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. Michael F. Wolf michael.wolf_at_medtronic.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/ ***************************************************************************
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 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
<Rcgibbert_at_aol.com> wrote: > Look up Mike Edelman's site (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 in junior high school. (http://www.folbot.com/FromTheFront/) I own a Cooper, and have paddled it in moderately rough seas. I would not rate it comparably with the Feathercraft closed-cockpit singles for versatility in paddling. The Cooper is noticeably more flexible than a Kahuna I paddled a couple years ago, making for sloppy handling in a following sea, for one thing. That 250 lb rating for capacity on the Cooper is very conservative. I loaded mine to about that weight and felt I could have carried at least 75 lbs more safely. However, it would not be a good boat for longer trips, unless the paddler weighs 160 - 180 lbs, or is an avid lightweight backpacker-style camper and eater. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/15/2005 11:24:34 AM Pacific Standard Time, kdruger_at_pacifier.com writes: I own a Cooper, and have paddled it in moderately rough seas. I would not rate it comparably with the Feathercraft closed-cockpit singles for versatility in paddling. The Cooper is noticeably more flexible than a Kahuna I paddled a couple years ago, making for sloppy handling in a following sea, for one thing. That 250 lb rating for capacity on the Cooper is very conservative. I loaded mine to about that weight and felt I could have carried at least 75 lbs more safely. However, it would not be a good boat for longer trips, unless the paddler weighs 160 - 180 lbs, or is an avid lightweight backpacker-style camper and eater. They are affordable and appear to be a good start in the performance kayak side of things for Folbot.It might be a good choice if you keep it in the conditions it was designed for. I'm glad you are pushing the total weight burden aspect as the 250 pound rating seemed kind of crazy to me. How about a more full report Dave? As for the Khats, I can overload its recommended payload a bit and not suffer unduly. Inevitably on the first day or two of my trips I'm known as Mr. Freeboard. The boat is so fun to paddle its shortcomings are easily excused away. Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> 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. Pretty much in the same order, as Rob listed them: FC Khatsalano - 22" beam; FC Wisper - 23.5" beam (consider it a shorter and wider version of Khats) . These two are the closest to Brit boats. Wisper has no rudder (skeg is optional). FC K1 or its shorter version - Kahuna; both are notably wider than the frist two, 25.5 beam, reportedly difficult to roll, but doable. Folbot Cooper; consider it a cheaper version of Kahuna or Wisper, 24" beam, more flex in frame than in FC boats, thinner frame tubes walls, and seat is not the best possible. Like Rob said, all advertised weights are quoted for a stripped boat - without rudder, backpack, seasock (in FC boats) and repair kit (probably without seat too). Add about 9 or 10 lbs for all these items. For overnight trips, make sure you'll get at least one hatch in Kahuna (K1 and Khats have 2 hatches standard, and Wisper has larger stern hatch standard, and small bow hatch optional). There are also some "First Light" boats, narrow and lightweight, no sponsons, - I don't know much about them. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 15 Jun 2005 at 11:57, alex wrote: > FC K1 or its shorter version - Kahuna; both are notably wider than the > frist two, 25.5 beam, reportedly difficult to roll, but doable. Well... Dubside can body roll (aka straightjacket roll, no hands roll) his Kahuna. 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/ ***************************************************************************
a home built any day. http://yostwerks.com/MainMenu.html :-) Michael *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
It's worth noting the kahuna is ont a stock one... form qajaqusa: "He achieved an impressive score in the 2004 Greenland rolling championships in Qaqortoq Greenland using his modified Feathercraft Kahuna" the nature of the mod is unkown to me, but owuld guess the rib rear of the cockpit is lower than the stock one. -Thomas *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
that is exactly the fact. it makes the skin kinda floppy but it seems to work for Dubside ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Aname" <anonoffensivename_at_yahoo.com> > the nature of the mod is unkown to me, but owuld guess > the rib rear of the cockpit is lower than the stock > one. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/19/2005 8:43:40 AM Pacific Standard Time, anonoffensivename_at_yahoo.com writes: It's worth noting the kahuna is ont a stock one... form qajaqusa: "He achieved an impressive score in the 2004 Greenland rolling championships in Qaqortoq Greenland using his modified Feathercraft Kahuna" the nature of the mod is unkown to me, but owuld guess the rib rear of the cockpit is lower than the stock one. This is correct. I believe, but am not entirely sure, he made his own rib #4 so that he could entirely layback. The Feathercraft Whisper he did a rolling demo in at SSTIKS he removed rib 4 entirely as he had no time to make the modification. The kayak bowed a bit, but was otherwise fine. Feathercraft makes a lower profile *rolling* rib for the Khatsalano. I have it and it does make for a nicer layback roll. Rob G *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I asked him about it at Mystic last year and he said Feathercraft made the modified rib for him. michael > This is correct. I believe, but am not entirely sure, he made his own rib #4 > so that he could entirely layback. *************************************************************************** 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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