Yostworks
If you are handy and have some time, consider building your own boat, custom fit to meet current airline baggage limitations.
http://www.yostwerks.com/MainMenu.html
pakboat XT rigidity
The Pakboat canoes behave very differently than the XT touring kayak. We have a Pakboat 170 canoe and it’s designed to flex which allows it to roll over river waves instead of punching though. This actually results in a drier ride in most rapids. To make the Pakboat canoes stiff would add a lot of weight to the boat and defeat the purpose of the design.
The Pakboat Puffin kayaks have a similar design to the Pakboat canoes and will flex. The Pakboat XT kayaks have a very different design and are much more rigid than the Puffin kayaks. The XT boats actually feel more rigid than my Feathercraft folding kayaks.
If you understand the basic pros and cons of folding kayaks, then you’ll likely conclude that the Pakboat XT’s are a great boat and a fantastic value. You need to go check one out in a store and see for yourself
I haven’t seen it with a sea kayak
but with ww it’s more common than you’d think
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkILWEMKqf8&feature=related
used to be common carrier
when I worked in the wilderness sports biz in the 1970’s we used to get our kayaks from Dagger and Perception via UPS. They would just slap a shipping label on the hull and the guy in the brown shorts would schlep it up the stairs to the shop for us to sign for it. Them was the days…
Try Trak Kayaks
www.rethinkkayaks.com.
I’ve had mine abaout a year, but haven’t had it in rough watrer yet. I take my work truck so a boat I can throw in the back is great.
If you swap a few heavy parts to another bag you can even get under the 50 pound surcharge.
SYOTW
Randy
Incept K50D Pacific - 16’, 46 pounds
comes in a tough rolling case that with pump is a regular piece of luggage, high-end polyurethane allow inflatable that is made cleverly (not wide and bargey like many inflatables).
http://www.inceptmarine.com/inflatable-sea-kayaks-incept.htm