Originally Posted by Gigmaster
What is the history of this boat? I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for, and if it has to do with MY LIFE and am very picky/ I had a Sevylor raft at one time too....never again.
What is the history of this boat? I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for, and if it has to do with MY LIFE and am very picky/ I had a Sevylor raft at one time too....never again.
Well, I couldn't stand it. I bought the Rio, and it is fantastic, for what it is. It weighs only 25 pounds, and straps right to the back of my Specialized Crossroads bicycle. I bought the drop-stitch floor for it, as well (another $65.00, but more than worth it...). I took it out on the Ocoee River yesterday on the Olympic Section. It handled beautifully once I got used to it. The seat is super-comfortable. I watched a couple of rafts wipe out in Hell Hole, and glided right past them. It bounced off of rocks with seeming impunity. Rapids are no problem for this one. It has excellent maneuverability. The only thing I could say negatively is that I wish it came with knee-straps, but these can be purchased and installed easily. You really don't need them unless you plan to do a lot of serious whitewater, but they do keep you from being thrown out of the boat when you bounce off of rocks and things.
After testing it in fast water, I took it to Carters Lake to see how it would perform on distance, and open water. I thought the wind might be a problem for it, but there was a light breeze, and it did not cause any undue issues. The Rio tracks very straight (once you learn it's quirks...), and with the drop-stitch floor, standing up in it was very easy and stable. There is plenty of room for gear (unlike most yaks). I was able to fly cast easily. Bow fishing and frog-gigging will be no problem (unless you shoot the boat...), nor will duck-hunting this fall. I covered around 6 miles, from Woodring Branch to the old Dam, and back, and paddling was easy. It's not the fastest yak I have ever paddled, but it's not the slowest either. It handled boat wakes very well, and I was able to maintain 3 knots easily. I wouldn't hesitate to take the Rio out on the coast (which I plan to do later....). One of the 'quirks' I mentioned is that you don't want to try to power it up to speed from a standstill. Until you get some waterflow through the tracking fins (it has two), it will spin on you. You have to paddle very gently until you get moving a little, then you can dig in all you want, and it will track very well.
All-in-all, this boat was a bargain, even if I did get in trouble with the Mrs. over it. It will be great for times when using my other boats would be impractical. This could be easily transported on a plane, bus, bicycle, motorcycle, or thrown in the back of the car. The carrying bag even has shoulder straps, so you could hike it in to remote places (I'll be trying that later this week...). I am thinking of taking it to Peru, or Ecuador later, and maybe doing a little of the Amazon in it. I am due for a vacation.
It's not fast, it's not pretty, but it does the job, and does it well. Hats off to Sevylor. They have a winner with this one, and I am guessing with the two-seater (called the Colorado) version as well. I would take the Rio just about anywhere, and feel confident that it would get me back home alive.
Last edited by Gigmaster; 05-21-2012 at 10:04 AM.
Here's my #1 Water Ride. My Inflatable Advanced Elements Convertable Yak. It sets up and breaks down in less than 10 minutes, only weighs 53 pounds, can hold 530 pounds, and can keep up with all but the very fastest racing hardshell kayaks. It converts from a 2-seater to a 1-seater in less than 2 minutes. Her name is The Lake Princess.
My Convertable Yak 002.jpgMy Convertable Yak 003.jpg
Last edited by Gigmaster; 06-03-2012 at 09:28 PM.
SICK!!!! that is sweet Gig
Wow, I had completely dismissed inflatables in the past, but that one looks great. I'll have to check it out.
Tim
It has aluminum bow and stern inserts that make it cut and glide through the water like nothing I had ever paddled before.The really neat part doesn't show in the picture. I have an aluminum 'backbone' for it that lays along the length of the boat under the floor pad. It makes it track perfect, and go as fast as any hard shell. They also have a high pressure drop-stitch floor for it that you even stand up on, but I have found no need for it. The boat also has a 1 seat, and 2 seat spray deck, and you can use a spray skirt with it. That comes in handy in the winter.
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