InnovaKayak - Praise

Everything fits into the trunk of my Mustang!

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:54:00 +0000

Love the kayak! Everything fits into the trunk of my Mustang!

Here's a pic of my kayak parked in South Bethany Beach, DE.

Best regards,

Bob Merhaut

Robert Merhaut Photography
www.rmp-image.com

Everything fits into the trunk of my Mustang!

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:53:00 +0000

Love the kayak! Everything fits into the trunk of my Mustang!

Here's a pic of my kayak parked in South Bethany Beach, DE.

Best regards,

Bob Merhaut

Robert Merhaut Photography
www.rmp-image.com

Everything fits into the trunk of my Mustang!

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Love the kayak! Everything fits into the trunk of my Mustang!

Here's a pic of my kayak parked in South Bethany Beach, DE.

Best regards,

Bob Merhaut

Robert Merhaut Photography
www.rmp-image.com

It was just one of those rare combination of incidents...a sudden storm, a dragging anchor (which fouled the prop), a strong current and a bridge between us and open water.

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:16:00 +0000

Florida Keys: It was just one of those rare combination of incidents...a sudden storm, a dragging anchor (which fouled the prop), a strong current and a bridge between us and open water. My wife and I managed to escape our near capsizing craft by stepping into the Sunny that we had secured to our stern cleats.

The Sunny certainly played a role in helping us get to shore (no paddles) and save ourselves during the ordeal. We also managed to pull it up on the coral and rocky banks and secure it during the blow. The Sunny came through with only a few scratches (as did we), though my sailboat has been declared a loss by the insurance company.

Read the story here.

Roy
East Middlebury, VT

Innova Sunny Top Speed of 8.5 kilometers per hour

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 04:40:00 +0000

While on vacation last week, below is some of what I saw. Awesome kayaking in October, when you are often the only one on the lake! From Clearwater B.C. on Kalamalka Lake I took my GPS with me and recorded the stats: In 5 hours and 25 minutes, only stopping a few times, but never getting out of the kayak I paddled 24 kilometres averaging 5 kilometres per hour with a top speed of 8.5 kilometers per hour, all on calm water. Now that was a workout, but big FUN!!! Two days later I managed to squeeze 8.9 kilometres per hour out of that Sunny, (in a short burst of speed). I've learned all of the proper gear to take with me now for all types of weather and am enjoying the heck out of my Sunny!!! Unfortunately, time to put it away until next year.

Regards,
Larry James
Calgary, Alberta

Note from Innova:
Thanks for the great shots Larry! I am so happy that you are liking the Sunny. It's a great boat--simple, quick to setup, and reasonably fast.

Rock River in Wisconsin in an Innova Safari

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:41:00 +0000

I am back in Denver, Colorado with my pictures ready to be developed. I started my trip on the Rock River at Beloit, Wisconsin, and it was a super section for a day or two. But, the water kept getting higher & higher until the river was legally closed to all boaters, so there was not a single boat on the river my entire 155 miles. And, even though several police officers drove past me and said nothing, toward the end of the river, there were "police line, do not cross."

It was a "wild" ride on the river in flood conditions; water high enough that I canoed over "No Parking" signs. One, I hit it as it was 6 inches under muddy water, an put a 4-6 inch scratch in my Safari. I have high-lighted the very slight "damage" because it is testament to the strength of the Innova Products. I also hit a couple posts that were meant to tie up boats, etc. These were also under water. Those posts were pretty "ugly" on top as they were driven into the river bottom (at low water) by hammer, leaving sharp & jagged post tops. At flood, they were impossible to see, but they did zero damage to my Safari, which is proof that the Innova Product is VERY strong.

Sincerely, Harold

Customer Feedback: Sunny vs Safari

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:25:00 +0000

Due to this and that, I hadn't had a chance to paddle the Sunny as a double yet. So July 8th I entered a Big Chop race, Little Chop for me, here in Vancouver. I paddled the Sunny as a single.

This was the first time paddling this kayak. I was really impressed how well it tracked compared to the Safari. During the 4km race in English Bay I encountered 2' waves coming from every direction due to the many powerboats in the area. I must say the Sunny behaved really well, however I could feel my body weight just wasn't enough to keep it going and it would almost stop at every wave. There was surprisingly little water coming into the boat. Being used to the self-bailing Safari I was a bit concerned about getting swamped, but that didn't happen. I finished the race 12 out of 20 boats. That's 40:50 for 2nm course. That's about a 3 knot average! Not too bad for an inflatable on it's first time out.

