Customer Reviews

Sevylor Inflatable Tahiti Classic Kayak

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This inflatable kayak is a hoot! I bought one yesterday and did about 12 miles on the Truckee River through Reno in it with my teenage son. (Yes, I am incredibly stiff and sore, and he's raring to go again.)

First of all realize that this does not handle like a hardbody kayak. Close, but not quite. It is just a pointy rubber raft, after all. It likes to go down the river sideways or backwards, depending upon where the heaviest bottom sits. But, it can be easily paddled by one or two persons to float just like the real thing.

About thirty years ago I used to have a fiberglass kayak and went down many rivers here in the western USA. I've worn wool long underwear under a wetsuit to stay warm and have almost lost camera gear and food in rollovers. I kinda know how to handle a kayak.

This Sevylor should not be taken through anything greater than a 4, depending upon the skill of the paddler. It rides like a typical rubber raft through crests and holes. It might be fun to play with solo in standing waves, but it would be hard to brace into because there are no foot/heel rests. There is no way to stay in it in a rollover. You'll just get dumped out.

On the practical side, it only weighs about 23 pounds, can be had for around $140, inflates easily and quickly with a plunger air pump (sold separately), is easily portaged around the rough water, has a very shallow draft, is made from some very tough PVC, is comfortable to sit in for several hours, is easy to dump water out of, cleans off quickly with just a hose, and deflates in a heartbeat to be folded back into the size of a medium suitcase. For us, it is perfect - affordable, handy in the waters we frequent, easy to inflate/deflate/store.

I'm thinking of getting another one so that he can have his own, and so that I won't get quite as splashed-on from his flailing paddling. He can also tow old mom on the wide slow parts.

Sue :)

We purchased this kayak a few weeks ago and have enjoyed using it in our nearby lake.

Initial use is very easy. We had it set up and inflated within fifteen minutes, using a hand pump for inflation. Note, the kayak does not include paddles, so remember to purchase them as well.

The kayak comfortably seats two people, with room for storage in the front and rear of the kayak. We're using this to stow lifejackets for our boys. The kayak includes two inflatable, removable seats which can be moved around or removed. We've found that they are very comfortable and actually make rowing and maneuvering easier. The kayak also has an easy to open and close drain for letting water out of the boat.

The size of this kayak makes it so easy for using and transporting. Our 11 year old can carry it on his own and it actually fit inside our van fully inflated.

I don't plan on taking the kayak on any rapids, but for use on local lakes and calm rivers, it seems to be the perfect solution.

The highlights of my inflatable boat.

Little cash or space required!
Clearly the value will draw many customers to the Tahiti, but don't be fooled by the low price, the Tahiti is still a very capable boat. The Tahitis strength is its adaptability and its versitility, it can be paddled down the Amazon and will also do nicely for the local pond! Worried about carrying your boat, don't be, the Tahiti can be thrown into the truck of a compact car and can even be packed and carried by rucksack!

Rough and Tough
I own this kayak and the colorado, both of which are outstanding value. Despite what you may think, the Tahiti is an amazingly robust boat, I have hit rocks in my Tahiti as well as dragged it across rocks in shallow water. Talking of shallow water, if needed, one man can pick up the Tahiti and carry it with no problem.

High Capacity and Low Draught
What more can you ask from a boat! The Tahiti rides high out of the water and it can carry 400 pounds!

It Can Fly!
Well, at least it can when you take in on a plane.
It weighs in at 30 pounds just pack it small and check it in with your luggage.

If money is short and you need a boat that can go anywhere, the Tahiti is for you!

Thanks for reading

Liam

The Sevylor Skeg is a must add-on. The skeg is a fin that hooks on the back of the kayak to assist in straight line tracking and also helps with turns. Most places on the web sell it for >$20. The skeg will also work on look-alike models.
Inflatable kayaks are notorious for fishtailing while paddling and the skeg curtails that action nicely so that your inflatable handles more like a hard-body kayak.

I love my inflatable kayak & will be taking it and my skeg to the Carribean this fall.

This inflatable kayak is functional and easy to transport given it's light wheight. Once inflated, it's easy to carry with just one arm when empty. It also has a very sturdy feel once it's completely inflated (I would recommend an electric pump that you can plug into your car battery charger).

