Hello, does anyone own or use one of these kayaks or something similar? i'm curious as to how these perform in wind and waves, how are they to portage, how fast, and how nimble on a wandering creek? With the removable deck it seems a reasonably good sized pack could be carried, and it can be paddled like a sit on top and possibly portaged like a canoe. I'm considering this boat as a potential solo tripper. I normally use my 17 foot Kevlar for tripping and its just a bit too big at times for me, especially when the wind comes up. Thanks!

Plenty of people use pack canoes for tripping solo.

Here are some examples from Swift. There are other manufacturers

https://swiftcanoe.com/boat-category/pack-boat/

all are paddled from a kayak sitting position( low) , usually with a double blade though singles can be used and
fabric decks can be made for them if desired for big water like Lake Superior. Usually used on smaller bodies of water with portages. They are hard shelled. Seldom do they weigh over 40 lbs.

The PakBoats are good if storage space is an issue and you don't mind putting one together at the start of the trip or end of trip. They are heavier than rigid pack canoes but when air transport is needed their portability is a plus.

Thanks! I appreciate the info, I wasn’t aware Swift canoes made solo boats with options like that.

The Quest 150 kayak weighs 31 pounds including the deck. I looked on the net for videos or articles on how they perform and couldn’t find much, and my experience paddling kayaks is very limited. I’m fishing for real world experience of people who have used the boat or something similar. I will probably buy a hard shell solo canoe someday too! Can never have enough boats!

I’ve wondered about something similar, using Pakboats Quest kayak as a solo canoe because of the removable deck and I think there is real possibility for that.

_________________
Brian
http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca

 

I used to have a Pakboat 170 and it was decidedly slower than a hard shell design. But it rode well in the waves because it did flex. We got it for fly in trips to make them more affordable.
The ability to flex will slough off speed.

Adirondack Pack canoes are very prevalent in the Adirondacks for solo tripping. Swift is one of several makers; the most affordable being Hornbeck Boatworks. Some of the shorter boats are still seaworthy on average lakes and weigh in the high teens.

One of the issues we had with the PakBoat 170 was the fittings between tubes. We had to use cable ties at each tube crossing to make sure the connectors did not pop out.. If they did ( usually one) the boat lost its structure. We have sold the boat since and it was an older model.

Thanks everyone for your input, much appreciated.

I emailed pakboats and got a message from the owner and designer Alv. He suggested the puffin saranac as it has a little more capacity at 400 lbs, and is almost an identical boat. It’s a foot longer and 2 inches wider.

I’ve researched the saranac thoroughly and based on recent improvements and the little information out there I am going to take a leap of faith and give this boat a try. I’ll post my experiences with it. Only a couple months or maybe less until ice out!

Alv is The Man!
Looking forward to hearing your results.

_________________
Brian
http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca

 

Hey. I've been wilderness kayaking with my Puffin Sacco for years. Wonderful boat. Only 20lb. and with the deck off it carries like an ultralight canoe. But with the deck on it cuts through the wind. I find the capacity quite enough for me and my gear. I've caught so many fish trolling from this boat! I've paddled 400km from London to Leeds on the English canals. Another time over 200km from Sudbury to Temagami - real wilderness areas through there. And many many more wonderful trips. This November I did 3 days on the Nottawasaga river. Ran some rapids that verged on class 3. A bit scary for this boat, but it handled it really well. One small pin hole that I easily patched at home.
Sure, the Sacco is not especially fast - Pakboats has faster boats, but it is really stable. I've wondered about the Saranak, but it is eleven pounds heavier, & I don't need the extra capacity. Still, it might be more stable in big waves, maybe safer for coastal ocean paddling.
I made my own deck - making it two parts, which I find much handier, and I created an easy to put on cover that I like much better than a spray skirt - lighter, easier to put on when in the water, and keeps me almost bone dry in heavy rain.
rose1geoff@gmail.com

Wow Geoff! Thanks for posting

I have been unable to get a pakboat kayak, they had a fire at their warehouse and Alv has since retired, so they’re in a bit of a transition period right now I suppose.. I am still interested in one of these boats, Alv suggested to me the puffin saranac. I think these may quite possibly be some of the most versatile boats for wilderness tripping, great to hear from someone who has actually used one!