Any Gumotex Solar 410 C owners on here?

[rancid badger]

I'm looking at adding to the fleet, well okay, forming a fleet (of two boats) and I'm considering the Gumotex Solar 410C to compliment my Palava. I fancy something a bit quicker to paddle but still offering the same load space and the solar 410 fits that criteria.

Anyone on here own one? Any issues?

I'm well familiar with the general drawbacks of inflatables, although there are very few with gumotex and the pro's far outweigh the cons in my experience. I'm pretty much set on going with the solar, just wondering if anyone has experience of them.

Steve

 

[GGTBod]

I love them, the Gumotex range look awesome but i have no experience of the one you're asking about, the one you have looks belta in your vids is it just the extra tracking speed making you want a different one as your second craft? I am kicking myself for getting a Sevylor as my second one instead of another intex like my first one, much prefer the Intex out of the two.

I've got my eye on a beauty the Gumotex Seawave High pressure thing but it is £1200, total sea going beasty though

 

[rancid badger]

The Palava is spot on but I figured if I was going to get a second boat for relatives/Friends to baby sit me, I might as well try a different model and then we can swap around a bit and the Solar 410c is big enough for two (three at a push) just like the Palava but a bit quicker to paddle.

The seawave is way out of my budget but it's a cracking piece of kit. I like the option to fit the cover or leave it off depending on weather/paddling conditions

I've no experience of the intex boats but I've paddled a couple of sevylors (A hudson and a colorado) and seen a good few on the water. I found that both the boats I tried felt to me as if they were made of polystyrene packing foam! A weird sensation of sitting on rather than in the water? They blew about a lot more than my palava too and were a bit awkward to paddle. Mind you, the folk who gave me a go in their sevylors found paddling my SP3 and Mad River Reflection a bit dodgey as well

I was ready to give a paddle trip across to Ullswater a shot this week but while the sun is shining, the wind is gusting to 15mph+ from the north east at Glenridding! and experience tells me that's not really ideal for my first trip out after a year in dock (and "Doc"!)

We should try and get a day trip over to Ullswater organised this spring/summer,it's the easiest decent bit of open water to reach from our side and it'd be great to meet up and have a potter about

Cheers

Steve

 

[rancid badger]

Hmm,no one got one? oh well never mind, just got to take a leap of faith again then, hit lucky with the palava so hopefully it'll go the same with the solar

 

[bearbait]

Hi there RB,

Have you tried asking your question over on Song of the Paddle? Or maybe UK Rivers Guidebook? And I notice that there are a few vids on youtube.

I'm considering a Palava to add to my fleet too, like you, to double its size!

Keep us updated.

 

[bren73]

Hi RB

Yes, I have a Gumotex Solar 410c and a Sevylor Colorado. The Gumotex is much quicker than Sevylor, but not quite as stable. I have used it on the canal as well as Loch Lomond and a couple of sea lochs on the west coast and must say I love it. Plenty of room for camping gear an provision when doing a bit of wild camping. If you want to know anything specific just ask.

Bren


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[bren73]

Hi RB

yes, I have a Gumotex Solar 410c and a Sevylor Colorado. The Solar is much quicker than the Colorado, but not as stable in the water. There is plenty of room in it for loads of camping gear and provisions. I have paddled it on a canal as well as Loch Lomond and a couple of sea lochs on the west coast and it has performed really well. I did buy a 12vc pump for it as it takes a bit more pumping up to pressure than the Colorado. If you have any specific questions just ask.

Cheers

Bren

 

[GGTBod]

Does sound like a good plan, currently in the lowlands of the highlands but definitely looking for sun based paddle fun over the next few months for sure

 

[rancid badger]

Well that's me sorted, come hell or high water I'm now the proud owner of a Gumotex Solar Pro 410c in eye watering green.

Off to Ullswater in the morning for my first paddle trip since last May and really looking forward to it. Just a day mind but it's a start.

Cheers

Steve

 

[GGTBod]

Nice one, i can't make it tomorrow but we are planning a trip up there on the very next day promising half decent weather, it will also have to be between a Monday and Wednesday for my brother and work, i'll let you know when that is happening if you're up for joining us, same goes on your next trip up that way let me know when and i'll try n come along one way or another

 

[rancid badger]

No bother, I work a 12 hour, 2 days/2 nights, 4 days off system through till September now, so I'm sure we can hit on right at some point

Anyway, heres a few pics of the "Green Machine" yesterday;





I was very impressed when I first paddled the Palava but this thing is at least as good and in some ways better, not least the turn of speed you can achieve even with a cheap, crxppy paddle with flexible blades! It's no slouch in the maneuverability stakes either.

