Sevylor Quikpak K1 Review

The Sevylor Quikpak K-1, ready for launch.

So this fairly inaccessible pond used to have a boat on it. When I visited the pond a few weeks ago, the boat was gone. GONE! How could I fish there now? The bottom is soft, the pond full of big alligators. That’s not a good wading combination.

Some research on-line led me to the Sevylor Quikpak K1 One Person Inflatable Kayak. I contacted (three times) the media representative at Coleman (Coleman owns Sevylor) to inquire about obtaining said vessel. They never responded to me.

Since the boat with shipping was less than $120, I just bought it. But I am wondering what customer service will be like, should I need it.

The boat arrived in a large carton. In the carton was the boat, a hand pump and hose, a paddle (which I just threw away), and the pack to carry the boat in. And of course there were instructions.

I took the boat into my yard and blew it up. The literature says this will take five minutes. It’s more like ten, not a deal-breaker if you’re the type who would carry the thing for a mile or two to get it to a body of water. Pumping up the boat is only a small amount of work, but enough that my aging butt had to take a break in the middle of it.

The valves and the hose nozzles are not brilliantly engineered. By being a little fussy one person can still get all five chambers filled up with air in minutes. The hose appears to be the weakest link in the system- guaranteed to be the first item to break.

The pump also sucks all the air out of the boat when you’re finished using it. That’s a good thing- that way it fits back into the pack.

This morning I gave the boat the on-the-water test. I carried it a mile and a half to the pond, filled it up with air, put it in the water, and climbed on.

By the way, since I have other kayaks I also had a decent paddle already. I did not need or want the chintzy one that came with the boat.

The K1 paddles kind of like a doughnut, or a big inner tube, might. Every paddle stroke turns the bow of the boat the other way. There is a lot of effort wasted going laterally.

I kept telling myself if not for this boat I would not be there at all. I don’t suppose one can expect a finely designed and built boat for $120.

In its defense, the boat stayed filled with air. The material from which it’s made appears sturdy enough to last for multiple trips. The quality of the (Chinese) construction appears to be more than adequate.

I found myself wishing I had an anchor. I believe an eight ounce lead pyramid on a thin nylon line would be adequate. As it was I parked it on top of weedbeds and fly fished from that stationary position.

This was the best fish of the morning’s feasibility study. This boat will help me find a bigger fish!

I caught five bass from the boat this morning, and made it back to the put-in without incident. It passed the water test! With some maneuvering I was even able to pee from it. I think my limit for sitting in the thing will be four hours or so.

I’ve always regarded kayak fishing as an exercise in minimalism, but this boat takes it to the extreme. Outside of my pockets (in which was a small fly box, a leader wheel, and a multi-tool) I had a paddle, a one-liter water bottle, a banana for both good luck and a delicious snack, and a five-weight fly outfit.

The boat lets me access a place I would not otherwise be able to fish. I will adjust to its idiosyncrasies and continue using it as time and weather permits.

The Sevylor Quikpak K1 One Person Inflatable Kayak- it’s not the perfect boat, but it does allow one to fish otherwise inaccessible water.

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
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