Glider 471 Kayak "On The Water" Review - Part 1.

My first set up and on the water impression of my  Bluewave Glider 471 drop stitch kayak.

First, this review is based on my first outing paddling tandem with my eldest son, I generally paddle on flatwater so this kayak's performance is based on paddling on a non-tidal river.





In many areas of this review, I will be comparing my Glider kayak to my Itiwit 3 person kayak. I am a big fan of the Itiwit range of kayaks and in no way am I trying to make them seem inferior, they are very different types of kayak, but I want to share my opinion in the difference between the conventional and drop stitch kayaks as an owner of both.

Setting Up:

Out of the bag and unfolded the Glider instantly takes shape making it quick to gain access to the valve chambers. I generally inflate my kayaks via my 12-volt pump but we decided to inflate one side chamber to 10 psi with the supplied SUP pump which took about two minutes, one and a half minutes with the 12v pump. 

Transportation:

Compared to my Itiwit 3 at 17kg and 90cm shorter, at 18 kg without any kit added, this kayak felt surprisingly light with the two of us carrying it via the bow and stern handles, this can be put down to its rigidity whereby the Itiwit will sag a bit in the middle. Solo carrying is hindered by the lack of side handles.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 15’5" x 29" / 471cm x 76cm
• Dimensions deflated: 30" x 19" x 9" (76cm x 48cm x 22cm) Weight: 18kg
• Max Load Capacity: 700lbs / 317kg
• Pressure: 10 PSI (max)
• Style: Double, Touring, Inflatable
• Inflation Time: 7 Minutes

Material/Features

• Triple-layer PVC Construction
• Reinforced drop-stitching
• Heavy-duty inflation valves
• 
  
• UV & Oil Resistant finish
• 2x Cargo Nets

Inflation

This kayak utilises three Halkey-Roberts type Air Valves for inflation, similar to the ones found on many standup paddleboards. These are very simple to use and feature an inflate mode (spring plunger is UP) and a deflate mode (spring plunger is DOWN). By using your finger to gently push on the plunger, it can be moved to the inflate mode (air goes in and doesn’t come back out) and deflate mode (air goes in and comes back out). Before you go to all the effort of inflating the kayak.

On The Water:
OK, this is where the fun started. The seats on the Glider have a 32mm  base but also come with 100mm boaster cushions. With the 100mm cushions fitted we had no side to side control of the kayak whatsoever and were defiantly in line for a cold dip. This said I will be trying the raised seating position again when I paddle solo. At 62 years old, I was also concerned that sitting so low in the kayak over a long distance I may suffer from numbness and cramp, also I may struggle to enter and exit the kayak. Well, no need to worry on that score, the kayak seat base and backrests are extremely supportive and comfortable and I had no issues getting in and out of the kayak at 7 canoe platforms. 

On The Water Performance. 

Now, this is where this kayak differs from the conventional inflatable kayaks.

Sitting low in the kayak it took the two of us about 15 minutes to learn to control the tipsiness of this kayak, although I feel at the time we were fighting each other and the kayak would have been easier to master solo. This craft performs more like a narrow hardshell touring kayak and at only 76cm wide with no large side chambers, you really do not want to be playing about, trying to turn around in the kayak, or fidgeting. On flat water, moving forward through the water at a speed of 6 knots (6-7mph) was effortless and when you stop paddling you seem to glide on forever, these speeds and gliding are rare in a conventional inflatable kayak.

Manoeuvrability:

This is a long and narrow kayak. We found that with the supplied 228mm (9”) skeg fitted the kayak was extremely difficult to yaw left and right, it wanted to go straight which is not good on windy rivers or canals. However, 3km into our paddle I swapped the long skeg for an 89mm (3.5") skeg and after that the kayaks manoeuvrability was superb. I think the 228mm skeg is more suited to windy days, lakes, and coastal paddles. 

Packing Up:

Compared to packing away and then washing and drying my Itiwit with its 100.00% Polyester outer fabric, this was a dream. I washed it down, dried it with a couple of old towels, and folded it away on-site, all ready for the next outing. The Bluewave Glider features two drain valves in the floor – I’m not sure why. To drain an open inflatable kayak you simply flip it over, like emptying a bowl. Drain valves seem another thing to go wrong.

 

Pros

• Quick and easy to set up
• Supportive comfortable seats
• A comfortable, fast, effortless kayak to paddle distance in. 
• Rigid, great build quality
• Loads of storage space both undercover and via cargo nets.
• Considering it is 471cm long it feels light to carry both with two people and solo.
• Loads of legroom for two people.
• Large weight capacity at 317kg (50. stone)
• Easy to pack away. Wash, dry, pack, and go.

Cons

• Tippy if you fidget
• It lacks side carry handles which would make it easier to lift and carry solo.
• You need to respect it is fast and not easy to stop. 
• Slow to yaw. It wants to travel straight with the 228mm (9") skeg fitted (fit a smaller skeg for flatwater paddling)
• We found the kayak uncontrollable without a skeg.
• The area where the solid keel meets the flat base is easily damaged if launching or exiting from a concrete slipway, or when beaching the kayak.
• The bag is some sort of envelope, could have done with a proper zip-type bag

Obviously, performance and handling will differ slightly when paddling solo, so I will update this review once I have paddled on my own a few times.

Useful Additions: (click to view)

2 pack boat dock line
Itiwit size S kayak or paddleboard fin (Skeg)
2x heavy duty luggage straps  (As shown in the Bluewave bag photo)

Drop Stitch Kayaks:

Sea Eagle (US), Air Glider (AU), Glider (UK), Kxone and Airkajak of Germany, and Bic Yakkair in France,  are all three-chamber drop stitch kayaks made entirely from Selytech DS PVC developed by Woosung in South Korea. 


Woosung is the world’s biggest manufacturer of inflatable kayaks, and these drop stitch kayaks are re-branded under their importer's name and adapted with their own colours and features.

Review part 2 may be viewed by clicking here

My preference when kayaking is flatwater rivers, canals, and lakes. I do not sea kayak, so I cannot comment on the kayak's stability or performance at sea.