Allen Zatkin, RV Traveller
Location: Cambria, CA
Stats:
- Models paddled: AdvancedFrame Convertible and AdvancedFrame Sport.
- Water that they paddle: Lakes, Coastal/Ocean, Bays and Estuaries, Slow Moving Rivers.
- What they use their yak for: Travel and Daily Paddling/General Fitness.
Born in Michigan and growing up on the Lakes around Detroit, Allen moved to Southern California with his folks as a child. Throughout his life, boating and water sports have always been his passion. Since he retired from practicing dentistry, Allen and his wife have enjoyed exploring the waterways of California and neighboring states and, as an RVer, he has found that the AdvancedFrame kayak line has definitely complimented their RV lifestyle and enhanced their fun.
Favorite AE Story:
My wife and I both love the intimacy with our aquatic environment that kayaking provides, not to mention the low-impact workout. But because our hard kayaks were so cumbersome, we rarely took them along on RV journeys and consequently missed many great places to dip our paddles. Then I stumbled upon the AdvancedFrame line of kayaks which solved the portability problem and worked nicely with our first love, RVing. The Sport model folds down to a slim package and fits easily in an RV storage bay. Using a small rechargeable air-bed pump, we can quickly blow up our two kayaks 90 percent of the way. We then top them off with a hand pump equipped with a pressure gauge. We can have our kayaks out of their carrying bags and on the water in less than 10 minutes. They weigh only 23 pounds each, so getting to the water’s edge is a breeze.
Most of the inflatable kayaks I’ve seen or paddled fit into two categories: heavy and bulky whitewater touring kayaks or flimsy plastic jobs that are more toys than serious watercraft. The molded-in fin and sharp bow and stern configuration of the AdvancedFrame Sport make it track like longer hard kayaks and give it the ability to handle crosswinds well and the kayak’s multilayered fabric construction is rugged and well adapted for mild to moderate touring and exploring. Advanced Elements encases the air bladders in tough fabric chambers that make the hull rigid yet still very lightweight. The proprietary valves are easy to use, and they make inflating and