Mike Humber and Travis Spencer, both of Broadstairs, Kent to embark on the crossing to France.
The crossing from St Margaret’s Bay to Cape Gris Nez was expected to take five to seven hours, Mike Humber said.

And he said the pair had been kayaking for a few years and had gradually increased the length of their journeys before deciding last year that they wanted to cross the Channel.

“We’ve been training over the winter and know we can do that sort of distance,” he said.

The man was videotaped wrestling with a large sailfish in an inflatable kayak a few weeks ago.

Amateur video showed the man reeling the sailfish to the boat. At one point, he stopped using his fishing line and grabbed the fish with his hands.

The video was shot by a man in a motor boat.

This is the result of a rather normal evolution of the inflatable boats market. I remember an inflatable boat my father bought 30+ years ago. It was the usual roundy shape, rather hard to control and not very “seaworthy”. However, I recall countless hours of fun on it. The fact that it was pretty much unsinkable gave my folks the confidence they needed to let me go out to row.

Today’s exploding market of inflatable kayaks, reflects the natural evolution for the little inflatable fun boats we used to play with. They are far better to paddle and control and the element of safety is still there. As a kayak, perhaps they are too flexible to allow efficient paddling but as a whitewater craft or as an introduction to kayaking for new paddlers they are unequalled.

One category worth mention is the growing segment of
inflatable dive kayaks. These boats offer a versatile way to transport diver and equipment to a near shore dive location. The kayak doubles its purpose as transportation and floating flag holder for divers.

Inflatable kayaks also find followers in the discipline of Kayak fishing. The inflatables offer an excellent platform for the fishermen.

Other features like, transportability, ease of storage and high buoyancy make these boats something to seriously consider.

Today I happened to find a site which describes in detail and with video clips, different kinds of “eskimo rolls” It is amazing to see these guys from Greenland perform not one but as many as 20 kayak rolling manuvers.

There is one in particular performed in a contest in which a Mr Kristian David Josefsen rolls the kayak without paddles and with a brick on his hand!

I just wish I could do it reliably with the paddle.