Looks like there's something starting up in Basel as well (I hope the mods don't mind the link to another (non-competing) forum).

Unless the other post I'm linking to is also from you.

http://www.canoepolo.com/forum/showthread.php?p=87640

Hello Kayakers,

We are gutted that we missed the meet up in June - would have loved to have joined as we have a 2 person sit on kayak, which we have yet to get onto Lake Zurich.

Unfortunetely though our kayak is about to be evicted from its current storage place and we are seeking somewhere new to store it. Last year we tried to contact the various boat/rowing clubs along the lake but had no success. Has anyone has any luck with trying to contact these places.

Otherwise, would anyone who is interested in kayaking be interested in swapping storing our kayak for free unliminated use of the kayak? It is a real family friendly craft with a little space for a child in the middle. It is in excellent condition and we have PFD's aswell.

http://www.kayaksandpaddles.co.uk/ca...mini-sport.htm

Kind Regards

Mel & Tom

Hello there! we've just settled in Thalwil and are looking to get into kayaking in the lake. are you still interested to have a storage space? we have a storage room at our place, plus we are looking to do some kayaking too. let me know if you're still interested pls send me a private msg.

have a lovely weekend!

It doesn't look as if Melm has been on-line much recently. The other posts are from November last year.

Hope you get yome kayaking done though when summer comes.

I would be interested as well but I am definitely at the beginner's level with only a few kayaking outings on Long Island under my belt.

It seems that there are at least three Basel based kayakers on this site. I kayak at the slalom site in Huningue ( using w/w boats hired from the centre or now, from the kayak shop that has moved into the new building next door. I also have a slalom boat , which I keep at the Huninge caoe club ( in the camoig ground) and use for paddling up into Basel and down again, for exercise. PLus I have a Feathercraft k1 lite, which I use for touring, either day trips ( eg: Lake KOnstanz to Shaffhaussen) or multi day trips ( the lake, to Basel, to Holland.... the Danube...... etc) I am happy to meet with people to paddle with either her in Basel, or in ZUrich/ elsewhere for a day or weekend trip, or a couple of hrs at the slalom site.
Smiles, :-)

Hi guys,
I pick up this topic because I relocated to Zurich recently and I'm searching for a club on the lake to enjoy some kayaking.
No competitive training or race, just fun and fitness.

I live in Wollishofen, do you know any club in the area that would fit? Do they allow you to enroll and take the kayak within a certain time schedule or is it mandatory to buy a personal one?

There is at least one ZUrich club ( google will find it for you.) I am pretty certain that they have club boats for hire. At the moment, they have Monday evening rolling sesisons in a pool, with t he sumer season beginning shortly.

Or, you could join a dragonboat club - great for fitness and also very social. There are three clubs in the greater Zurich area - try Meilin, as one.

Hi all,

I run a small kayak school in Interlaken in Kanton Bern and would be happy to organise a course/event for beginners or improvers here, around Bern, Luzern or Zurich. I also rent my sea kayaks here on Brienzersee or Thunersee by Interlaken if people are interested.

cheers,
dave
www.hightide.ch

Hi all, it's been a while since I've chimed in on this thread. I just wanted to say hello and also share a photo of a kayak towing solution I'm using now.

I'm fortunate to have a parking space I can use to store my sea kayak, but my challenge has been getting it to and from the water. I've rolled it down and back before (on portage wheels), but it's a long trip and not exactly fun. My goal was a bike-based solution, but I have a hilly commute to the water (straight down to the lake and straight up to home), so I didn't have a great feeling about a homemade or hacked trailer solution. I recently bought a cargo bike (Surly Big Dummy) thanks to inspiration from ChrisW. This led me to discover a trailer solution by Bikes at Work. I received the trailer last week, assembled it in about an hour and took the whole setup out for its maiden voyage last weekend. The whole system worked perfectly, even on steep hills and curves. The cargo bike is nice to have (I stored some kayak gear in the cargo storage bags and stopped to buy groceries on the way home), but you could pull this trailer with just about any bike. More photos here (kid/work safe link). I'm happy to finally have a solution to make it easier to get on the water and it's just plain fun to tow a kayak with a bike. I'm shopping for a 2nd kayak and plan to carry both on the trailer. I'll share photos and the experience once that solution is ready!

Very cool

Yeah, pretty impressive... well done! I've never seen a system like that before... making it possible to go sea kayaking without a vehicle!!!
happy paddling,

dave
www.hightide.ch

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on inflatable kayaks/canoes? If they are good and worthwhile getting one.

I just ordered a Sea Eagle Paddle Ski (inflatable kayak) that will work with 1 or 2 seats or with a rowing kit attached. I expect that it will be quite a bit slower than my single (Magellan HV Touring Plus), but it was less than half the price, had great reviews and looked to be a good solution for inviting a friend or two for some laid-back paddling, yet not having to store another full-size kayak. I'll share photos and feedback once it arrives. I plan to tow it on my bike trailer strapped on top of the hard shell kayak. Here's a Sea Eagle link with details on this model (they sell other styles as well): http://www.seaeagle.com/paddleski.aspx

So you had one of these Paddleskis posted over from the US, then? Was that costly? I may be in US in summer - I am thinking of picking one up....I'd be interested to har how you find it when it arrives. Thanks for the info.
AP

Are the inflatables robust like Zodiacs ?
Great model, but I need a 3 person one.

There are lots of different inflatable and folding boats on the market now - ranging from kiddy shoreline boats, to serious expedition ones.

I have owned a feathercraft k1 for the last 12 years and have done several longer river trips in it( inc a 4000km one) I like it due to it's low weight and compactness - in its backpack, I can manage to carry it a km or 2, with my tent and other camping gear, plus a sall butterfly trolley also in the pack. On river trips, I have no trouble keeping up with the average paddler in a more stream lined sea kayak, over daily distances.
The k1 has two inflatable side baffles, but depends on its alloy skeleton for its shape .

There are also boats that have a greater or total inflation design. Sevylor, Gumatex and Incept are some of the brands that I have seen on the water, that seem to perform well.

Worth getting? Oh yes! If you have a car and a shuttle bunny to take you car to your get out point of each trip, then a rigid boat is great. But if, lkie me, you are reliant on planes, trains and buses, then a folding boat is the way to go.

Yes, many of them are made out of the same fabric, with the same joint joining techniques, as used for the zodiacs.

What sort of trips are you looking at doing? You may find that the Czech made Gumotex brand, has a suitable 3 person boat.
Check the Czech website for photographs and details:

http://www.gumotex.cz/nafukovaci-lode

Nice boat! Your trailer concept obvioulsy works well for your needs. However, I have been ponering about having one that I can tow with and that is also portable enough to be loaded onto the kayak for longer trips. It should be possible to use a conventional buterfly type trolley (placed under the centre of the boat, but with a trailer bar going from the bike to the front loop of the kayak. The angle of the bar would be iportant of course, to ensure the back of the boat doesn't drag and the front system would have to be rigid enough so that the boat stops when the bike stops.

And if the bike is a light, collapsable, that can end up being strapped to the boat deck when on the water......... total independence.

@Biff and @advntur....

I want one

Failing that, when does the dragonboat on-the-water season start?