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Best Lightweight Kayaks for Pilots
One of my favorite things about flying is enjoying the scenery pass by below the plane. I especially love flying near water, though not necessarily right over it since I don’t have a seaplane rating. Water relaxes me and I particularly enjoy getting out on the water in a watercraft of some sort, my favorite vessel being a kayak.
I’m sure we have all seen the outdoor warrior with their kayaks strapped to the top of their muddy Jeep and think, “I bet they’re going to have a fun weekend!”. Well, why should pilots be left out of having some kayak fun? How hard can it be to strap a kayak to the strut of a Cessna? The correct answer is “Pretty dang hard and probably extremely dangerous and/or illegal.”. Take heart my pilot friends, there are several kayak options available that can easily fit inside a typical light aircraft and I have found a few lightweight options below.
The kayaks that I like focus on portability so they need to come in a small(ish) package and weigh less than your standard Golden Retriever. One of them even weighs less than your standard plump Pug. By the way, if you like taking your furry friend along for water adventures, here is my pick for a doggie personal flotation device.
Before we jump to the kayak selections, here are a few airports where you can get from apron to water in a matter of minutes by just using your own two feet to get there. There are many more than what’s shown on the list below but this should be good for starters.
- Essex Skypark (W48), Baltimore, Maryland – the Back River, which leads to Chesapeake Bay is about a 10 minute walk from the airport apron.
- Newton Field (59B), Jackman, Maine – Wood Pond, a 2,168 acre lake in western Maine is only a 15 minute walk from the airport apron.
- Shell Lake Municipal Airport (SSQ), Shell Lake, Wisconsin – Shell Lake is a 2,600 acre lake that basically surrounds the airport.
- Ocracoke Island Airport (W95), Ocracoke Island, North Carolina – this airport is only 1,000 feet from the Atlantic Ocean.
- Samoa Field Airport (O33), Eureka, California – in less than 10 minutes, you can walk to the North Bay Channel that leads to the Pacific Ocean.
Now, on to the kayaks, as always, I select my favorite affordable (Piston), mid-range (Turboprop) and high-end (Jet) options below.
Piston Choice
If you are a fan of origami or at least can appreciate the skill involved in folding things creatively, this first selection will be right up your alley.
The Oru Lake is a foldable, 9-foot-long polypropylene kayak. When folded into its carrying case, the kayak measures 42″ x 10″ x 18″ and weighs only 17 pounds. This kayak is intended for smooth water only so it won’t tolerate any whitewater conditions but if you plan to venture out on smooth lakes or rivers, it should do just fine.
Setup time is less than 3 minutes and best of all, you won’t need any tools or an air pump, just your hands, to unfold the kayak.
The Oru Lake is designed for a solo rider but can also accommodate a small dog if your canine friend is so inclined.
The Oru website shows somebody pounding the kayak with a hammer to demonstrate its durability so I assume this thing can also double as a construction sawhorse. OK, maybe that’s not such a good idea, but it looks like it can take a real beating.
There are a number of compatible accessories for the Oru Lake as well, such as a skeg (to help with directional tracking), a paddle, personal flotation devices, and various drybags to keep your goodies secure.
It comes with a 3-year warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee.
It receives 4.2 stars out of 5 based on about 70 reviews.
Turboprop Choice
Although I don’t own this particular kayak, I have used it before and really enjoyed my time in it. While on vacation in the Caribbean, my family and I took a kayak excursion from one of the islands and the tour company used the Sea Eagle EZLite10.
This inflatable kayak is 10 feet long and weighs 25 pounds. When stowed in the carrying case, the kayak measures 32” x 17” x 9”. This is the heaviest kayak on my list but that weight hints at its sturdy construction. It is made with reinforced PVC and has a load capacity of 325 pounds so you can definitely take along your furry friend in most instances. It’s intended for smooth water operations so you’ll need something else to tackle those whitewater rapids you’ve had your eye on.
Setup time is less than 5 minutes and you can use either a hand air pump or a battery powered air pump. Check out this article for my favorite air pumps for pilots to take on-the-go.
The EZLite10 has a V-shaped hull to help with speed and tracking. It also comes with a skeg to further improve tracking in windy conditions. It has an adjustable footrest and bungee cords on the front and rear to help hold your stuff.
If you really want to deck out this kayak, you can add lots of accessories including a small electric motor if you prefer your kayak excursions to be paddle-free.
It comes with a 3-year warranty and a 120 day money back guarantee.
It receives 4.9 stars out of 5 based on about 16 reviews.
Jet Choice
If you want one of the lightest and toughest inflatable kayak out there, you will be hard pressed to beat the BOTE Vali Aero Ultralight Kayak. Weighing in at a svelte 16.5 pounds, it is just by a hair, the lightest kayak on my list. It is 11′ long and when packed away in the travel bag measures 20″ L × 13.75″ W × 28.5″ D.
Setup time is less than 5 minutes and you can use either a hand air pump or a battery powered air pump. Once again, you can check out this article for my favorite air pumps for pilots to take on-the-go.
This kayak is covered with a special nylon coating that adds additional protection without adding much to the weight.
The BOTE Vali Aero Ultralight Kayak comes with a soft, removable seat, hand pump and removable bottom skeg to help with directional control.
BOTE offers a 2 year warranty on this kayak.
It receives 5 stars out of 5 based on about 2 reviews.
