There's plenty to like about the Chelan 140. It's the perfect size for solo use, or for paddling with one of my kids. When fishing, I install the front seat backwards so my son and I are face to face and there's just the right amount of space between us. The seats are the most comfortable kayak seats I've tried, and the foot rest is never fiddly or in the way. The boat is also super stable. My kids can climb into and out of it like it was a swim platform. And the flat drop stitch floor makes it easy to step into and out of from a dock. It sets up super quick, with just three air chambers that all use the same Halkey-Roberts valves. The single layer PVC skin and removable floor make it easy to wipe clean and dry. It fits into its backpack bag with room to spare for gear, and my petite wife can carry it from car to shore. Another thing worth mentioning is the quality. There's no obvious cost cutting. The materials are durable, the construction is tidy and precise, and the boat comes well rigged. So what's not to like? Let's start with the skeg. It doesn't come off easy, and it can be a PITA when something gets in the channel of the skeg box. It's fastened by a little metal screw that I'm paranoid about dropping and losing when my hands are cold and wet. Aquaglide uses a quick release fin with captive locking piece on cheaper boats, why not on the Chelan? My other complaint is with the scupper drains. They increase drag, they increase cost, and the cutouts for them in the drop stich floor are a pathway for dirt, sand, and small droppable items to disappear under the floor. When you open the drains, the water level in the cockpit rises to a bit above floor level and sloshes around, so you would only use these if you're in rapids or surf and taking on water repeatedly. So who is this kayak meant for? Aquaglide markets it as a "performance touring" kayak, but like most inflatable kayaks, it's a poor choice for touring. The hull shape is wide and flat with the bow and stern rising up out of the water. It's designed to ride over waves rather than cutting through them, and all the directional stability comes from the skeg. It gets knocked around by chop and blown around by the wind. And it's slow. I originally hoped to be able to use the Chelan 140 on remote camping trips. But I realized that was a bad idea about half-way through our first long paddle across a windy lake. The Chelan's hull shape is suitable for river running. With the skeg off, it's low draught. It turns easy, and it flexes up and over waves. And those scupper drains are a suggestion to the buyer that maybe it can do whitewater. But this is a sit-on-top style kayak, it's not a kayak you "wear". I suspect sustained class II sections could be sketchy. Likewise, you'd only take this sea kayaking on calm days. Aquaglide themselves make better boats for river running and sea kayaking in the McKenzie and Navarro, and they're cheaper too. It's a great kayak for casual recreational paddling in good weather: exploring a pond or small lake, sightseeing, nature spotting, taking a day trip if you don't have too far to go. But it seems like overkill for that. It also makes a decent fishing boat, but I think the better equipped Blackfoot kayaks are worth it for anglers. So the Chelan 140 is not a do it all kayak, it's a do a little of everything kayak. Unfortunately, I was hoping for a better touring kayak, so after one season, I did more research and bought a Neris Smart Pro. But I'm keeping the Chelan 140 for local fishing trips with my son.
