handles and the assembly instructions are printed on a
waterproof label tied to the rear handle. The boat can be completely
deflated for easy packing by reversing the pump and using it to suck
air out. If you have 4 piece paddles there is room for them in the
carrying case.
A wide range of accessories are available. These include a full
length bow to stern "backbone" to provide extra longitudinal
stiffness. I did not test this and I found the stiffness to be very
good in the shorter Kayak in rough conditions. The longer
Convertible Kayak was only tested in flat water conditions without
the backbone but it seemed to have very good stiffness when crossing
speed boat wakes. For those requiring extra stiffness in more
demanding conditions, the backbone is collapsible and fits in the
carrier bag.
Both boats paddle very well in a wide range of conditions. These are
most definitely not toys, they are serious sea kayaks. In calm
conditions, I paddled the convertible, one up, for 12km with no
discernible extra effort than a companion in a composite P&H Quest.
I think they would especially suit:
those with children
those who fly to destinations where it is difficult to hire
those who have no space to store a traditional kayak
yachtsmen who would like to explore from an anchorage
those who want to potter in all but the most exposed coastal
environments
those who like snorkeling
they would undoubtedly make fantastically stable fishing platforms,
though the thought of sharp hooks makes me reluctant to recommend
any inflatable for this purpose. (It has to be said that many people
fish safely from inflatable dinghies.)
I would thoroughly recommend either of these kayaks.
Advancedframe Kayak
Length: 318cm Width: 81cm Weight: 16 kg Carrying capacity: 136 kg
Colours red/grey
Size of packed carrying case: 77 x 41 x 30 cm
Advancedframe Convertible Kayak
Length: 457cm Width: 81cm Weight: 25 kg Carrying capacity: 249 kg
Colours red/grey
Size of packed carrying case: 90 x 54 x 30 cm