Kayak Fishing in Singapore: Inflatable vs Hard-shell Kayak

From the internet, we can find discussions and numerous articles on inflatable kayak and hard-shell kayak.

However, we have been unable to find one that compares both from Kayak fishing activity and in Singapore’s point of view! Therefore, we have summarized some relevant info we have gotten over the web and by talking with hobbyists kayak-fishing in Singapore.

p/s: We do not sell kayaks but thought doing this comparison might draw more people to the sport in Singapore! Therefore, dear hobbyists and enthusiasts

1. please comment and share your views why you prefer your inflatable or hard-shell kayak 

2. or comment and leave your website to be linked to our sidebar! J

	Inflatable Kayak		Hard-Shell Kayak
Relevance to Kayak Fishing
Affordability		More well-received in Singapore due to storage issue, higher cost of kayak	Generally cost lesser or comparable to inflatable kayak in Singapore
Life-span and  Value for Money		Prone to punctures. Nothing is worse than a kayak deflating when you are in the middle of the sea.	More durable due to tough material outer shell
Tracking		Generally poorer tracking in rough water	For fishing in rough water you need a kayak that tracks well. Generally, tracks better than inflatable kayak
Maneuverability		Slower due to more drag in water	Better maneuverability and speed
Accident-Prone		For kayak fishing, equipment on board like hooks and knives can puncture your kayak. Fishes and their sharp fins may puncture your kayak too	Hooks and knives do not puncture a hard-shell kayak
Repair		More often repairs required, can be repaired with patches	Rare but expensive repairs
Gear		Lesser choices of gear	Wider choices of gear to mount on and modify your kayak
Wrt Kayak-Fishing Enthusiasts living in Singapore
Activity		More often used for white-water rafting (not avail in Singapore) if chosen over hard-shell kayak	Rugged and suitable for sea fishing in Singapore
Size		May be folded and placed in car boot	Difficult to attach kayak to roof, but time required to attach kayak to roof is less than time inflating and deflating a kayak
Storage		No space constrain	Space constrain in your house and lift
Weight		Light-weight	Heavier, difficult to load / unload from car roof rack
Suitability		Preferred for a beginner to the sport	More for seasoned and serious kayak-fishing enthusiasts
Portability		Suitable for those without cars	Suitable for those who drive and have a roof rack
Setting up		More intense set-up due to unpacking and pumping air into kayak	Minimal setting up time
Maintenance		Requires user to hose down kayak thoroughly to remove saltwater from the fabric and dry it with sponge or cloth followed by sunning to minimize risk of rust and stench.	Only required to hose down kayak, flip kayak over for storage upon drying to maintain hull shape. Most sand and dirt should easily fall off.
Downtime		With Singapore’s humid weather, drying a inflatable kayak will take 2-5 days.	Not applicable.
Spray Protection		Generally do not offer spray skirt and have to bail water out of kayak out by hand.	Offers spray skirt that keeps user and his equipment dry
Efficiency		Generally performance is less efficient; needing to exert more effort to steer and paddle	Less drag due to solid hull makes it more efficient, less friction in the water. Some models come with leg paddle for speed and less strenuous fishing trip!
Wind stability		More stable in windy and rougher waters	Relatively less stable from experience

Links used to consolidate this article:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/458986-inflatable-vs-rigid-kayak/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/124903-drawbacks-inflatable-kayaks/

http://www.surftosummit.com/what-best-for-you-inflatable-kayak-hardshell-kayak-a-26.html

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/

http://www.fishkingkaki.com/

http://www.wat-the-fish.com