What Mel Lammers and David Quist say about the K-1 is echoed by other people I have seen with the boat especially heftier paddlers. The K-1 has always been a pretty good boat but in 1998 Feathercraft vastly improved it by marrying it to portions of the Khats design. The boat was lengthened by half a foot, the cockpit was made smaller and the bow was given a shape resembling the Khats. If I take a side glance at one of them I often mistake it for the Khats until I check off some of the telltales in my head that I know are different. Assembly was also greatly eased in 1998. I know some paddlers of the older model feel that its welded center ribcage was stronger and better but it did complicate assembly as did operations you had to do at the bow and stern. I know paddlers who get wet dreams thinking of the Khats but I think many of them would be better off thinking in terms of the K-1 if the Feathercraft is what they want. Again, the very positive experiences that Mel and David have with the K-1 comes as no surprise. It is a lot of money. But if you compare it to a very top of the line hardshell, which is the fair comparison, the differential in price is in the $1,200 range. What you get is a top performance boat you can take any where with you that represents zero sacrifice on the water when you get there. Skins are likely good for 25 years and frames should last longer than that. Pro-rate the hefty $4k over even 20 years and it ain't so much of a bite. And you can always sell it and get top-dollar on the re-sale. Let's see. Mel and David, do I have your current addresses to send a payola check to? :-) ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Aug 07 2000 - 21:36:56 PDT
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