Kayaks and Skin & Scuba Diving

This is an inflatable Kayak, a tremendously flexible tool for snorkelers or scuba divers who use dive sites within one to three miles from shore.

This particular boat is manufactured by Aire, who makes several other models for varying needs. This boat is designed for two divers, and can be paddled about 2 miles in around 20 minutes without great effort...in fact, its actually a lot more fun than what could frequently be a 50 minute boat ride---on a motor powered boat that had to depart from a dock far from the intended dive site. For South Florida reefs, found generally within two miles of shore (unless you are diving deep), or Grand Cayman, or most Island dive destinations, a boat like this can get you to dive sites frequently even faster than you could with a motor powered boat, since now you just launch from the shore in front of the intended dive site. The Aire boat is constructed of the same material as white water rafts. Durable beyond belief, the Aire kayak is also very comfortable to sit in, for one or two people.

When used by skin or scuba divers, the boat is towed during the dive, by a line carried by one of the divers.

Because the Aire boat is so hydrodynamic, it actually has less drag than a float ball, and is very easy to tow around. A huge benefit of this is that now two people can go out and dive together, instead of one sitting up, and one diving. And, as large and brightly colored as it is, it is far more visible to the morons in boats that will occasionally run over dive flags.

When you want to get on or off of this boat, it is remarkably stable, and very easy to do.Finding the reef in clear tropical waters is usually as easy as "sticking your head over the side and looking!"

The Kayak can be easily pulled up on shore after diving, to a convenient access point like here at the Palm Beach Hawaiian Ocean Inn.. This is actually a great place for divers. Straight off the beach, and out about a mile and a half are some of the best reefs in the S.Florida area (the Boynton Beach reef system, mostly 43 feet on top).

And right off the beach of the Hawaiian Inn is a nice little snorkeling reef, about 75 yards out (right under the kayak in this photo).

When you are ready to transport this boat, it can be deflated and placed in its carrying bag....It fits into car trunks and airplanes with ease. Or you can leave it inflated and car top it instead.

This is just one option for divers who want a very stable boat they can tow around, and want the flexibility of being able to bring their kayak with them on trips or even on live-a-boards. We will cover several of the hard shell kayaks made for diving in future articles. For more information, send e-mail to us with this form or visit the Website of Waterways Kayaks.