Aqua Marina Steam Professional Kayak Package

Product Information

If the Steam 412 begins to lose air, tighten the three valves ever so slightly to ensure this is not where the air is escaping before you look for a puncture. When we first tested the Razor Kayak R2, one of the valves was loose. So it’s good to be aware of this, especially before the first use.

There are a number of features that help the Steam 412 stand out from other tandem inflatable kayaks. Firstly the detachable drop-stitch floor enables you to dry out the boat so much easier after use than most inflatable kayaks. We haven’t seen this feature on many of the inflatables we’ve tested, and it isn’t until you’ve paddled a few strokes that this feature shows its worth. Features After that, we mount the two fins on the bottom of the kayak, which should provide a better straight running characteristics. Do not mount the fins on the boat until you are done with the seats and footrests. Plugging in the direction fin Drop-stitch technology is what makes the Steam's floor absurdly stiff. If you could see inside the floor tube, you'd find an uncountable number of nylon threads spanning the top and Botton surfaces, which ensures the kayak maintains it's optimal shape while you compress pounds of highly-pressured air into the floor. The result is an inflatable kayak that feels as stiff as solid oak! The Aqua Marina Steam is built with a sleek, streamlined shape for faster travel across the water. The smaller tubes and lower profile reduce wind resistance (both as you paddle and from any side-wind) and have an easy entry in the front without pushing water as you paddle. And it's not just the seats that are comfortable, let's not forget the feet! This kayak has a durable foam footrest design for a comfortable journey. You'll almost feel better than on the couch.

The Steam is built with three air chambers. Each of the two 8.5” diameter side tubes is its own independent air chamber. These tubes are made of a reinforced PVC material and feature Halkey-Roberts style valves (the same as most iSUPs). However, even though the tubes are welded together and have the same types of valves as a high-pressure iSUP, the Steam’s tubes have a maximum inflation pressure of just 1.5 PSI.

For the front paddler, a footrest would definitely be a nice feature on a longer trip, especially since you expect to be able to use a footrest when you buy the kayak. This only works if you’re shorter. If both paddlers are perhaps only 1.60 m (5’25”), it could probably work. Of course, in the end, it depends primarily on seat length, not height. If the use of a footrest is important to you, sit at home to test it before you go out on the water. However, for small leisurely paddling trips (with 2-3 h of paddling), you can safely do without a footrest, especially since the footrest is also just a kind of bar. If you’re paddling down complex whitewater, you’re likely to remove both fins as the depth of the water on swift moving rivers can change abruptly. But if you’re paddling on flatwater and won’t risk getting the fin caught in shallow water, the performance will vastly improve by having one or two of the fins attached. Drainage We also recommend you don’t store or leave your inflatable in direct sunlight for a long period of time when not in use. UV rays will cause damage to the PVC over time and the air pressure of the kayak will increase in the heat, which can cause pressure on the seams. Do we recommend it? The quality and range of inflatable kayaks have really improved over early examples. Top-end inflatables are now even being used in competitions, which was unheard of just a few years ago. Because it is so light, it is a bit harder to self-rescue, but because they have bungee cords and ropes in the bow and stern, that's smart design.

Steam down rivers with Aqua Marina

The Aqua Marina STEAM-412 mixes super-tough reinforced PVC material and rigid drop-stitched DWF floor. These ultra-stiff materials in the STEAM’s construction make a portable air-kayak so rigid that performs just as good as a traditional hard shell kayak. A perfect choice for long distance adventures and mild river running. Key Features Its inflatable V-shape keel design makes it more efficient on strokes and the maximum weight it can hold is 341 lbs.