Inflatable kayak

[Dipodomys]

This thread's been going for a while! I'm planning to get an Alpacka. I keep vacillating on which model; currently it's between the Expedition and the Mage. I used to be a whitewater kayaker and although I don't have much interest in anything over class III these days, I'd like a versatile boat that I can take pretty much anywhere. The Mage would definitely be more fun, but the Expedition would be a bit more versatile.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I agree the Expedition would be more versatile, and that would be my choice if I were buying. Probably(?) with the removable deck and thigh straps.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Frank, can you tell us more about the extra cost? I’ve never been charged I any state we traveled through with a boat.

In 09 our first experience with the boat inspection was going to Glacier NP.
We had to stop at a inspection stop heading up Lolo pass.
I told them I am just passing through so they put a seal on the canoe
to show that I stopped at the station and If the seal was broken while in Idaho
I would get a fine.They didn't do a invasive species test since I wasn't going to use it in the state.
When I got my Bobcat and started carrying the canoe I had run into the same issue
but around 2011 I read an online report about some states charging a fee just to travel the state.
I stopped carrying the canoe since I really didn't use it outside California.

I never checked further about fees.Don't carry it now even removed the special rack I made.
I don't have a problem with the inspections just felt I didn't shouldn't have to pay a fee just for driving through a state.
Frank

 

[CPT Davenport]

We had similar situations with my homemade redwood canoe. Now we just bring along two Oru folding kayaks. We removed our back seat and store both boats there with our gear. Out of sight and out of (their) mind. We only do the inspections when we launch in areas that require the muscle check, like last summer in WY.