Inflatable watercraft have people super pumped in land of lakes

Austin Grove launched his watercraft Sunday afternoon into Cedar Lake — shortly after pulling it, folded like a mat, from the hatch of his SUV.

Within minutes after spreading it out and attaching an air pump, a rigid paddleboard sprang to life near the bustling Minneapolis lake.

Up until about two weeks ago, Grove was a committed canoe paddler. But buying an inflatable paddleboard — he got one for about $370 — has been a game-changer.

“It’s so nice to have a one-person operation,” said the Minneapolis man, his electric pump humming in the background.

In the land of 10,000 lakes, personal inflatable watercraft are now rivaling traditional vessels made of hard materials like fiberglass and polyethylene. And new creations are in the works.

While inflatable boats have been around for more than a decade, consumers questioned their quality when they first came out, equating them with cheaper, inferior floaties that someone might nab at a discount store.

But, while they are still susceptible to a hole or damage, today’s inflatables are more durable and reliable, both users and manufacturers say. They are commonly made up of “drop-stitch” fabric that includes woven polyester wrapped in a plastic synthetic called PVC. Together, they make the vessels rigid and resilient.

Theo Byrnes and his staff at Paddle Bridge, which sells kayak tours of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities, said inflatables provide an easy entry point to having fun on Minnesota’s waterways. For example, paddleboards weigh as little as 15-25 pounds, depending on their size and materials.

“The biggest balance in the urban environment is the space you save,” he said. “[Using them] is so sensible. The people that can’t get a paddleboard on a car … an inflatable takes that out of your hands and make the sport accessible.”

At Paddle North, inflatable paddleboards now account for 85% of sales, Mogck said. They are easier and less costly to ship.

An analysis by the market research firm Technavio earlier this year predicted overall paddleboard sales could grow by more than $300 million in the next four years, propelled in part by inflatables’ popularity.

“The days of rigid boards on top of the car with the roof rack are few and far between,” Mogck said.

“There will be quite a bit of innovation,” Mogck said. “There is a lot more to come.”

At Cedar Lake, Dee Dee Rutt unfolded something that she said blew friends’ minds when she got it as a gift about 15 years ago. Her Vilano inflatable paddleboard was “such a new concept,” Rutt recalled.

Not so anymore, the Golden Valley woman said between pumps, as the Vilano took shape.

“They are so easy,” she said, with a smile. “They are so fun.”