For a long time we wanted to bring out a reasonably priced tandem touring inflatable that also had room for camping gear, or a child or large dog. None of the existing models that were under 14' really had the space, and AIRE's SuperLynx is somewhat pricey and still a bit tight if the two paddlers are tall or they have a lot of camp gear & food. Since we brought out this model, which was built in AIRE's China factory, AIRE decided to bring out their own "Sawtooth II", which is just a couple inches shorter than the Trinity II and comes in yellow instead of blue. We weren't all that happy about it, but AIRE would not give us an exclusive on the boat and we found out why. For those of you who have considered the 17' Sevylor "sea kayak-ish" product, please read all the way to the end of this section.
With the Trinity II we were definitely not trying for a design worthy of any real whitewater, though the Trinity II can blast through straight-ahead waves and will work fine on deep rivers with moderate currents. If you want a more whitewater-apt craft the SuperLynx is a better bet. We wanted something that was stable enough to climb back into from the water without undue strain, but not something so wide that it would be a pig. Customers like removable tracking fins, and the T-II has one, along with forty cargo tie down loops. People like self bailing floors too, but they don't want to get soaked, so the bail holes are designed to be pinched off a bit by the inflatable floor to avoid those annoying little geysers. Note this also means the T-II takes a while to empty if you go through a huge wave and manage to completely swamp it.
Hull speed is one of the most major considerations, especially when you find yourself paddling into a headwind. And with the Trinity II, we have a model that isn't just good in this regard, it is in fact superb. About six m.p.h. or more in calm water. The only inflatable kayak noticeably quicker is the tandem Innova Seaker, but that model is way over $3,000, weighs far more, and is a full 2-1/2 times the rolled size. The tandem Seaker is simply not an airline worthy boat. And while we could wish for a lower weight on the Trinity II as well, with the seats & fin in a separate suitcase, the boat in a heavy duty canvas or cordura duffel is still a pound or two under the 50 lb airline limit (please note that the AIRE brand Kayak Bag found in our IK Accessory section is a bit too heavy, and will put the bare bones Trinity II slightly over 50 pounds).
The Trinity comes standard with two seats, and if you want a third one those are available for $44 ($49 less your 10% accessory discount) in our kayak accessory section. If you happen to own a camp chair, that can also be used and secured in the boat with one 3' camlock strap. The seats are removable and infinitely adjustable. The removable aluminum fin needs to be installed as you unroll the boat, but does not require any hardware or tools.
On the subject of the fin, this kayak has just about the perfect degree of tracking with it on. It will turn when you need to, but it does not spin out when you stop paddling, something many other touring inflatables tend to do. It glides quite a distance, and does so in a near-straight line. We have also paddled it without the fin, and had little trouble with lower speeds but found some minor arcing at full speed, moreso when we were paddling than when were just gliding.
We will add a spec block soon, but for now here are the basics: the side tubes are 9", and with two average size adults you will have about 7" of freeboard above the water surface. The inflatable floor is a full 7" thick and is keel shaped at each end. There are two comfortable lift handles, and each seat has a large cargo pocket on the back. The exterior measurements are 15'3" X 32" wide. The interior is a fairly tight 14", so those with really large hips may need to stay with the SuperLynx, which is slightly more roomy. Please understand that if we increase the width of the Trinity II, the hull speed decreases and that was not acceptable to us. This boat is exactly the length and width we wanted it and designed it to be, no more, no less, and we will never increase the width one centimeter beyond 32".
The boat with two seats and heavy duty fin weighs in at 51.5 pounds, and the bare boat minus seats folds to 11" X 18" X 22" if you take your time folding it. Each closed cell foam seat is 2" thick folded and the rough size of an XL pizza.
The exact upper weight capacity for the T-II has not quite been nailed since we haven't tried piling camp gear in just yet. It handles 400 to 425 pounds without much trouble. When you get up around 450 to 475, there is a noticeable amount of water around the left and right side of the floor, but your butt is still fairly dry. The floor sort of rolls off at the edges and so is lower there. Extra closed cell foam can also be added to the buttrest portion of the seats to elevate you and your partner up a bit. And if you want to temporarily seal off the bail holes with duct tape (how well this works depends largely on the quality of the tape and how smoothly you apply it) the Trinity can hold above 500 pounds.
Last, we know some of you may have run across and pondered buying one of Sevylor's extra long SVX500DS sea kayak models, which is a stretched and slightly flattened version of their tandem river model. First, the good news is that the Sevy boat is light, and may be less hassle to fly with that a Trinity II. Oh, and it has pretty graphics silk screened on the tubes if that sort of thing impresses you. Beyond that, buying this model for paddling any serious distance would be a big mistake. We thought very hard about carrying it last year until we talked with a few owners of them, and then later had an opportunity to paddle one in some very un-challenging conditions ourselves. The seats were rather lame, but that was workable. It was the performance that killed it for us. Hull speed is about equal to some of the better tandem whitewater inflatables, but that's about it. It is far slower than any of the Innova touring models or just about anything else on this page, a major disappointment considering it's length. Tracking was so-so, and the toughness of the Sevytex skin is not comparable to any boat shown here. The price isn't all that low either, so with better options available this sluggish excuse for a sea kayak shouldn't really be on anyone's list for consideration. And if you've read any remotely positive reviews on it, let's assume the obvious: either the author of that review has never owned any other boat beyond maybe one of Sevy's low-end all vinyl toy kayaks, or they are simply not paddling more than half a mile with it and had low expectations to begin with.
The bottom line is that if you want a functional touring inflatable of better quality, you need to stick with AIRE/Tributary, Grabner (which we don't carry but can order), Innova, or the Trinity line. The $859 price includes two seats, the fin, and a basic patch kit with valve wrench.
Please note that any accessories purchased with your boat are 10% off, and also note that our shopping cart as yet does NOT reflect these discounts - it will show a higher total so we will adjust the bottom line before ringing the transaction through. If for any reason we manage to forget, we will enclose a refund check for the difference inside the box with your receipt.
