No. 302 Inflatable Kayak Stabilizers

by  Scotty

No. 302 Inflatable Kayak Stabilizers Description

The No. 302 Inflatable Kayak Stabilizers is a accessory brought to you by Scotty. Read No. 302 Inflatable Kayak Stabilizers reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other accessory recommendations below or explore all accessories to find the perfect one for you!

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No. 302 Inflatable Kayak Stabilizers Reviews

Read reviews for the No. 302 Inflatable Kayak Stabilizers by Scotty as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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These stabilizers are…

Submitted by: DanD on 7/8/2015
These stabilizers are basically training wheels for a kayak. They are inflatable vinyl pontoons that are held about two feet out from your kayak via metal stabilizer arms. The arms connect to your boat using any of the Scotty accessory mounts. I used mine to turn my touring sea kayak (a Boreal Design Fjell) into a stable fishing platform. That goal was successful: when attached the kayak is basically impossible to flip so I can fish in rough water without losing my balance and ending up in the drink.

The inflatable pontoons are nice in that when not in use they can be deflated and stored in a hatch where they won't take up too much space. In practice however, I rarely use them for the simple reason that when deployed they produce excessive drag in the water. You will simply wear yourself out if trying to paddle any significant distance with these in the water. I have instead opted to paddle to a spot, then deploy the stabilizers when fishing, and remove them when paddling again. This is complicated by the fact that they can be a bit tricky to remove once attached when you are on the water and confined to the seat of a sit-in kayak.

I think they would be better suited to a sit on top boat where you can move around more. Besides this drawback my only complaint is that the components are not all water tight. The outer layer of the pontoon is not water tight and water fills the space between this outside cover and the inside air bladder. Then they get heavy because of this water. Likewise the metal arms are not water tight and it is difficult to clean saltwater out once it gets inside (so I worry they might rust from the inside out). Also, the pontoons require very powerful force to inflate - such that I'm usually light headed by the time I get them blown up!

Overall they are a great concept but one that would benefit from further refinement. Because of these drawbacks I hardly ever use them and have simply learned to keep my balance when fishing instead. So far so good!