[video=youtube_share;UMfzuVlSMiE]https://youtu.be/UMfzuVlSMiE[/video]



The weather looks benign but trust me, that grey area on the water marks where the wind first touched the water (blowing away and to the left) after being deflected by the scrubby willow and reed woodland round the bottom end of the lake and for the first two hours in the morning, the wind was howling 100yds out and barreling straight up the lake from the south/south west with squally showers being carried along.

I could have done with a bit more air in the tubes, as once I put the boat on the cold water, the air cooled and consequently the pressure dropped a bit but the boat did fine regardless coming back down into the wind, through the short, bouncy chop.

I was very much taking my time for the most part, with just the odd short burst of speed on calm water or occasionally digging a little deeper to counter the head winds but I still covered 5.6 miles in just under 3 hours, after which time I decided that all things considered ( 1st trip in new boat, 1st trip in over a year and 1st trip since massive heart attack in October!) that was enough to be going on with.

In short, I'm both very pleased and once again well impressed with Gumotex design,quality and performance. Even the colour isn't too bad, at least it's fairly easy to see from the point of view of other water users. (sailors and lake "steamer" drivers in particular)

Cheers

Steve

 

[rancid badger]

Sorry Bren, I missed your reply somehow and got wrapped up in other stuff, so came back to the thread and just went straight to the last posted reply!

Welcome to the forum and thank you very much for your replies


Quick question for you;
Have you by any chance tried a "wind paddle" type sail on your Solar?


Anyway, I took myself back over on Tuesday morning and once again had a great time paddling the Solar. It's a quick boat for an inflatable, even in the short chop from the stiff breeze that was blowing all day.

I've established already that certainly paddled solo, there is plenty of space for camping kit, be it tarp and hammock or two man tent, so my planning juices are beginning to flow with a Loch Shiel circuit flitting in and out of my mind in a daydreamy kind of way.

Another cracking outing and once again, a big confidence booster

Planning another one for next week (maybe Coniston) but we'll see how things go.

cheers

Steve

 

[bren73]

Hi Steve, nope never tried a wind paddle. I did manage to get a electric outboard attached to the Sevylor tho.

 

[rancid badger]

Heres a taste of the conditions on Ullswater last week;

[video=youtube_share;ubDZ6YioaC0]https://youtu.be/ubDZ6YioaC0[/video]

Bit boring to watch but you get a feel for the changeable conditions

 

[rancid badger]

I'm going back over on Tuesday (seems like the best day this week) if anyone fancies a look and a meet up. Bit of paddling, bit of chatter, maybe share a few skills etc?

I'll be heading for the steamer car park at glenridding and intend to be there no later than 9am. I won't be paddling all day, there'll be a good few stops and leg stretchy bits and I'll be heading home no later than 4pm.

You can pm if you wish but otherwise I'll just be heading across and paddling regardless

cheers

Steve

 

[GGTBod]

Ahh man Steve i wish i could, a nice paddle would be a good day, doubt i'll be back on the water until spring now, hope you have a good one i'll be living through you're pics n vid

 

[rancid badger]

Here you go, cracking conditions with a fair old breeze but not that cold;
[video=youtube;_gyHa_yD0eI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gyHa_yD0eI[/video]
This was silver bay which was nicely sheltered.

This was heading back down the lake, strange but when you consider inflatables are supposed to be hammered by the wind, I seem to be making good progress
[video=youtube;jMWF-VN0wCI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMWF-VN0wCI[/video]

I'm now a total convert from hard shell boats. For me, they are far too awkward to handle off the water, store and transport. I can do anything and more in either of my inflatables that I could do in any of the "proper" canoes or kayaks I've owned or paddled.

 

[GGTBod]

Nice one mate i'll squeeze watching them in today.

I have been saying that for years mate even about my cheapy version inflatables, best few hundred quid i've ever spent on outdoor kit for the two of them, one day i'll have one of those Gumotex ones, had my eye on one for about 600 in the sale earlier this year but then had to focus the funds elsewhere, i'd love a few hard body boats but right now my life and living space just doesn't allow it

 

[fenix]

I am another Gumotex paddler, its the old version of the Solar . When I got it we lived in a flat with little storage so an inflatable was the only real option. Since moving I have a couple of boats but the solar still gets regular use. I have been dropped off by the Mrs, gone for a paddle on the Medway, got out at Maidstone, packed the boat away and taken it in the pub, then got the train home. Its also been lent to people to use on the Medway's canoe chutes when they haven't fancied it in their own canoes. I have also used it to get people on the water that have had issues with other kayaks and canoes. They are fantastic bits of kit.

 

[rancid badger]

I think this is one of the missing videos above?

I've been spending a lot of time on my bike over the last two and a half years ( 4900 miles so far) and it's time I got back on the water again.