Briefcase boats FOLDABLES The secret is in the bag


Downtown Toronto, 8:05 a.m., Louise walks up to her taxi. After loading her bags in the trunk, the driv- er asks, “To the airport?”


“No,” she replies, “Harbourfront.” Louise is going kayaking.


What the cabby doesn’t know is that a single or double folding kayak can fit into a pair of duffel bags. The smallest of singles can be carried in a large gym bag or backpack. Folding kayaks are easy to transport by car, airliner, bush plane, bicy- cle trailer, train, camel or horseback. They store easily in college dorms, penthouse condos or cramped downtown flats.


Driftwood-framed, skin-covered kayaks per-


formed in the frigid waters of the North for thou- sands of years. Modern foldables still have their forefathers’ skin-and-frame advantages, but with high-tech frames of treated wood or aluminum and waterproof synthetic skins. They are arguably more durable than hardshell kayaks, withstanding heavy use by outfitters and militaries worldwide.


Individual parts are replaceable and, with care, boats can last up to 35 years.


Proponents argue that the flex of skin and frame equals better performance in rough seas and greater resilience to impact and abrasion. Traditional folding kayaks are exceptionally stable and versatile for sailing, fishing, family trip- ping or even crossing the ocean. This is because the classic folding kayak design has a wide beam, an open cockpit, and air sponsons along the sides, suiting it to a unique style of paddling. However, some newer, narrower designs are available—par- ticularly from Feathercraft—which paddle more like hardshells.


For ease of transport and storage, folding boat


tradeoffs include slower cruising speed for wide- beamed models, special maintenance requirements such as cleaning and lubrication of metal joints after salt-water use, and set-up and put-away time—although foldables can be left assembled for long periods and car-topped like a hardshell kayak.


The first commercial folding kayak manufactur-


er, still producing top-of-the-line foldables, is Klepper, established in 1907 by Johann Klepper in


Germany. In the early days of kayaking, folding kayaks ruled the waters and accomplished many of the “firsts” in kayaking: first to cross the Atlantic, first to participate in the Olympics and first to circumnavigate the UK.


Only a handful of folding-kayak companies


survived beyond World War II and the advent of fibreglass and plastic. Four major manufacturers share the waters today: Feathercraft in Canada, Folbot in the U.S.A., Klepper in Germany and Nautiraid in France.


Shopping for a folding kayak requires some careful research. There are only a few dealers in North America where you can test-paddle differ- ent brands. Most boats are made to order and sold via catalogue or the Internet. To get started, order all the manufacturers’ cat- alogues, surf the Internet and join online forums to tap into a helpful network of folding-kayak afi- cionados. Useful resources include Ralph Diaz’s Complete Folding Kayaker (see review, page 11) and the website foldingkayaks.org.


The final step is hailing a cab when your new boat arrives in the mail. —Joanne Gaudet


feathercraft kahuna


length: 14’9” width: 25” weight: 35 lbs deck: urethane hull: urethane frame: magne- sium/aluminum alloy with plastic crossribs price: $3,450 Cdn; $2,300 US contact: www.feathercraft.com


Feathercraft, based on


Vancouver’s Granville Island, builds foldables with many features of nar- row-beamed, fast-cruising hardshells. The Kahuna recreational single is the company’s most popular model. Ralph Diaz calls it “close to being the all-around ‘best’ boat.”


The Kahuna cleverly uses two pieces of the deck frame as levers to tension the hull inside the skin. Our first-time assembly took an hour and a half. With practice, 30 minutes is realistic.


The hull and deck are welded urethane, which Feathercraft claims is tougher than the industry-standard Hypalon. With no stitched seams or zippers, the skin is very sleek and


32 Summer 2003


waterproof. Standard keel strips dou- ble the thickness of the hull along the frame lines.


The lightweight Kahuna acceler- ates quickly and cruises at up to about five knots. Stability matches that of comparable hardshells. The multi-chine hull turns quickly on an outside tilt and tracks well on the level, without the optional rudder. The Feathercraft seat is one of the most comfortable and supportive rides going. Suspended hammock- like from the frame, it includes an adjustable backrest with an optional inflatable lumbar pad. Foot braces slide onto rails on the frame. The Kahuna is a great lightweight kayak for day or weekend trips at a price comparable to a high-end composite kayak. To pack for multi- day trips, consider the optional stern and bow hatches. Standard equip- ment includes a sturdy travel-style backpack, nylon spray skirt, cockpit “sea sock” and repair kit.—TS


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