AquaglideChelan Inflatable Kayak

Initial review, I am new to inflatable kayaks, but not inflatable boats. I have owned Achilles, Avon, Saturn inflatable power boats and I know what a good rugged one is built like and this Chelan 140 did not disappoint. The dropped stitched floor takes 6 lbs of air pressure and the side tubes takes 3 which when inflated makes a very solid boat, more like a conventional kayak. There is no sag anywhere to slow it down or cause it to not track well. Whereas other similar boats from other manufacturers I looked at have as little as 1lb of pressure in the floor and 2 in the sides which I don't see how that could be rigid enough.The next thing I loved was the comfort level. The inflatable seats will raise you a good 6 inches above the floor, and the back of the seat has straps that are adjustable for what I consider excellent back support. If you were to encounter rough sea conditions you can easily let the air out of the seat to get your CG lower, and pull the caps off the floor drains if needed.Stability is also excellent as I was able to take my 68 lb Aussie out on the lake for a good hour paddle this morning. This was a real test for him and the boat as he has never been able to sit still in a canoe and I was always at risk of a capsize with him along. He was completely comfortable and we never felt like we could tip over. It was a wonderful experience watching him relax and be so intently observing his surroundings, birds, fish jumping etc.Final thoughts, when combined, the higher pressures this boat has, the rugged quality that is obvious, the well engineered design withvery straight tracking, the large backpack that it fit back in easily, makes this a great choice for someone looking for such quality. This was the right choice for what I was looking for. The fact that it doesn't come with a pump and paddles may seem like a downside, but I don't believe that to be true. Paddles are a personal choice, so why would you want to accept whatever minimal choice the mfg decided to pack their kayak with? And getting the right length, and weight makes a big difference so why have to accept a paddle that you may likely never want? Same goes with the pump. Most of the kayaks that come with pumps are of questionable quality, and maybe you would rather want a certain type. 12 or 120 v electric, foot, 2 way hand pump with pressure gage, there are a lot of choices in quality of hand pumps as well. Since Aquaglide doesn't furnish their kayaks with pumps and paddles that you may well find inadequate anyway, it gives them the ability to put more quality into the kayak itself.

schnelles Boot, schnell aufzublasen, wertige US- Verarbeitung, durchdacht, bei leichter Welle kommt etwas Wasser in den Innenraum

The boat is exactly as advertised. It’s quick to set up, very durable, tracks straight and moves quickly through the water. Easy for a novice to maneuver and paddle. Great for storage. The bag is great but heavy when fully loaded. I recommend a cart or collapsible dolly if you have to walk more than 100ft with it. Overall we love it.

Lightweight at 28 pounds, yet very durable. Well-designed and well-made. Easily fits in the sturdy backpack carrying case.

There's plenty to like about the Chelan 140. It's the perfect size for solo use, or for paddling with one of my kids. When fishing, I install the front seat backwards so my son and I are face to face and there's just the right amount of space between us. The seats are the most comfortable kayak seats I've tried, and the foot rest is never fiddly or in the way. The boat is also super stable. My kids can climb into and out of it like it was a swim platform. And the flat drop stitch floor makes it easy to step into and out of from a dock. It sets up super quick, with just three air chambers that all use the same Halkey-Roberts valves. The single layer PVC skin and removable floor make it easy to wipe clean and dry. It fits into its backpack bag with room to spare for gear, and my petite wife can carry it from car to shore. Another thing worth mentioning is the quality. There's no obvious cost cutting. The materials are durable, the construction is tidy and precise, and the boat comes well rigged.So what's not to like? Let's start with the skeg. It doesn't come off easy, and it can be a PITA when something gets in the channel of the skeg box. It's fastened by a little metal screw that I'm paranoid about dropping and losing when my hands are cold and wet. Aquaglide uses a quick release fin with captive locking piece on cheaper boats, why not on the Chelan?My other complaint is with the scupper drains. They increase drag, they increase cost, and the cutouts for them in the drop stich floor are a pathway for dirt, sand, and small droppable items to disappear under the floor. When you open the drains, the water level in the cockpit rises to a bit above floor level and sloshes around, so you would only use these if you're in rapids or surf and taking on water repeatedly.So who is this kayak meant for? Aquaglide markets it as a "performance touring" kayak, but like most inflatable kayaks, it's a poor choice for touring. The hull shape is wide and flat with the bow and stern rising up out of the water. It's designed to ride over waves rather than cutting through them, and all the directional stability comes from the skeg. It gets knocked around by chop and blown around by the wind. And it's slow. I originally hoped to be able to use the Chelan 140 on remote camping trips. But I realized that was a bad idea about half-way through our first long paddle across a windy lake.The Chelan's hull shape is suitable for river running. With the skeg off, it's low draught. It turns easy, and it flexes up and over waves. And those scupper drains are a suggestion to the buyer that maybe it can do whitewater. But this is a sit-on-top style kayak, it's not a kayak you "wear". I suspect sustained class II sections could be sketchy. Likewise, you'd only take this sea kayaking on calm days. Aquaglide themselves make better boats for river running and sea kayaking in the McKenzie and Navarro, and they're cheaper too.It's a great kayak for casual recreational paddling in good weather: exploring a pond or small lake, sightseeing, nature spotting, taking a day trip if you don't have too far to go. But it seems like overkill for that. It also makes a decent fishing boat, but I think the better equipped Blackfoot kayaks are worth it for anglers.So the Chelan 140 is not a do it all kayak, it's a do a little of everything kayak. Unfortunately, I was hoping for a better touring kayak, so after one season, I did more research and bought a Neris Smart Pro. But I'm keeping the Chelan 140 for local fishing trips with my son.