Kayaking Potomac River Dc
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Advice for an inflatable kayak?
I live in Washington, DC and have been renting a kayak a few times a summer on the potomac. This year, I was thinking about investing in a kayak of my own to save the rental costs, but I don’t have a car, don’t live close enough to the river to walk, and I can’t carry it on the subway- I checked. Is an inflatable kayak a good idea? Will the other kids with better boats laugh at me? Is it safe? The area I would be paddling around on is calm and deep enough that I won’t run onto any rocks. Thanks!
An inflatable would be fine for your situation. There are some differences that you should be aware of though.
An inflatable is usually very stable but they have “thigh straps” to help you maintain position while paddling. If you do dump it over, you will have to slip out of the thigh straps to get back to the surface. You really can’t “Eskimo roll” one of these…I tried and tried and tried…just won’t do it.
Most modern inflatable kayaks are made of very durable material but they can be punctured. Ensure you get one with a good “multiple chamber” system so that a puncture won’t actually sink you in deep water. Carry a patch kit!
Place to shop are REI, Sportsmans Warehouse, and of course dedicated kayak shops. Stay far away from Big-5 when looking for any inflatable.
rk kayaking in potomac river dc
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