Diana and Nico, Folders are great boats, I've had four over the past 10 years and currently have an older Klepper. What your friends are trying to tell you is that the Klepper is not a really high performance boat. Think an older prop. plane vs. a jet. Both will get you there, but the trip will be a little choppier and slower in the folder. (I can hear Ralph disagreeing already!). Remember that if you stick with kayaking, you will experience a sharp learning curve. You may find that you desire faster, lighter kayaks soon - and then you will have already invested $5,000 (probably more now) on this boat. I would recommend you try some fast hardshell doubles before buying the Klepper. If you have the $$, it would be great to have one or two fast single hardshells AND the Klepper. Unfortunately most folks don't have such $$. The Klepper is a beautiful, functional boat and you won't go wrong buying it (very easy to resell). But just remember that you might want more speed and manuverability some day soon. Also, two singles allow you to get away from your better half every now and then! - Scott "N.D. VAN LOO" wrote: > Hi everyone, > > We have a simple question: Can anyone convince us that buying a > foldable double instead of a hardshell is a stupid and crazy idea? > > Let us explain: > We are new to kayaking and Paddlewise and considering to buy a kayak > somewhere end of this year. The only experience in kayaking is > limited to a couple of intructions at a local kayak club. > > When asking around to some " more experienced" kayakers, they all > told us about their favourite hardshell brands and their moste loved > types. At an outdoor exibition we saw a presentation of Klepper and > fell in love immediately. So we started to look around more carefully > at the internet and we read a couple of "standard books" on > seakayaking and kayaking in general. > > To cut a long story short, our conclusion (for the moment) is: > We want a foldable because its larger safety margin and foldability. > We consider Feathercraft/Klepper/Nautiraid doubles. Among these the > Klepper expedition (red colour) is the favourite. > > This conclusion when presented at the kayak club gave rise to quite > some resistance. Foldables were "not done". When we asked: "Could > you give any logical reason why a foldable is a bad idea?" The debate > focussed on, stability, preformance, vurnerability to rocks, > maintenance, folding/unfolding time etc. But most of our kayaking > friends had no experience at all with foldables. > > We are curious to learn from people that have experience > with both foldables and hardshells. Could any of them please tell us > why we are so wrong? > Anyone of you is also free to explain why buying a foldable is the > smartest thing to do! > > Thanks in Advance, > Diana and Nico-Dirk van Loo > N.D. van Loo, Msc > Dept. Cell Biology > Medical Faculty > Erasmus University Rotterdam > P.O. 1738 > 3000 DR Rotterdam > The Netherlands > TEL +31 10 4087165 > FAX +31 10 4089468 > VANLOO_at_CH1.FGG.EUR.NL > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** -- Scott Ives ssives_at_erols.com - avid father, husband, lawyer, photographer, kayaker, jet skier and Mustang Cobra convertible owner *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Apr 09 1999 - 08:27:49 PDT
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