Folding canoes
 

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying my first canoe (rentals add up after a while), and I
saw that there are folding canoes (Ally and Pakboat seem to be the biggest
brands). All the info I managed to find through Google is largely sales pitch
from retailers, and 1 or 2 actual experience (at least that's how it's
presented) information.

From what I gather, they're very light and compact (packs into a duffel bag
you can check in on a commercial airline) and have been used successfully in
backcountry expeditions (aside from size/weight, they're easy to repair and
are flexible enough to glide over rocks rather than scrape). That's all
theory, I don't know anyone who has had first-hand experience with them. To
make matters worse, canoers I know here in Ontario are traditionalists and
have scorned me for even suggesting a canoe should be made of something other
than cedar strips (I somewhat exaggerate, but you get the point). Aside from
the price (starting around US$1,500), are there any serious drawbacks?

I was wondering if anyone on this list has one of these modern gadgets and
whether you'd be willing to share your experiences.

Thank you all very much in advance.


--
Emir.

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed - and
thus clamorous to be led to safety - by menacing it with an endless series
of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." [H.L. Mencken]

Folding canoes
 

Pakboats seem to be popular with the fly-in folks, easy to transport the
boat by floatplane, cheaper to transport a folder than a rigid canoe
etc. People that have tried them on expeditions report being pleasantly
surprised. I plan to buy one the next time I have a trip where
transporting a rigid canoe becomes a hassle or a big expense. I imagine
that one gives up a little performance compared to a rigid canoe.
Besides the transporation advantage, they are easy to store.

That said, I have not paddled one or even seen one.

Richard


Emir wrote:
Hi,

I'm thinking of buying my first canoe (rentals add up after a while), and I
saw that there are folding canoes (Ally and Pakboat seem to be the biggest
brands). All the info I managed to find through Google is largely sales pitch
from retailers, and 1 or 2 actual experience (at least that's how it's
presented) information.

From what I gather, they're very light and compact (packs into a duffel bag
you can check in on a commercial airline) and have been used successfully in
backcountry expeditions (aside from size/weight, they're easy to repair and
are flexible enough to glide over rocks rather than scrape). That's all
theory, I don't know anyone who has had first-hand experience with them. To
make matters worse, canoers I know here in Ontario are traditionalists and
have scorned me for even suggesting a canoe should be made of something other
than cedar strips (I somewhat exaggerate, but you get the point). Aside from
the price (starting around US$1,500), are there any serious drawbacks?

I was wondering if anyone on this list has one of these modern gadgets and
whether you'd be willing to share your experiences.

Thank you all very much in advance.

Folding canoes
 

Also check out the open folding kayaks, they can be paddled as a kayak or
a canoe and will carry as much as a canoe. Folbot (www.folbot.com),
Klepper and Naturaid use this design. Check out Ralph Diaz's "Complete
Folding Kayaker" for details and much information.

In article ,
wrote:

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Pakboats seem to be popular with the fly-in folks, easy to transport the
boat by floatplane, cheaper to transport a folder than a rigid canoe
etc. People that have tried them on expeditions report being pleasantly
surprised. I plan to buy one the next time I have a trip where
transporting a rigid canoe becomes a hassle or a big expense. I imagine
that one gives up a little performance compared to a rigid canoe.
Besides the transporation advantage, they are easy to store.

That said, I have not paddled one or even seen one.

Richard


Emir wrote:
Hi,

I'm thinking of buying my first canoe (rentals add up after a while), and I
saw that there are folding canoes (Ally and Pakboat seem to be the biggest
brands). All the info I managed to find through Google is largely
sales pitch
from retailers, and 1 or 2 actual experience (at least that's how it's
presented) information.

From what I gather, they're very light and compact (packs into a duffel bag
you can check in on a commercial airline) and have been used successfully in
backcountry expeditions (aside from size/weight, they're easy to repair and
are flexible enough to glide over rocks rather than scrape). That's all
theory, I don't know anyone who has had first-hand experience with them. To
make matters worse, canoers I know here in Ontario are traditionalists and
have scorned me for even suggesting a canoe should be made of
something other
than cedar strips (I somewhat exaggerate, but you get the point).
Aside from
the price (starting around US$1,500), are there any serious drawbacks?

I was wondering if anyone on this list has one of these modern gadgets and
whether you'd be willing to share your experiences.

Thank you all very much in advance.




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