Water Strider Inflatable Raft

Background and history of the Water Strider kickboat.
by Dave Inks

Kickboat’s are a fairly new one person inflatable boat idea with origins dating back to mid-1980 in the USA.  The name comes from the idea that by sitting close to the water with swim fins on your feet you can use your feet and legs to propel and steer the boat while keeping your hands free for fishing or hunting.

Kick boats give you the freedom to be on the water, floating rivers and lakes in comfort and safety.  Since most kickboats are inflatable, you can haul them in the trunk of your car or in the back of a pickup truck with no need for a trailer.

Some kick boat designs will pack up so small they will fit in even the smallest compact car and allow you to stream or lake access almost anyplace you desire.  Kickboats are very easy to store at home or in an apartment.

Perhaps best of all, you can check a kickboat as luggage on most airlines and travel to your favorite destination with your boat.  There is no substitute for being on your dream trip river or lake, able to float and fish in places others cannot.

When deciding to purchase a Kick Boat it is important to compare the following features:

1. Are the materials used to make the kickboat durable and easy to maintain?

2. Does the kick boat have quality valves that are easy to use with common pumps?

3. Does the kick boat include oars, fins and a good pump as part of the package?

4. Are the oars heavy-duty while breaking down for compact packing and stowing?

5. Do the kickboat fins have quick release safety features and will they fit over your wading boots with ankle safety straps to prevent loss?.

6. Does the kick boat have a Stripping Apron or lap apron?  This is especially important if you are fly fishing, as the apron keeps your stripped line out of the water and prevents tangling around feet, fins and boat hardware.  A stripping apron is also very handy to lay out your lunch or equipment you don’t want to loose in the water.

7. Does your kickboat have a foot rest or strap to brace against when rowing?

8. Does your kick boat come with a dry bag for storage that includes backpack straps and can it double as a storage bag for dry clothes and gear while you are on the river or lake?

9. Does your kickboat include stainless steel D-rings and equipment straps to tie gear down to the boat when floating?

10. Is a good patch kit for permanent repairs if necessary included in the deal?

11. Do you get an instructional DVD or complete instruction manual on how to use and store your kick boat?

12. How about a good guarantee from a full service company who has the knowledge to help you at any time?

13. Can you get your kickboat in the water quickly without wasted assembly time or tools?

In the case of our Water Strider, the answer to all of these questions is YES!!

There are two basic types of kick Boats on the market today.  One is a pontoon boat or cataraft with a frame.  Most take assembly time and you will need a truck or trailer to transport them.  They don’t carry or ship very well.  Storage is also a problem because most folks who own these kinds of kick boats do not disassemble then when not in use.  Why?  Because it takes too much time.

We think, and we are obviously biased, that the very best Kick Boat is a Water Strider.  It is much more durable than a regular Pontoon boat and has no frame or wasted assembly time.  Just add air and it is ready to go.  Remove the air and it is easily rolled up in a very small package that will store almost anyplace.  Water Strider is a grab-it-and-go Kick Boat.

The benefits of Water Strider include:

1. It is user friendly and requires no assembly other than slipping the two piece oars together, putting them on the oar lock pins and screwing on the caps.  You need no tools.

2. Water Strider carries a heavy load of gear so you can float, camp and enjoy the outdoors.  We have done two week wilderness expeditions with everything you need tied to the boat.

3. Water Strider comes complete with everything you need to have a great day on the water except your favorite fly rod or fishing pole.

4.  Water Strider is designed and built by expert engineers in inflatable whitewater boats of all kinds.

5. The low design is perfect to really get close to fish without spooking them and also provides low wind resistance and stability in challenging waters.

6. Water Strider provides unlimited access.  Anyplace you can walk to the water’s edge, you can take your Water Strider.  The dry bag allows you to carry it to and from the water with ease.

Some kick boat history:

I bought my first kick boat from Brooks Bouldin at the Anglers Edge in Houston, Texas in 1985.  It was called a Kick-A-Boat, a pontoon type boat with a simple frame and a plywood deck.  It took a little effort to assemble and fill with air but it floated and you only had fins to move it around.  It sat a little too high and the wind did blow you around quite a bit.  I had a lake near my house so I used it quite a bit.  With this experience, I started to really think about the function and how to improve on it.  I came up with all kinds of ideas and I knew right away it needed to be lower to the water, easier to handle and it needed oars to help travel on the water and of course fins so you could fish and not have to row.  I also wanted to stay in the boat and be able to float and also wade while sitting or standing up in the boat.

In the early 1990’s I was introduced to the Tote-N-Float and was hired to be the national sales manager.  This was an improvement to the ideas I had but still had some weak spots in fabric and design.

Later in the 1990’s I started a company called Water Master.  I designed the patterns, and the factory to build my own boat.  I was able to make some of the changes and updates I had in mind but many of them were still in the development stage.  By the mid 1990’s after a change of ownership I started to make more improvements and design changes to enhance the function and durability.  By the end of 1990’s I was able to obtain a patent on the now present Water Strider Kick Boat with all of the updates and improvements that I had learned from the past and daily use.

Today Water Strider is by far the very best in the industry of kick boats.  Water Strider is light, durable and one size fits all.  It is a small light compact design allows it to be THE Grab-It-and-Go anywhere any time kick boat.

A safety reminder: Always wear a personal flotation device that is Coast Guard approved.  There is no substitute for safety.