Re: [Paddlewise] Paddlesport 99 and Feathercraft

David Kosofsky wrote:
> 
> On March 18, 1999 Ralph Diaz wrote:
> 
> >If you have a question regarding the models, assembly, etc. he is the
> >guy to ask.  He will be at the Feathercraft booth.  Also with him is
> >Anna (I forget her last name).  She is the person who makes the K-1.
> >All Feathercrafts, with the exception of the K-Lights, are made by a
> >designated person.  

> >From my experience, the situation with the K-Light isn't all that
> different.  True, some parts are `mass'-produced, but otherwise the
> K-Lights also seem to be made by a single designated person. I discovered
> this last summer when my K-Light suffered a leaky sponson while I
> happened, as excellent luck would have it, to be in the Vancouver area. So
> I took it to the Feathercraft factory on Granville Island. Needless to
> say, they undertook to replace the sponson immediately (seems the sponsons
> are made by another company and have had some quality-control problems). I
> was brought to the workbench of a woman who was introduced as "the person
> who has been making all the K-Lights for the last few years." 

Hmmm.  When I was there, they had a team of people making the K-Light.
The K-Light is different from the other models in several respects.  The
most important is that the crossribs are made of polycarbonate that is
made in molds off-premise (the other models use polyethylene that is cut
from half inch sheets, two at a time in order to make ribs for two boats
at once).  I saw several people cutting the pieces of aluminum tubing to
size, putting in bungee, fittings, etc.  But it may have been just a
peak period and like you have found out, a person is designated to make
the K-Lights.  Since the ribs are delivered ready to the factory, that
does cut down the work for a person.  And the tubing frame is greatly
simplified on the K-Light compared to its bigger sisters.  One person
can make more.  I will ask what is the current situation in the factory
as I have not been there in a half dozen years.

> 
> Incidentally, the most remarkable comment she made during the conversation
> we had while she was replacing the sponson came when I was raving about
> the K-Light's performance. "Actually, I've never paddled one," she said.
> Turned out her paddling inexperience wasn't limited to the K-Light.  She
> said she'd only tried kayaking once in her life, found it uncomfortable
> and frightening, and never been tempted to try it again.  Kind of amazing
> for a woman who has single-handedly made so many fine paddle-craft.  Makes
> me wonder whether Stradivarius ever actually played the violin.
> 
> David Kosofsky
> Seoul, Korea

That is remarkable as most of the people I saw there who were part of
the regular staff (as opposed to individuals coming in at peak periods),
did paddle.  As you saw, they are on an offshoot of False Creek and it
is so easy just to go for a paddle at lunch or anytime.  The only people
who did not seem to paddle were the seamestresses, who incidentally were
Korean, if I am not mistaken.

best

ralph
-- 
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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