Another big difference I noticed from the Safari is that the Sunny would flex under my, not so heavy weight with almost every wave. This does not happen to the Safari... it's so much stiffer, and I think it is way better for solo paddling. The Safari is a whole lot more fun too. Having two people on the Sunny would definetelly be the way to go.

Note from Innova: You mentioned that the Sunny tracked better than the Safari. That's largely because the Sunny is a longer boat.

Cris Loves her Double Twist

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:49:00 +0000

Dear Innova,

I couldn’t wait to get hold of the Double Twist. We took it on its maiden voyage on a splendid summer’s day. And we had such fun.

The trip itself was a relatively easy one. We rounded a point and paddled deep into an inlet. Our trip finished at my friend’s beach house…well, sort of. Her beach house was above the beach. We had to climb up an extremely long staircase from the beach to reach her house.

The Double Twist made this easy. We rolled up the 19 pound kayak, stuffed it into a backpack, and walked it up with no trouble at all. Thanks for making this inflatable boat so light and fun to use.

Cris

Jason Lee, in praise of Innova Inflatable Kayaks

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:46:00 +0000

I just want to let you know how much I appreciate that you brought INNOVA Inflatable Kayaks to the US/Canada, and that I think your customer service skills are excellent!!

I first learned about INNOVA when I was working in the Bella Coola Valley for BC Parks in 2001. A friend of mine had purchased 2 Safari's for field work (Biologist), and he convinced me to give them a try.

Three years ago my budget allowed me to purchase a Sunny (awesome), and this spring I found a used Safari (mint condition) in Vancouver. The response I get back from everyone I loan them to is the same, "amazing".

Two friends have since decided to sell their hard shells and use only the INNOVA inflatable kayaks.

The pump I recently purchased from you is great.

Andrea Corona

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:18:00 +0000

Link to Andrea's Blog

I'm really happy with my Safari inflatable kayak. I especially like how easy it is to put together and how comfortable it is. Transporting it to the water is so easy too.

The nice thing is that I can turn it on a dime. With time I will learn to correct my paddle stroke to help it go straight.

This coming week I'll go out with some other paddlers and start practicing re-entries. For now a paddlefloat will be at hand just in case.

And in a couple of weeks we will be cycling to Newcastle Island, by Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, for the weekend and take the Sunny in tow. That should be fun too. And of course there's Paddlefest too.

BTW, the other day I saw someone, boarding a bus, with the Innova bag on his back, a dry bag in one hand and a paddle with PFD in the other. He was on the bus and gone before I had a chance to chat.

Innova Inflatable Kayaks - independent reviews

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:26:00 +0000

Inflatable kayak review of the Innova Solar: for fishing (angling) at Tackle Tour, at Paddling.net, at Paddling.net.

Inflatable kayak reviews of the Innova Sunny: Overlanders Handbook, at Paddling.net.

Inflatable kayak reviews of the Innova Helios:
at Paddling.net, at Paddling.net.

Inflatable kayak reviews of the Innova Safari:
at Paddling.net.

We found this newsgroup conversation about Innova Kayaks via Google Alerts:
KickRunners.com

Michael Forte

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:57:00 +0000

I bought our Innova Sunny kayak from you for my wife's birthday present a few years back. We went camping and packed the kayak in the car trunk for our drive up into the Sierras just east of Fresno, California. Our final destination was Shaver Lake. I can't tell you how pleased I am with this kayak. It's portable and only takes me 5 minutes to set it up and take it down. I know it says it's for two people but it also says 400 pounds so I would take my two kids with me and a picnic and explore the lake. We all love this boat!

Innova Seaker Kayak Wins Real Deal Award From Hooked on the Outdoors Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:58:00 +0000

Burlington, Washington

Innova Kayak is pleased to announce that our Seaker inflatable sea kayak has been selected for a Real Deal Award from Hooked on the Outdoors magazine in the paddling category. "This inflatable kayak won over our skeptical testers with its high performance.Why didn't anyone think of this before." The Real Deal Award honors practical excellence in gear design. Testers considered "value, ease-of-use, durability, versatility, comfort, fit, reliability and performance."

Hooked on the Outdoors will present the award during the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City this August.

The 16-foot Seaker features high-pressure chambers, Kajak Sport deck hatches, a SmartTrack rudder, a standard spray skirt compatible cockpit, and a 15-minute setup time.

This is the second award for the Seaker, having earlier this year been selected as a
Paddler's Pick from Paddler magazine.
June 7, 2005

Paul Yuschak Takes a Sunny to the Captiva area on the gulf coast of Florida

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:24:00 +0000

Dear Innova,

Just a quick note to let you know how much my family enjoys the Sunny that we purchased this year.

