The Vanhunks Voyager Deluxe Tandem Kayak immediately stands out for its 12-foot size. It looks huge and comes with thick plastic sheeting, wrapped in bubble wrap. For someone who wants to know the strongest point of this kayak, you might attribute it to its stability. You can load a lot onto the kayak, and it continues to cut through the water like a knife. Strong customer service from Vanhunks will back you up should you encounter problems with the kayak.
Its Strengths
- Very stable
- Helpful customer service
- Comfortable carrying handles
- Soft, cushy seating
Its Weaknesses
- Heavy kayak
- Rear seating blocks the moulded cupholder
- No flat bottom making it harder to handle on land
Build Quality
One look at the Vanhunks Voyager Deluxe Tandem Kayak reveals a giant 12-foot kayak that you can use for two people. Anyone who has a friend or family member that they’d like to take kayaking will appreciate the beauty of the attractive blue and white design. You don’t necessarily have to have a friend and can take it for a solo ride too, but it does weigh 77 pounds. Having a partner makes it easier. Several fishing attachments come with the kayak, but manufacturers let you remove it to maximize your space if you don’t fish. The one downside with this kayak is that it has a round bottom rather than a flat bottom. That means that it can be a bigger hassle on land. Setting it down, for example, can be quite a problem. The kayak comes with cup holders to hold your drinks.
Speed and Handling
This kayak cuts through the water like a hot knife through butter. You don’t have to exert as much energy to go places with it. Even when loaded up with two children and an adult and a cooler full of drinks, the kayak handles with alacrity and ease. The extra weight didn’t slow it down to where it couldn’t maneuver well. It navigates smoothly. Whether you go with two people or solo it, the kayak handles well, and it doesn’t feel awkward even with one kayaker.
Capacity and Comfort
Out on the water, you have a maximum weight capacity of 551 pounds. The Voyager Deluxe can handle two adults and one child. They designed it for two people, but you can fit a small child in the kayak with the adults. It may not, however, be a great idea to have three adults and expect it to hold or have the previous spaciousness. In terms of comfort with the seating, it feels comfortable sitting in it over longer paddling sessions out on the water. The Voyager uses standard aluminum seats, and you have a spacious boat to paddle in. The raised seating design ensures that your back doesn’t get soaked while paddling. That’s a common problem with other kayaks. Over time, the moisture from the water on the back of the seat adds to ever-increasing discomfort.
Transporting
Perhaps the worst part of the Vanhunks Voyager Deluxe Tandem Kayak comes from its hefty size. Although, what do you expect when you have a 12-foot kayak? This kayak weighs 77 pounds, which makes it especially good to have a buddy along with. After you have spent all afternoon paddling non-stop on the water, that asks a lot to have to lift 77 pounds back up on the car. The average recreational kayak only weighs 35 pounds, and tandem kayaks average 50 pounds. That makes this one a bit on the heavier side.
Although it weighs more, the Voyager makes up for it with comfortable handles to grab. With a friend, you will have no problem getting it back up on the car.
Conclusion
You have people who loved the Voyager Deluxe so much that they bought a second one. It looks attractive, and if you want to go fishing, bring a rod and reel along. What accessories would you want to add? You may want to add a CAOS Waterproof Dry Bag to store your phones, cameras and a book for reading. Out on the water in a kayak, don’t expect to remain dry completely. You will get wet from the water off the paddle after a while. If you plan to fish, you may want to bring along a kayaking anchor. Kayaks do awesome fishing by maneuvering into watery corners that most boats struggle to get into. Having an anchor ensures that you don’t turn into King Neptune in his watery chariot. Overall, the Vanhunks Voyager Deluxe offers you great value for the price.
My name is Bryan and I’m the chief editor of kayakiye.com. My goal is to share my experience with readers of kayakiye.com. Here I tell you how to choose the perfect kayak for fishing, camping, and traveling. I share reviews of the best kayaks on the market. I hope that my blog will be useful to Kayakers and Fishing folks.
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