Subject: Re: [baidarka] Folding Kayaks versus Traditional Baidarkas
From: Peter Chopelas (pac@premier1.net)
Date: Fri Aug 01 2003 - 20:45:24 EDT
Tony asks:
> What do people here think of commercial folding kayaks, ie, Klepper,
> Feathercraft, Folbot, etc. versus their more traditional native cousins?
There is no comparison. The comercial folders are slow and heavy,
unresponsive, beamy wide tubs, and made for the general population for
recreational use. Traditional native designs are light (about half the
weight or less), very responsive and fast in the water, though they take
more skill to use. The only thing commerical folders have in common is the
concept of fabric skin over a frame. Almost none of the commcial kayaks
available, folding or hard shell, perform near as good as a typical native
design, they are made wide and safe and easy to use for the average
inexperianced paddler who buys a kayak from a store, with usually little or
no instruction and goes out to use it. Almost all of the folding kayak I
have seen or tried, feel more like decked canoues, wide, very stable, and
slow. There is no comparison to even a typical native SOF kayak. Also, the
commercial folders will weight from 50 to 80 lbs, because of the heavy
materials and the folding mechanisms (native SOF are in the 25 to 35 lb
range). There is no comparison.
You have to try a real baidarka to really see what it is like, since you
live in the Puget Sound area I suggest you make your way [and anyone else on
the list] to Fort Warden state park in Port Townsend next week end. The
week end of Aug 8-10, 2003 is the wooden kayak Rendezvous where home
builders gather to share information and try eachother's kayaks. There is
always a good selection of SOF kayaks to try, and willing and helpful owners
happy to talk about their experiances. I always try to make it, worth the
trip and always lots of fun. Info at the link below:
http://www.redfishkayak.com/R2K3.htm
If you can not make it you should contact someone in the area to try their
baidarka out. Or just build it and try it out, that is what most people do
(and then build another, and another!).
Peter
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