- Home
- Profile
Profile
Name: rtnospam
Most Recent Reviews
I purchased this boat because I was interested in the Sawtooth II but I wanted a blue model instead of the yellow Aire Sawtooth II. I recently purchased a Sawtooth I and it is nice to be able to mix and match the Aire Cheetah seats.
The Trinity II comes with 2 seats and is over 15' long. It's great for lakes and big water. I've taken it on several Lake Superior trips, including the Apostle Islands. It is self bailing and I love crashing over the waves with this craft. The self bailing is not quick but with the bailing holes I am never sitting in water.
I use this kayak solo, (you can arrange seats however you like due to the dozens of tie down loops along each side of the floor) with 2 people, and with 3 people (my 2 elementary age children). I think the speed is among the best with 2 paddlers. It tracks well; I do use the included skeg whenever the water is deep enough to support it. It is easy to slide in and remove when the craft is deflated.
My main complaint about this and other "skin and bladder" boats is that it is cumbersome to dry. I get as much water out of it as I can before putting it on a tarp in my trunk, then take it out and dry it again when I get home. It cleans up well but its water retention is the primary drawback for this craft. That said, I've owned my Trinity II for 3 years and it has not accumulated any mold or odor from moisture.
Despite the drying complaint, this is my favorite kayak. I'd love to upgrade my heavier Trinity II for the newer model. The made-in-the-USA Trinity II folds down smaller, has a longer warranty, and is lighter weight, but is also nearly double what I paid for my Chinese version.
The speed feels close to the Innova Sunny, I can't tell which is faster. I sold my Innova Sunny so I could buy the Sawtooth I. I wish they sold the Sawtooth in red or blue instead of yellow. I was worried the yellow would attract bugs, but have not had problems with that at all. So far it has stayed relatively clean; I applied some protectant before using it the first time.
I took two points off the rating due to the retention of water. Aire kayaks are quite durable due to their skinned approach (outside layer and an inside bladder). However, water finds its way into the boat and it takes a long time to drain it out. After I fold it up I put the bundle on its side to drain for a few minutes before putting it in my car on a tarp. Then at home I unfold it and take a towel to it again.
On rivers it handles well. In deeper water I always put the skeg on, and am pleased with how the Sawtooth tracks. It's a comfortable craft for paddling into the middle of the lake on a sunny day, leaning back, and relaxing. Love it!
Today I took the Safari on a local easy (max Class I) river and didn't notice the tippiness at all. The bailing feature works well, there is a little water on the bottom near the sides but it doesn't amount to much. I switched to the closed bailing 380x halfway (friend was paddling) and it had about the same amount of water in it. The skeg attachment does help one go straighter (and thus a little faster due to efficiency).
My only complaint is comfort. Although I feel that the Safari fits my 6' 185lb frame well, the seat was not very comfortable. On a later trip maybe I will try to rig my Sea Eagle deluxe seat into the Safari.
Other big pluses of the Safari is that it packs down quite well and only weighs about 25 pounds, almost half that of the Sea Eagle. I plan to get a 4 part paddle so I can take this boat with me when I have an opportunity to fly to a location with fun waters nearby.
I should also add that the Innova people were very good at answering my questions which led to the purchase of my Innova Safari.