This past spring we purchased the Sunny to take on a vacation to the Captiva area on the gulf coast of Florida. It was great. It was easy to travel with and so easy to set up. Also, I was amazed at how well it paddled even in inlets where the wind and tide made paddling a challenge. I used it on some long day trips to deserted islands and carried a fair amount of gear. My daughters loved paddling it off the resort beach. We also used it a lot off the southern New Jersey coast, taking it out through the surf in search of dolphins. We had such a blast with it that I am selling two of my hard kayaks and purchasing two Safaris for playing in the surf.

Thanks
Paul Yuschak

Sally Jewell, President and CEO, REI

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:22:00 +0000

May 24, 2002

I’m very happy to provide you with a testimonial regarding my personal and company experience with Innova, and specifically the Safari model. I have two Innova kayaks (a Safari and a Helios 380) in addition to three hard shell kayaks. I love to paddle on both flat and moderate white water. I have found the Innova inflatables to perform as well as the hard shell boats, which is very commendable given that they pack up into a small bundle and don’t require any rigid hardware. I’ve taken them on airplanes and in my sailboat, enabling me to paddle in places I otherwise couldn’t go.

The Safari is a great kayak — it is exceptionally maneuverable, yet tracks very well both with and without the detachable skeg. The internal straps make it both fun and stable in white water, and the inflatable seats keep the back comfortable on long flat water excursions. The material is exceptionally tough (even on barnacles) and the tube construction gives it the rigidity needed to perform well.

In speaking with our kayak buyer at REI, she indicated that Innova has high quality, durable, authentic boats that serve the paddling enthusiast (as opposed to the price-conscious recreational user).

Well, I’m off to South Puget Sound to paddle for the weekend!

Warmly,

Sally Jewell
President and CEO
REI

Dirk Macfarlane, Lt. Commander, Navy SEAL

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:18:00 +0000

Western Pacific Safari paddling in Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia & Darwin

Dear Tim,

I have been paddling your Safari kayak quite often and . . . I LOVE it. In fact, the BLUE RIDGE (SEVENTH Fleet command ship) deployed on the annual "Southern Swing" this year from January to April. During Southern Swing, we were in ports about half the time in places like Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, Darwin and Brisbane Australia and New Caledonia. I paddled the Safari in most of those places. The Safari is the perfect traveler's kayak because it is light, sooo compact and, it sets up so much quicker than folding kayaks. If I hear about some great rapids in a country that I happen to be visiting, I can put the Safari on my back, catch a bus, and BAM, there I am paddling on some exotic river, no hassles, no complicated coordination, just paddling. If good paddling is within a reasonable distance from my point of embarkation in a country, I like to ride my mountain bike, with the Safari on my back, to the paddling location. Now I ask you, how else can you carry a kayak on your mountain bike? You could use a folding kayak, but that spoils my fun because they take so long to set up.

I keep the Safari in my car so that I can paddle whenever I feel like it.

I am very satisfied with your kayak. It is VERY durable, versatile, compact and easy to set up. I have thrown it, dragged it and paddled over jagged rocks with it and it just won’t pop! The bottom is scratched up but there is no sign of serious wear. Believe me, I beat the crap out of your kayak and it laughs at me. I am a dedicated fan. I am very glad that you talked me out of bringing a folding kayak here to Japan. I would never paddle because of the required set up time.

Very Respectfully,
Dirk Macfarlane

Alan Kesselheim: "The Innova Safari is an inflatable kayak that works."

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:13:00 +0000

Alan Kesselheim is an adventurer with more than 10,000 paddling miles in his wake, including two year-long wilderness imersions in the wilds of northern Canada. He is a full-time freelance writer with eight books to his credit, including Water and Sky, Threading the Currents, and The Wilderness Paddler’s Handbook. He is a Contributing Editor for Canoe & Kayak Magazine, a regular contributor to both Backpacker and Outside, a columnist for Big Sky Journal and has published hundreds of stories in national publications like Sports Afield, Men’s Journal, Audubon, Summit, Adventure Journal and many others. He lives with his family in Montana.

In my work as a full-time freelance writer with a specialty in paddle sports and outdoor adventure, I’ve spent a lot of time in inflatable and folding craft. My experience runs the gamut from ocean surf to Class IV whitewater, and from overnight trips to extended wilderness journeys. I have come to an appreciation for boats that really work in the blank spaces on maps, as opposed to the products that only look the part.

