I was looking for a flexible solo boat to take traveling or out on river adventures.  The folks at Innova responding to my barrage of questions well, which ultimately resulted in my purchase of an Innova Safari.  I was hesitant to get this nimble little craft because of the bailing holes.  For whitewater excursions, the bailing holes sounded good, but what about flatwater?



I bought this craft near the end of the season when things started to get a bit chilly.  And yes, some water does come up through the bailing holes, up to the inflatable floor...but its not much different than the water you bring in from your feet getting in the boat or even paddling.  Other Safari owners suggested that I cover the bailing holes with some red duct tape in colder months if it's a problem.  I can't wait to crash this craft through some whitewater and see how it drains.  It's a great summer playboat.

The seat is two parts, with a back and floor rest, and is 'ok'.  With some Hypalon D-Rings, you should be able to add on a Sit-on-top (SOT) seat for added comfort.  I came across one Safari owner who sold his original seat and purchased a Sevylor High Back.  

The boat does feel 'faster' than other shorter inflatables.  Part of that might be due to a more realistic kayak feel.  Since this IK is so narrow and the hull cuts into the water, it feels 'tippy' when you first use it.  Once you don the included thigh straps and size the foot brace accordingly, this is a non-issue.  Since the braces and thigh straps allow you to become 'one' with your IK, it also allows you to use your whole body to maneuver it.  It's feels very different than, for example, a Sea Eagle 'cruiser', the 380x.  It's also faster.

The other benefit to this boat is that it is one of the most portable kayaks I have found.  It only weighs 24 pounds, and it really folds down well.  The boat comes with a nice duffle/back pack that is iffy for airline carry on (you definitely could pack it in a suitcase with paddle, pump, and PFD and still be under the 50lb checked limit!), but still very compact.  Add a four-part paddle and this is one portable boat!

Primary Benefits of the Innova Safari over competing boats:

• High-quality, rugged, Nitrylon rubber "sandwich" material rather than glued PVC.
• Lightweight, portable, packs up in included backpack/drybag.
• Great turning performance due to speedy hull design give the Safari above-average agility.
• Great for whitewater up to Class III:  thigh straps, foot braces, and bailing holes that drain water out of the kayak put this a notch above comparable solo IKs!
• I haven't tried this, but Innova reports that the Safari could be eskimo rolled.  If any of you have done this, let me know!
• When you're not going downstream finding rapids, attach the metal tracking fin; the Safari also works great on flatwater or for coastal kayaking.  Attach your paddles and pump to the backpack and hike to remote waters;  if you can only have one solo IK, the Safari can handle just about any kind of water you can find.  

The Safari is one that you can really grow into.  It handles more like a hardshell kayak than other IKs, and as a result, as your skill increases, it will still be one of your favorite IK's.  Personally, I like it for class I-II river runs and local lakes for spontaneous paddling sessions.

The Innova Safari comes with a 70liter drybag/backpack, which unlike most IK's is actually useful for kayak storage or gear storage during a trip.

Some total, the Innova Safari is a high performance, versatile, portable kayak.

Wondering how fast this could go? Try our Kayak Speed Estimator!

Find it on Amazon.com: Innova Safari Inflatable Kayak

Visit The Innova Group website for more information.

Kayak Information:
RIVER RATING: Class III
LENGTH: 10 ft.
WIDTH: 28 in.
WEIGHT: 24 lbs.
AIR CHAMBERS: 3 Main
CAPACITY: 220 lbs (1 person)
PACKED DIM: 10x17x20 in.
MATERIAL: 1200-denier Nitrylon™ - No PVC!
COLOR: Red
INCLUDES: Drybag/backpack for transport

Comments (6)
Richard Thomsen August 7th, 2003 08:59:46 AM