Re: [Paddlewise] Best folding kayak

In a message dated 6/15/2005 7:19:23 AM Pacific Standard Time,  
michael.wolf_at_medtronic.com writes:

I travel  a lot overseas and in The States and am considering buying a
folding  kayak.  At home I paddle an NDK Explorer Elite.  Being used  to
the shape/performance of this kayak,  any ideas out there on the  best
performing (handling, portable, quality) folding kayak?   Thanks.
 
I enjoy paddling my wife's Explorer and the only folding boat that performs  
as well is the Khatsalano by Feathercraft. I say that loosely as they  are 
very different from each other.The Khats is in the same speed range as  the 
Explorer; It turns very well; has less burden and volume at about 300  pounds, 
whereas the Explorer can handle much more than that; but weathercocks  much more 
severely. In short, it is a high performance boat but not really  Explorer like.
 
If you want convenience in portability the Khats weighs 45 pounds in the  
newer skins, but when you actually weigh the boat in the backpack (5.5 pounds)  
it comes in, it is heavier. I assume Feathercraft weighed it without the seat  
and some other outfitting as when I and the airlines weigh the boat in a  
nondescript duffel bag (1.5 pounds) the boat in that duffel bag without the seat  
comes in at 49 pounds.
 
Weight aside, the boat takes 1 hour to construct and 30 minutes to take  
down. It is also very expensive. It is kind of finnicky, but it performs well  
enough. I've had it out for days in big water and the only thing I hated  was the 
weathercocking. I glued a skeg onto the hull which helps, but I still  have 
to be mindful of how I pack. Packing heavy in the stern helps out a lot,  too. 
For me as a trip boat it works in most places, but is hard to pack along  
enough water in dry areas. But I rarely paddle them so it's not a big  deal.
 
Feathercraft has a Kahuna which weighs 35 pounds and a newer Wisper which  
I've seen demo'd but have no idea what it paddles like. I've seen but not  
paddled the Kahuna in big water and it does fine. I put it together without  
instructions the first time in 20 minutes. It's not as fast as a hardshell but  it 
keeps up with a little elbow grease. I watched Dubside do a rolling demo in  
the Wisper and was impressed. The man can do straitjacket and elbow rolls in the 
 Wisper ' : () He won a medal in Greenland last year in his exploits in his  
Kahuna. The boats are very capable and much lighter than the Khats. The  
Feathercraft rep here on the west coast took the Wisper around Kiuiu Island in  SE 
Alaska this spring. He was able to self support for a 2 week paddle in the  
boat. I think he prefers it to the Kahuna now.
 
The K1 is also a very capable boat. It is beamy and more on the lines of  
extended trips but is very capable along the open coast. It weighs about 50  
pounds out of the backpack and takes, eh, 35-45 minutes to construct.
 
I have no affiliations with Feathercraft, but I consider them to be the  best 
in folding kayaks. I like their designs that combine sportiness and trip  
making potential; I like the safety features, such as perimeter deck lines,  
seasocks and the robustness that survived lots of trips from F1-8. The  welded 
hulls and decks are outstanding.
 
Look up Mike Edelman's site _www.foldingkayaks.org_ 
(http://www.foldingkayaks.org) . He does a really  nice job talking about many different folding boats 
and isn't nearly as one  sided as I am. The Folbot Cooper is getting some 
attention, too. But it handles  only a paltry 250 pounds so unless you are only 
dayboating it may not suit your  needs, that is, unless you weigh the same as 
you did jin unior high school. _http://www.folbot.com/FromTheFront/_ 
(http://www.folbot.com/FromTheFront/) 
 
Rob G
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