Lidl Kayak

[andys]

Alright don't laugh, been wanting an inflatable kayak for a while but I keep weighing up the cost against 'will I use it or will I do it once and lose interest' so I picked up one of these £40 jobs today just to have a go. I know it's not going to be anywhere near as good as a more expensive one, but it is what it is - £40 worth. Got a life vest from someone and I'm dying to have a go.

Question is where? Can I just go to a lake? A slow moving river? Canal? What's the legal position on this in England? (I know Scotland is different but I want to try somewhere close first). Any recommendations on where to have a play? I'm in North Lincs

 

[Tourershine]

@richi

 

[andys]

Hm you really do get what you pay for, I was going to leave it inflated overnight to check for leaks and one of the top rails has lost quite a bit of air in the space of 2hrs

 

[Davenjo]

Most accessible inland waterways, e.g. rivers, canals, lakes, Norfolk Broads, etc. will require a toll and/or a launch fee to be paid, e.g. Short term visitor licences | Canal & River Trust

If you end up becoming a regular paddler then you might be better joining the British Canoe Cub as membership includes access to a lot of waters:-
Reasons to Join British Canoeing

 

[andys]

Most accessible inland waterways, e.g. rivers, canals, lakes, Norfolk Broads, etc. will require a toll and/or a launch fee to be paid, e.g. Short term visitor licences | Canal & River Trust

If you end up becoming a regular paddler then you might be better joining the British Canoe Cub as membership includes access to a lot of waters:-
Reasons to Join British Canoeing

Thanks, but now I've read through some of that appallingly badly organised site which just goes from one link to another without actually telling you what you want to know, mentions of license and insurance, a long list of places I've never heard of which are presumably all down south, I've had all the excitement and fun sucked out of me. I think I'll just stick it back in its box and get a refund.

 

[Davenjo]

Thanks, but now I've read through some of that appallingly badly organised site which just goes from one link to another without actually telling you what you want to know, mentions of license and insurance, a long list of places I've never heard of which are presumably all down south, I've had all the excitement and fun sucked out of me. I think I'll just stick it back in its box and get a refund.

Probably for the best....

 

[richi]

Thanks, but now I've read through some of that appallingly badly organised site which just goes from one link to another without actually telling you what you want to know, mentions of license and insurance, a long list of places I've never heard of which are presumably all down south, I've had all the excitement and fun sucked out of me. I think I'll just stick it back in its box and get a refund.

Comparing a blow up kayak to a real one is like comparing a blow up doll to a real woman,only blow up kayaks are more dangerous than the kot of them.

What the hell did you expect from Lidl?

 

[Volkywagen]

Who cares if you get caught? What will they do, fine you! Act numb. I doubt anybody will bother anyway.
Spend another £100 and get an half decent one. Enjoy. They are worth it.

 

[Davenjo]

Who cares if you get caught? What will they do, fine you! Act numb. I doubt anybody will bother anyway.
Spend another £100 and get an half decent one. Enjoy. They are worth it.

I guess that depends where you use it - a couple of years ago on the Norfolk Broads I got pulled up by 2 different BA boats in the same day to check my toll had been paid.

 

[Nickdaw]

this is our blow up kayak, had it for a few years now we use it quite a lot never had any issues with it we have only used it in the sea. its just a lot easer to transpot with you on holiday

 

[Lord Mfwic]

Who cares if you get caught? What will they do, fine you! Act numb. I doubt anybody will bother anyway.
Spend another £100 and get an half decent one. Enjoy. They are worth it.

I agree, if no-one is there then I just launch and paddle off, never been questioned. If there is someone there then its usually only a £1 or so. I love going out on my kayak, only paid £350 for it brand new so far from a professional set up but I've used on rivers, lakes and the sea. Best part is it fits in the back of the van so its easy to transport. Its the one time I get to switch off and I love it. Best £350 i've spent in a longtime. £40 from Lidl might be a bit more stressful but what the hell, Enjoy!

 

[Lord Mfwic]

Thanks, but now I've read through some of that appallingly badly organised site which just goes from one link to another without actually telling you what you want to know, mentions of license and insurance, a long list of places I've never heard of which are presumably all down south, I've had all the excitement and fun sucked out of me. I think I'll just stick it back in its box and get a refund.

