I'm a 34 yr old industrial designer working in footwear design (well not actually working now) in Hollywood, FL. I had a 17 footish Wilderness Systems Sealution hard shell and a catalina for my wife to paddle. I've been canoing my entire life in Ohio, NC and Daytona Beach area and now for the last 6 years I've been kayaking.
Recently I sold my 17 footer and had to store my wife's shorter (13'ish) boat at a friends house due to loss of storage space.
I also switched cars and found out my new one can't really car top
It never even occured to me that it could be an issue. So with that and the fact that all the head hunters I'm working with are setting me up w interviews in California. (always wanted to kayak with whales and seals, Great Whites etc LOL) I'm thinking its about time to build a folder. I have paddled an old (25 yrs old if a day) two person Folbot owned by a cousin in TN numerous times and it always paddled very well although it was a VERY heavy carry for the two of us. Shes a light weight though so... not really sure of the exact weight? Anyway the weights posted on tom's site are considerably lighter than my old hard shell.
I have been on and off checking both the Guilemot guy's strip site and Yostwerks sites for a couple years now. I almost built a non folding skin on frame boat a couple of diff times but always had something happen. Transfered schools and no space after move or my wife had a fight w her mom and I lost the free use of her garage etc. But I had a big ugly plastic hard shell so I wasn't THAT motivated. Now I'm boatless and I am SERIOUSLY motivated. So its time.
Wish me luck.
Tyler
I study anthropology on the side with the eventual goal of quitting design and going to grad school for it. Circum Polar studies is a possibility as is underwater archaeology and physical anthro (paleo).