I saw at Divers Direct a boat called a "Dive Yak", an inflatable type. Has anyone had any experience with these? I've never done yak diving and I'm looking for a good way to get into it, and an inflatable seems the best bet for me for logistical reasons.
REVIEW - Sevylor ST5696 "DiveYak" :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:
Monday I bought a Sevylor ST5696. That is the single seater version of the DiveYak. I tried it for the first time this morning. I did not dive with it but I did a little snorkeling with it after paddling around Peanut Island (IntraCoastal Waterway, Palm Beach County) in less than optimal weather conditions.
Before I give my opinion, note that I have never paddled a plastic kayak but I have been paddling canoes since I was about six.
Opinion: The DiveYak is NOT better than sex. But it's pretty damn good. It's a ton of fun.
Center of gravity is pretty high, compared to many plastic boats; it is truly a "sit-on-top" kayak. That may explain why paddling this inflatable feels natural, not difficult at all, despite its width. The DiveYak is stable enough that I can stand up on it and survey the seascape in calm waters without much difficulty (yes, I know I'm not supposed to do that. I was just testing the capability of the boat). Because the craft was so stable, entering and exiting the water with snorkeling gear was a snap. I should be able to enter and exit with dive gear without much trouble.
The DiveYak is not perfect though. Even with three skegs (little keels) tracking is not great; you do have to pay attention. But tracking is good enough to get the job done. Wind/white caps around the south side of Peanut Island made paddling challenging but I had no concerns about tipping. Smashing through/over the little waves was actually fun and a good workout.
Inflating the boat takes 3-5 minutes of pumping with the manufacturer-supplied foot pump. I can understand why some people buy a beefier pump, but I'm happy with this one. It packs neatly in a pocket on the back rest.
Careful planning went into the design and manufacture of the product. The canvas cover seems pretty close to bullet-proof. In fact, there is no skimping on material quality anywhere in the product. There were some judgement calls about the style of buckles but I can't complain (okay, I bought two boats, from different model years, so I have a basis for comparison). The location of fixtures--D rings, built-in bungees, etc--is well thought out.
Sevylor did not include a needed bow leash ($22 ?), an anchor, a GPS, or a kayak-sized canine. Sevylor had to draw a line somewhere.
No, the DiveYak is not as good as a rigid plastic kayak. It is probably slower and does not track as well. It lacks internal storage. Note that I'm average size and medium build (5'10", 158 lbs) and I'm in good shape; a larger person or one without a lot of upper body strength might not like the DiveYak as much as I did. No one would want to paddle this baby for ten miles. But it is not designed for long excursions. It's designed for dive kayaking within a limited paddling range. And it does that job well!
Brad Flecke
