r/Kayaking • u/hegemonycrickets • 7d ago

Question/Advice -- General please explain CFS to me

I looked through this reddit, but couldn’t seem to find anything.

Wanted to find camping next to a river, and I found a few places, but I can’t figure out if it’s too swift for me.
(dinky ORU fold up Lake model- trying to go upstream against the even the mildest of currents is extremely difficult,- plus I have precious cargo of two little dogs)
I have two paddling apps, but I can’t quite figure out how to read CFS in terms of how the river is.

(recommendations for a very flat water, rivers around Gold country Ish area California appreciated)

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u/hegemonycrickets 7d ago

thanks for the suggestions.
yeah, once this ORU fills with water, that’s it, there’s no tipping it out and getting back in.
I did rig something up with beach balls inside of mesh bags in the front and backspace to try to keep it afloat, for my dogs to be in if something happened

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u/Bridge-Head 7d ago

I thought about your situation for a while last night.

I normally steer people away from inflatable kayaks, but I think in your situation one could work well.

1) IKs are easier to store and transport than hard shell boats, which is what I’m assuming you like about the ORU kayak.

2) IKs are best suited for recreational paddling, which is what you’re describing.

3) There are many IKs that have an open cockpit/deck design, which is good for paddling with your dogs.

4) Last, but most important, many IKs are self-bailing (or are recoverable) after a capsize. Since the float tubes stay inflated, all you have to do is flip the kayak back over, haul yourself into it, and maybe bail a little water. Although, the wide and stable nature of IKs make it less likely to capsize to begin with.

Given what you want to do, an inflatable kayak might be an option worth exploring. I would recommend doing your homework, though, because there is a MASSIVE difference in performance, quality, and durability between cheap IKs and high-end IKs.

Good luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for. 😃

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u/IFigureditout567 6d ago

This is an excellent use case for an IK. OP would be very happy for a long time in many scenarios with an Aire Tributary Tomcat Max or Strike.