The Innova Safari is an inflatable kayak that works. I was first drawn to the boat because of its design, portability, and workmanship. Over a period of several years, I’ve had it in ocean surf in the Caribbean, in Class III and IV rapids on the Salmon River, in fast-moving current and big waves on the Yellowstone River, and on quiet water in touring situations. The Safari is unique because it handles this broad range of adventure with style and grace.

The boat tracks well on the flat, plays rough in the surf and rapids, is stable enough to be reassuring, while not giving away too much performance, and even takes a small load of gear for an overnight or long day trip. I trust the Safari enough to put my nine-year-old inside and let him go for the waves, and I don’t say that about many boats. Having paddled a number of craft that excel within a narrow niche, but fall apart under other conditions, I’ve grown to appreciate the adaptability and nimble nature of the Safari as it performs under the varied conditions presented by real-life paddling.

Cheers,
Alan Kesselheim

Jim Van Dam

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:17:00 +0000

I thought that you might be interested in knowing that the Helios I bought from you has now been used on Shkodra Lake and a river in Albania, as well as on the Adriatic Sea off Montenegro, in northern Albania, and on the Ionian Sea of southern Albania. It has been a fun boat, easy to inflate and unsinkable.

Jim Van Dam, Grand Rapids, MI

David Nitsch

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:16:00 +0000

I used the Helios 380 for five continuous months in Micronesia this winter. Conditions ranged from glassy calm to the feeling of the breath of Typhoon Dale in November. The boat handles well under almost all conditions. I was able to hold enough gear and supplies for two weeks by myself or one week with a partner. I would also like to comment on the ruggedness of the boat. During the five month expedition, I never had to patch the boat, coming home with only superficial scratches on the bottom. The Helios 380 is a serious boat that can take you places no hardshell can be taken, for a fraction of the cost of a folding boat.

My fiancee and I took your boat to all the Society Islands of French Polynesia and Kandavu and Vanua Levu in Fiji. In Fiji we loaded up all our gear plus presents for the local chiefs, and headed way off the tourist map. We stayed in villages that white people hadn't been to, and the locals were fascinated with the boat. After three months of hard use, still no patches, and this is after 5 months continuous use the year before! When we moved on to the trekking portion of our trip, we just washed the boat off and put it in a box and mailed it home. At the end of our journey, we swung through southern Thailand and rented sit on tops. We would really have rather had the Helios with us.

David Nitsch, Los Angeles, CA

Mark Farber

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:13:00 +0000

“THE HELIOS IS A GREAT BOAT!!! The rudder really helps in wind and heavy chop. Did some easier Class III with some trepidation...a piece of cake! LOVED IT!!”

Mark Farber, Washington D.C.

William Mills

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:12:00 +0000

It [Helios] will endure an amazing pounding from a wave that breaks over it without flipping. You’ve designed a dynamite kayak!”

William Mills, Great Falls, VA

Joseph Levine

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:11:00 +0000

We call our Helios the Fancy, because she will enable us to follow our fancy to the water of our choice anywhere. The boat offers a special advantage to senior citizens who are tired of wrestling large, heavy, bulky hard bodied canoes & kayaks on to the roofs of their cars for short paddles. Plus, she is fun.

Joseph Levine, Silver Spring, MD

Scott Fairty

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:10:00 +0000

"Here's a photo of me surfing a wave at Scudders Falls on the Delaware River near Trenton, NJ in the Traveller. The boat handled amazingly well. I was able to do snappy eddy turns and peel outs and as the photo shows, the boat surfs quite well. I was able to carve back and forth across a wave as easily as I can in a hard boat."

Scott Fairty, Browntown, VA

Edward Prados

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:09:00 +0000

We received the Helios a couple of days ago and took it out for a spin this evening. It sets up very quickly; we had no problems at all. The kayak performs amazingly well and is much faster than we thought it would be. It handled the windy Potomac River nicely. We are very pleased with the Helios -- it is much more suitable than a folding kayak given our housing and storage situation.

Edward Prados, Washington, D.C.

Beth A. Smith

noreply@blogger.com (M*) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0000

The three months of Summer were spent training for my journey across England and familiarizing myself with the boat. I will say that it performed better than expected in its ability to track. It was more maneuverable than any of the other inflatables of my experience. The fact remains, no other boat would have offered the advantages of light weight, ease of transport, or overall performance, that the Innova offered. I don’t believe I could have paddled the 190 miles I did paddle in 19 days with any other boat.

Beth A. Smith, Emeryville, CA