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| Folding kayak for my needs http://www.foldingkayaks.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7444 |
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| Author: | siravingmon [ Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Folding kayak for my needs |
I have both a Packboat Quest 135 and an Incept k40. Get a Packboat. Better hull shape, stiffer, lighter, don't need a rudder, MUCH less windage. No comparison |
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| Author: | CliftonMac [ Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:49 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Folding kayak for my needs |
You make a strong case for Packboat, Simon. I was considering getting something similar, but I might just go with Packboat now. Cheers. |
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| Author: | KerryOnKayaks [ Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Folding kayak for my needs |
Be sure you spell it correctly to find dealer information (there is no "c" in Pakboat). I've owned 4 Pakboat models and can also vouche for their quality of design and performance. |
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| Author: | ckuttner [ Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:12 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Folding kayak for my needs |
I am hoping to both introduce myself here and continue the discussion in this subforum— First, I am really grateful for this existing. I probably have too many interests, but I know that the forums I’m in about Macs, recumbent bikes, etc. have been great sources of education for me. My wife and I are in our early 70s, live in Portland, OR, and both are adequately fit, but neither one of us has ever run a marathon or done anything too heroic. In our 20s, we built a wood-&-canvas canoe from a kit, and paddled it along bayous in the Texas Gulf Coast, later on the Willamette River. I love biking, but my wife doesn’t, and a few years ago, we discovered we both love kayaking. We both take to it as a sport that just feels natural to us. We take an annual guided day tour to hone our skills, and have had training up to and including Eskimo rolls and rescues in a swimming pool. Our favorite spot, in fact one where we rented sit-on-tops many weekends this summer, is at Oregon City, where 30-40 minutes of paddling takes us to the base of Willamette Falls, one of the seven greatest-volume falls in North America. 15 minutes gets us back to the rental place. Another favorite place is more relaxed, the Tualatin river, where we can go along a sleepy river in a rented rigid-frame tandem. We have a Honda Civic Hybrid which we hope to keep for a number more years, and, although we could put on a roof rack, we don’t think we could easily manage to lift an 80 pound tandem onto a rack. In fact, younger friends are selling their two rigid tandems because of the weight issue. We tried friends’ inflatable Sea Eagle, and found that it was a lousy tracker when going against even a minor current. A local person is selling a 1970s Folbot, and I was just about to buy it when I started reading this forum. At our age, and knowing time is going to be marching on, I think we have a few options: Keep renting, which means we may miss out on some good spots, buy a better-quality inflatable, or get a folder. We love the feeling of (relative) speed, as we paddle together and feel the forward inertia, splash of wavelets on us, etc., but we’re not looking for speed as much as we are decent paddling ease and avoiding having to fight to keep on a straight track. The cheap, old Folbot sounds appealing. Kleppers seem like buying a BMW. But from my reading here, Pakboat sounds like a likely candidate. So, I’ve just ordered Complete Folding Kayaker at our local library, and as in my reading seed catalogs in our long, rainy winter, I have some good time ahead to think and shop. I’ll be grateful for any suggestions, kibitzing, or whatever you folks can offer. |
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| Author: | KerryOnKayaks [ Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Folding kayak for my needs |
I turned 68 this past summer and with each passing year I more appreciate the lightness and comfort and seaworthiness of my folders. Pakboat could be a good option for you, whether you choose a tandem or a couple of solos. Their boats are very light, half or less that of a comparable plastic boat. Either their Puffin Saranac or XT-16 models could work for you (tandems) or a couple of the 12' Sacos or 15' XT-150's. I recall a tale on the Pakboat site about an octogenarian who lived near their shop in New Hampshire who used to have them set up her 12' Puffin solo (20 pounds) for her each Spring and she would bring it back to them in the Fall to break it down for winter storage! Honestly, I find my little Puffin very easy to set up -- can be done on a picnic table without much effort. I flew with it to England last year, packed with all my paddling kit in a bag that I could easily roll through the airport and that met the restrictions for free baggage. Two of them would easily fit in the trunk of a small sedan. Pakboat's inflatable and sling seats are very comfortable and the Puffin models would be ideal for the outings you describe. But I usually keep my folders set up from Spring through Fall unless I pack them for travel. They are so light they are easy to lift onto the roof rack, even of my somewhat tall Mazda wagon. But don't completely rule out inflatables -- Sea Eagle does make some slow bulky cheap models (the most commonly seen sort of "banana boats" which might have been what you experienced) but they have also started producing some drop-stitch rigid floor models that have gotten good reviews from folks on these forums. |
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| Author: | ckuttner [ Wed Sep 26, 2018 11:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Folding kayak for my needs |
Thank you, KerryOnKayaks....we’re enjoying the shopping, I read the book...will see where this all goes. |
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