Rules take all the fun out of things. Just find some water and try it out, if it sinks then you'll have a tale for the lads at the pub to laugh about. Assuming of course you can swim.

 

[andys]

this is our blow up kayak, had it for a few years now we use it quite a lot never had any issues with it we have only used it in the sea. its just a lot easer to transpot with you on holiday
View attachment 26024

What is it out of interest? Looks like a high end one. If I like it I'll spend a good few hundred quid to get a better one that suits me, but for now I'm going to try this one. Turns out I hadn't put one of the valves in right and it seems to be holding up fine on the second attempt.

 

[andys]

I agree, if no-one is there then I just launch and paddle off, never been questioned. If there is someone there then its usually only a £1 or so. I love going out on my kayak, only paid £350 for it brand new so far from a professional set up but I've used on rivers, lakes and the sea. Best part is it fits in the back of the van so its easy to transport. Its the one time I get to switch off and I love it. Best £350 i've spent in a longtime. £40 from Lidl might be a bit more stressful but what the hell, Enjoy!

Exactly, all the red tape was a real buzz kill. Anyway I'm going to have a go on the Trent tomorrow, which is only a mile or so from me, if I get stopped I'll play ignorant. Then I'm off to the Lake district weekend after next with a mate as it turns out most of the lakes are open to everyone without licences so that should tell me whether I like it or not. Still going to be a big thing spending big bucks on one though, times are hard. I had been looking at the Sevylor Minnesota/Ottawa, what have you got?

 

[Davenjo]

Bit like fishing without a rod license - plenty do it and chances are slim that you'll get caught but, if it is only a couple of quid, I don't see what the issue is, especially if its going towards the upkeep of the waterway you are about to enjoy, e.g. at Bala its easy to avoid the wardens and not pay but I always actively seek them out on my first day there to pay the £10 it costs to put my boat in the water for the week - bargain.

Lake District is free to launch on the big lakes, e.g. Windermere and Ullswater, its just finding somewhere to put the boat in that is not on private property that may be a struggle (probably not such an issue with an inflatable).

Next you'll be telling me you take to the water without having insurance......

 

[andys]

I don’t mind paying a bit towards the upkeep, my problem with the canoe club is that it’s just page after page of circular waffle, where you see a link to the info you want, that leads to something different with another link which looks like what you want so you click on that and end up on the first page. They need a home page with a map that shows all the waterways that they give you access to. Anyway I’m not paying to access boring canals clogged with boats or rivers 200 miles down south that I’ll never visit. I’d be using it in Scotland mainly anyway, but the Lake District authority have really clear tables of what’s allowed and where, along with good maps of where you can park and launch, and even suggested routes for different skill levels.

 

[andys]

What the hell did you expect from Lidl?

Never been to Lidl before? You need to give it a try, I go once a month or so. You still need to go to another supermarket to get non run of the mill stuff, but the quality and price of their meat, fish and veg is amazing.

 

[Dannyb6467]

Thanks, but now I've read through some of that appallingly badly organised site which just goes from one link to another without actually telling you what you want to know, mentions of license and insurance, a long list of places I've never heard of which are presumably all down south, I've had all the excitement and fun sucked out of me. I think I'll just stick it back in its box and get a refund.

Andy's
Get yourself over to the rental shack on Bala Lake, Wales. Great to try before you buy. They supply e everything from wetsuits to all sorts of water craft.

 

[Dannyb6467]

Never been to Lidl before? You need to give it a try, I go once a month or so. You still need to go to another supermarket to get non run of the mill stuff, but the quality and price of their meat, fish and veg is amazing.

And the Date and Walnut bread. I'd live on that if I was allowed.

 

[Davenjo]

Agreed, the Canals and River Trust Website I linked for info, to give you an example of places charging fees, is a bit messy but I thought the "British" Canoe one I linked was quite well laid out?

Page to sign up from:-
Join Us Here | Four Flexible Options (£45 per year which includes your insurance)

Link to list of navigations covered:-
Licensing

For info; I'm not a member of, or associated with, either organisation.