Briefcase Boat File: Coastal Outpost
Whittier is the jumping-off point for adventure kayaking in Prince William Sound, a vast region of fjords and bays surrounded by the snow-covered peaks of coastal Alaska. Originally built as a military base during World War II, Whittier’s main resource is now fishing, plus of course sailors and kayakers. Up until the late ‘90s the only way to get to Whittier was to load gear and boat bags on a train that wound its way across muskeg and down a long tunnel through the mountains. When we arrived, we loaded food, gear and boats on a fishing boat for a four-hour run into the Sound, saving us two days of paddling. After 10 days cruising past blue glaciers, cracking icebergs, sea otters, seals and bears, we met another paddler coming back into Whittier. He had loaded his Feathercraft and gear on the overnight ferry to the town of Cordova on the easternmost reaches of Prince William Sound. After spending 30 days on the water working his way west to Whittier, a cold beer and hot shower were the only things on his mind. —Rick Matthews
photo Rick Matthews
nautiraid greenlander 500
length: 16’6” width: 28” weight: 55 lbs capacity: 450 lbs deck: PVC-coated textile hull: Hypalon frame: wood (ash) price: $2,495 US contact:
www.nautiraid.com;
www.sedakayak.com (U.S. distributor)
Nautiraid and Klepper are the two dominant European companies still building wood frames. Wood- lovers argue that the traditional material is easy to repair, comfort- able to handle in cold weather and incomparably beautiful. Wood requires occasional varnishing, but aluminum needs an equivalent amount of TLC to prevent corrosion. We found that wood is much more flexible than aluminum, fitting together easily with minimal lever- age. Unique to the Nautiraid, the frame assembles completely outside the skin. Once assembled, the wood- and-brass skeleton doubles as art. It would look good hanging in the rafters of a paddler’s pub.
A double zipper along the full length of the stern deck opens like a giant drysuit to accept the frame, and also provides access to the rear compartment once the boat is assem- bled. A quick yank of a pulley slides a wedge into the stern, lengthening the frame, tensioning the skin, and niftily confirming that folding boats are engineering marvels to fulfil all childhood model-building fantasies. The Greenlander is robust and feature-packed: extra layers of Hypalon along the keel, chines and gunwhales; built-in cables for the foot-controlled rudder; sewn pockets and bungee tie-downs for carrying a two-piece paddle on the deck; light- weight inflatable seat.
The Greenlander provides plenty of storage amidst the nooks and crannies of its relatively long frame. It’s a well-equipped expedition single with the timeless aesthetics and romance of a wood frame.—TS
34 Summer 2003
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