Here is a URL for some pictures to warm your cockles ... even if you're not (yet! ;-)) infected by the folding boat bug (or read German). http://www.bis.uni-oldenburg.de/~kropp/faltboot/galerie/galerie.htm These pictures were shot at recent folding boat ralleys in Germany. They are reminiscent of similar black and white photos that appear in "Der Hadernkahn" (a pictorial history of folding boats by Christian Altenhofer). The folding boat renaissance is clearly ongoing ... in good part surely due to Ralph Diaz's work over the last decade or so! :-)) Enjoy! Best regards, Ralph Ralph C. Hoehn Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com www.PouchBoats.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
From: <FoldingBoats_at_aol.com> > Here is a URL for some pictures to warm your cockles ... even if you're not (yet! ;-)) infected by the folding boat bug (or read German). > > http://www.bis.uni-oldenburg.de/~kropp/faltboot/galerie/galerie.htm > Nice photos! The Schwarz 2000 photos, fifth photo from the top. The white kayak looks like a skin-on-frame rather than a folding boat. Is this a homebuilt folding kayak? If so, it's gorgeous! If Feathercraft made one like that, I'd buy it! Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Great shots. In one of the photos, there is a folding boat on the water with what looks like an axle and two tires; is this an early amphibious prototype? Once on land do you kick start it like the Flintstones? This might be kayakings answer to high gas prices--although I didn't see any turn signals. Yaba Daba Doo! Craig ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Oregonian public referendum number 104: Free shoe shinning at all airports. ----- Original Message ----- From: <FoldingBoats_at_aol.com> To: <Bagboater_at_yahoogroups.com>; <Paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2001 5:35 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] Folding Boats snip > http://www.bis.uni-oldenburg.de/~kropp/faltboot/galerie/galerie.htm > > These pictures were shot at recent folding boat ralleys in Germany. snip *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>> http://www.bis.uni-oldenburg.de/~kropp/faltboot/galerie/galerie.htm > The Schwarz 2000 photos, fifth photo from the top. The white kayak looks > like a skin-on-frame > rather than a folding boat. Is this a homebuilt folding kayak? If so, > it's gorgeous! It is homebuilt and foldable, like the blue one just right of the white one (fifth photo from top). For a story of Volker Born, the builder, see http://www.pouchboats.com/volker_born.html (part of the Amateur Folding Boat Builders Corner). And yes, Volkers boats *are* gorgeous (I paddled both with him and his boats). And the good news is: he is willing to build more of them (for a price, though and if he's got enough time). Cheers, Marian Marian Gunkel, Berlin, Germany www.mariangunkel.de *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: <Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com> > Here is a URL for some pictures to warm your cockles ... even if you're not (yet! ;-)) infected by the folding boat bug (or read German). > > http://www.bis.uni-oldenburg.de/~kropp/faltboot/galerie/galerie.htm > > These pictures were shot at recent folding boat ralleys in Germany. They are reminiscent of similar black and white photos that appear in "Der Hadernkahn" (a pictorial history of folding boats by Christian Altenhofer). The photos pointed to by Ralph Hoehn certainly are a wonderful throwback to those in that great Der Hadernkahn book. I am impressed to see those folding kayak rallies going on in Germany. Many thanks, Tocayo. > > The folding boat renaissance is clearly ongoing ... in good part surely due to Ralph Diaz's work over the last decade or so! Thanks but I think a lot of people should share the glory or the blame :-). What I have done is basically bucked the tide a bit and said it is okay to use a folding kayak and way as well as to dispell some misconceptions about them. The rest is the result of people seeing for themselves that folding kayaks are just fine. And, this is important, they then go on to say the same to others and use their folding kayaks in an imaginative way, kind of like hundreds and hundreds of disciples spreading the word of a religion. I think the companies are also doing their big bit. At one time it was Feathercraft that was doing all the experimenting and new model introductions. Now, in recent years, the other companies are too. As can be seen in the photos that Ralph points to in the URL, even Klepper is in an experimental mood. That catamaran may or not be a hit but it does show willingness to try new ideas. From my talks with the Dr. Isbruch who took over ownership of the company two years ago, I get the impression that Klepper is going to be trying out many new ideas while keeping its traditions intact as well. I am really excited about something I have done for the current issue of the newsletter. Exactly 10 years ago in the inaugural issue, I interviewed the major four manufacturers about how they saw themselves and the kayaking market. Now I am revisiting the scene with them a decade later. A lot has happened for them and folding kayaks in the intervening years. The impression I get is like having hiked some rough terrain with friends and, at the end of the day, looking back at how the day went so well and looking forward to the next day's hike. I think that folding kayaks have a solid position in the overall kayaking market and will continue strong as a viable niche market. It didn't look that way necessarily 10 years ago and that is why it has been fun looking back at the past decade and also ahead with the CEOs of the companies. I hope my hardshell kayaking friends will forgive me when I say that when I look at their kayaks I am tempted to remark "You mean your kayak _doesn't_ fold? What an archaic idea!" :-) cheers and good paddling wherever you are, 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 - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
From: "ralph diaz" <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com> > I hope my hardshell kayaking friends will forgive me when I say that when I > look at their kayaks I am tempted to remark "You mean your kayak _doesn't_ > fold? What an archaic idea!" :-) Some paddling friends told us of the events surrounding their absence from this year's Georgian Bay symposium. It seems they were putting the kayaks on the roof of their vehicle and he decided to move said vehicle while the kayaks weren't quite tied down. He ran over the end of the rope attached to the bow of her ancient and venerable Tieken Sealution. Said kayak folded quite nicely. She wasn't too pleased though. Mike PS Swift fixed it up just fine. Rather than stretching and wrestling with the kayak as you do with a true foldable, they just smeared it inside with epoxy and more glass. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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