With both seats in the kayak, there is suffient room and storage space for two adults and gear. I have been using this kayak mostly for fishing with my four-year-old son on small lakes. We generally carry two fishing rods, gear box, bottled water, and other related items, along with a dry bag. Even with all this "stuff" in the boat there is plenty of room inside, and with the seats in place I have plenty of support and elbow room for paddling.

I haven't yet taken this kayak on down a creek or river so I'm not able to comment on its use in that scenario.

I bought 2 of these with the skeg and kayak paddles. We put them on a small, calm lake, I and our 3 year-old in one, my wife and our 5 year-old in the other. The boys could not get enough of it! Perfect for what we want to do, which is paddle around on a lake and sneak up on wildlife, etc. The skeg is a must. Otherwise, they spin back and forth on every stroke. Quick set up, but I bought a first-rate large chamber pump (Italian made = about $25) and got each inflated in about 8 minutes. I bought two used duffle bags at the army surplus for $8 each, and these are perfect to get the boat, seats, paddles, skeg and even the pump if you're careful to get most of the air out.
The plastic is very heavy duty. Sure, they are plastic, but with reasonable care, I figure they are going to last a long time. Best to follow the instructions and not over inflate them. The pressure guide is NOT to tell you how much to inflate it, but rather to indicate if the heat increases the pressure to the point where you need to let some air out. Only inflate until all the wrinkles are out.
We are looking forward to this summer and many more summers having fun with these kayaks. We all need the exercise - go get one! You'll have no regrets.

We have purchased 3 boats now. We love them.
They are easy to inflate and also to deflate and store.
They are also easy to patch which is important with any inflatable.
Very fair price for what you get.

We bought two of these on a recommendation from some other RV campers we met last year. For the price and ability to fold them up and store them in a plastic carry bin they are just what we needed. They are really quite tough little kayaks, but instruct your kids on how to launch them from the shore - they can be punctured by running into sticks and debris on the shoreline. If you are looking for an easily storable way to get out on the water they would do the job. They are a bit cramped for two full size adults, but still workable. Recommend also purchasing the Sevylor Skeg attachment Sevylor Skeg if you are planning to use this on flat water like a lake since the kayak is flat bottomed and tends to turn easily when you try to paddle a straight course. Do not recommend the Coleman cordless air pump Coleman Rechargeable Quick Pump that Amazon lists as a recommended accessory since it lacks the power to fully inflate the kayak. Some sort of pump, foot or powered, is necessary since you will wear yourself out inflating by lung power alone.

I've been holding off writing a review of the two Tahitis we bought at the beginning of the summer to get more rivers, creeks, and lakes in for experience. We got the "hunting-fishing" green and tan model which is a lot more reasonable looking on Minnesota waterways than the bright yellow model. They were purchased for myself (6'7"), my girlfriend (6'2"), and my twin daughters (5' each, aged ten). One adult and one gal fit just fine in each kayak. I use the inflatable seat that is included in the package, but my daughters do not. They're more comfortable sitting and kneeling on the boat bottom. We've also paddled these solo and the two girls have paddled one together.

With the skeg, which I think is pretty much required, they track reasonably well in still and rapid water, and do okay in windy conditions. We had one small puncture going over debris on a very shallow inter-lake passage. That hole was easy to patch with the kit and PVC cement. After being a bit unsure as to how well inflatable the kayaks were, we bought the Sevylor pressure gauge and found that we had been underinflating the boats (by a fair amount). I'd recommend that and a good hand or foot pump. (We have a Coleman hand pump and the Sevylor turbo foot pump).

These are a lot of fun, easy to pack into the back of the car, and easy to get onto the water. It takes us about 15 minutes to unload from the car, inflate, and set off onto the water. (The first time it was closer to a 1/2 hour, but we only had one pump and no practice.)

I couldn't be happier with these kayaks. Sure, there are plenty of better ones out there (including these same K79s with an outer fabric layer) but they're all quite a bit more expensive. And this is a great, transportable starting point for family kayaking.

Sevylor Inflatable Tahiti Classic Kayak is pretty good if you want something portable to use and don't have the funds to get a real kayak. Sevlor Skeg is a must have add on to avoid "some" of the known spinning of inflatables. Overall it's decent function wise, very durable, and looks good, but if I were to do it again, I would go and purchase a real kayak for my purposes. The constant instability (spinning) got a bit annoying, but it's possible to keep straight if you work together as a deligent team.

So it's just okay from me.