Tested: SEVYLOR FASTBACK KAYAK
While it mightn’t be purpose designed for fishing, this nifty inflatable kayak is dead easy to transport and store.
INFLATABLE water craft have been around for a long time and like many things have come a long way in recent years in terms of design and performance. When I got the chance to review the Sevylor Fastback I was pretty excited as I could see where an inflatable ’yak could be quite a handy portable fishing platform.
The Sevylor Fastback measures 3.29m in length, has a beam of 94cm and is rated to carry 180kgs. It folds up to the size of a suitcase and easily fits into the boot of a small car, making it ideal for those without roof racks or as a nifty craft you can take along on a family outing and use to sneak in a fish. With a dry weight of about 18 kilos it’s a little too heavy and bulky for use as a pack option for fishing hike-in locations, but it’s still a handy little ’yak to have in the garage.
Construction
The three separate inflatable chambers that make up the hull of the Fastback are constructed out of 30 gauge PVC. The bottom of the hull is covered with 840D black laminated nylon, which has a tough rubbery feel to it and seems fairly robust and puncture resistant. The top sides are covered in 840D nylon, which also seems pretty tough but does tend to catch small razor sharp trebles pretty well. Inside the cockpit the floor is unprotected PVC and is probably the most vulnerable part of the kayak for potentially receiving punctures.
I cut up a piece of core-flute plastic sheet and slid it in after the Fastback was inflated to protect this area from hooks and fish spikes. Even if the floor area is punctured the Fastback will stay afloat thanks to the clever separate air cell design.
Inflating the Fastback takes no more than 10 minutes with a good double action hand pump and is a relatively pain free exercise, even for an unfit old pie muncher like myself. One thing that really impressed me was Sevylor’s very clever yet simple double lock valve system. These valves push down before you remove the nozzle and stop all the air you just pumped in from pouring out as you close the valve. No more fumbling trying to close the valve – I like it.
Features
The sides of the Fastback are fitted with multiple D ring hooks that can be used for attaching items such as anchors or camping gear to the topsides. The storage compartment has enough room for a small tackle box or camera bag and also has elastic webbing fitted on top of it to tie down extra items. Carry handles are fitted at both ends of the Fastback and there’s also an extra piece of laminated nylon fitted under the bow and stern for added protection against knocks and sharp objects. Other features include a retractable spray skirt with a mesh and waterproof storage pocket, a hydration pack and adjustable foot rests.
On the water
The Fastback is a surprisingly comfortable kayak to paddle. It has an inbuilt thinly padded seat which gives your lower back plenty of support. The inflatable area behind the seat also helps with the comfort and support factor. On the water it feels very stable, I had no problems leaning over the sides to land fish, even with my young daughter sitting in between my legs.
The bottom of the Fastback has no real keel line but is fitted with three small rubber tracking fins to aid tracking. The nose tends to swing from side to side a little when you are paddling, but I thought it paddled reasonably well for an inflatable kayak, although you wouldn’t set off to paddle a marathon in it. The Fastback likes to spin a little when drifting with a breeze on open water, making it more suited to fishing tighter creeks and protected areas that are less wind affected. I found the retractable spray skirt was also handy to keep the sun off my legs and for staying dry.
Practicality
I recently went for a ’yak fish with a mate who was keen to tag along and catch a few bream on surface lures. He didn’t own a ’yak, but was thinking about buying one. I remembered I had the Fastback in the garage, which allowed me to easily carry two kayaks on board my car on the day. We headed off after work with my kayak on the roof and the Fastback folded up in the back of the car. Ten minutes after we arrived at our launching location he was on the water fishing – perfect. Since then I’ve thrown it in the back of the car on several occasions and used it to fish for bream, whiting and bass and it’s performed well at all times.
The Sevylor Fastback is well suited to those with transport or storage limitations or as a craft the kids can easily paddle and sneak off in for a couple of casts. My kids love it and I’ve caught some nice fish out of it. It’s not what I would call purpose-built for fishing but it’s quite capable of putting you in the right spot to catch a few.
Sevylor Fastback Kayak
Length: 3.29m
Beam: 0.94m
Weight: 18kg
CAPACITY: 180kg
Price: $549.99 RRP
Contact: www.colemanaustralia.com.au
star rating: ****
