is this worth it?

“i was thinking of buying this for my children for when we go car camping.
has anyone ever owned a blow up raft and is it worth it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1830212188&r=0&t=0&showTutorial=0&ed=1022635956&indexURL=0&rd=1”

“My friends had one when their kids were under 11 years of age. They loved it, even though it posed some hassles.”

“what kind of hassles?”

“I used an inflatable, 1-man kayak for years. Used it in rivers, creeks, lakes, and oceans available in Minnesota, California and the Rep. of Panama. It finally wore out in the seams and I replaced it with a 2-man, inflatable kayak.

Except for the shape, these inflatables with several compartments are the same as rafts. With splash guards at each end, my 2-man looks almost the same as the one at your url.

I would urge caution with children. These things sit high in the water and are subject to wind and currents. And, one woman panicked and went paddling wildly out into the Panama Canal. We had to swim after her.”

“ok what about this one for fathers day?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1831109409&r=0&t=0&showTutorial=0&ed=1022687309&indexURL=0&rd=1”

“I like it. But I urge the same cautions, plus the use of life jackets. Don't know the ages of your children, but unless they can swim fairly well, first I would invest time in teaching them to swim good, on top and under the surface.”

“thanks for the advice. my children (son 10 & daughter 14) have been swimming since they were very young. I will take all the precautions that I have to.”

“Unless I could see the same model in a store I wouldn't take the chance. Inflateables can be cheap and cheesy. There are some real good ones out there, but I would want to be sure about the quality.
Opinion without lecture.”

“This is the kayak that I have been using for years. I liked my previous 1-man kayak by Sevylor more, since I usually go alone. I wear a helmet, as I enjoy playing in the surf where I tip over a lot.

Sevylor K79 Tahiti Classic Inflatable Kayak
”