Here my my past post about take apart kayaks, like Freya's Explorer. Thanks for your replies.
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=535817
I have an itch for a take apart. Why are these not more popular? Some added weight from the bolts and fixtures? Price?
A tandem would seem to be a no-brainer as a take apart; even in 2 sections, a 21 footer is down to a manageable 10.5 feet per section.
Which is better, a three piecer, or a four piecer? Anyone have the latter?
Short jaunts to the local lake, who wouold bother with a take-apart. But weeklong vacations and such, these would seem to be more practical than a folder or a blow up, if one were doing some serious kayaking. What do you think, esp owners of them now? Thanks
PS here is a Pnet ad with a three piece, click for photo, and More Info for more infi. I see they are indeed pricey. Ouch.,
http://www.paddling.net/Classifieds/forSale.html?category=kayaksell&state=AK
Great If You Don’t Mind…
lugging around 80-90 lbs or so for travel.
Get a Feathercraft, like Tsunamichuck. Or, build a YOST G-Style folder (after you get better with 20" or less beam boats).
sing
PS. This is from someone who can do Cali for a week on one medium sized duffle for clothes and a waveski bag that held the waveski, pfd, wetsuit and paddle. If you into bringing tons of stuff with ya... Well, 80 plus lbs of a kayak sectionals ain't a big deal...
Folders can take much more
abuse from baggage handlers. But you are right, they are not practical for serious kayaking. Guess Eric Stiller, John Goddard, Dr Ruth and Hans Lindemann need to be informed.
What!?
didn’t realize you were just some lilydipper with that folder of yours. Should have told me before we headed out last time to the tip of Nahant in the interesting stuff.
Makes us even. I didn’t tell you I was no “seakayaker” either when we headed out on that ebb tide past Golden Gate. I was glad to have figured how to sit in the NoKrap correctly 
Great Brit boat! It took care of me all through the swells. Practically paddled itself. Fast too! It’s a real seakayak, that one.
sing
Whoa whoa, wait a sec.
I was referring to this type of folder.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tot-N-Boat-Folding-Kayak_W0QQitemZ250058295568QQihZ015QQcategoryZ36122QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Should have told myself before
I paddled it from Okinawa to Amami :+)
Take aparts are good for air travel
but if you have a rack on your car and are not flying where you need to bring your own kayak (rather than rent one) I don't see a need for one. A three piece would take up the whole inside of your car or truck and they are time consuming to put together.
Folding kayaks like a Feathewrcraft, Folbot, or Klepper are more seaworthy and stable than a rigid shell kayak because they flex and absorb the motion of the waves and are a very close kin to the original skin on frame kayaks that the Eskimos used for hunting. They last longer and have a higher resale value than just about any kayak out there. The only drawback is speed. Hard shell kayaks are faster and some would say sexier to look at. But for expedition sea kayaking where world travel is involved I think the bag boat is the one I would choose.
But then again what do I know?
http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/foldingBoats.html?refer=GOOGLE_FOLD&gclid=CP-NluqziYkCFUpLGgodMHs1nw
3 piece Explorer
I have a three piece explorer and even in three pieces it still takes up a lot of space and is heavy. This means it is expensive to fly with which is how I came to purchase it for a good price.
If you are travelling by car a one piece is easy enough to handle so for most people the added expense isn’t warranted, and now days you can hire some form of kayak in most parts of the world if you are flying.
Kelvin
Kelvin, NT, TSC, sing, etc. question
When you fly, your folder is I think in two bags, right? Do some come in three bags? Do you check them no issues with the airlines? Surcharge (i.e. are the bags over 50 lbs?)? Are they safe from the gorilla baggage handlers in just the bags that they come in when you buy them, or do you have to pad the bag or buy some other padded bag? Ever have damage from flying?
Thanks, kelvin1, for your input on having owned a three piecer. Sounds like it’s still heavy.
Maybe a folder is indeed the way to go. Wponder why Freya, a Greenland paddling fanatic, uses a three peice rather than a folder most of teh time. Probably because teh company gave her one.
My Feathercraft and gear
fit in one bag which is a backpack. With all my gear for warm waters that bag is 70 lbs. The boat and bag alone is just over 50 lbs. I end up splitting the boat, gear and clothing in two bags and keep at the 2 piece 50lb bag allowances. Never had a problem with my boat being banged up by asshole baggage handlers and I have witnessed the bag being dropped and abused.
Also, the bag design makes portages easier.
$100 Surcharge
on the waveski each way.
sing
Have both
I have bothe a 3 piece and a folder and they give you different experiences on a trip. The 3 piece is harder to transport and move around than the folder. I prefer a hardshell in loading and unloading at the start and end of each day because of the hatches. I also prefer their lack of vulnerability in navigating through surf zones. My buddy’s rear hatch imploded in his Feathercraft K1 when he got trashed by a gnarly dumper in Costa Rica and put half a foot of water throughout the boat. The roll top drybag style needs to be supported underneath by something to prevent implosion. On the water I’m fine with either but I’m faster in the Nordkapp but more stable in the Khats. The Nordkapp is heavier at 67 pounds vs 52 for the Khats. The Nordkapp is simpler to put together on the beach. It’s all 6’s or pairs of 3 what you prefer as they both have plus’s and minus’s. I am selling my Nordkapp as I don’t have a need for 2 expedition style hardshells and a Feathercraft. Thanks for bringing this up as I forgot to renew my 4sale ad in the classifieds.
Cheers,
Rob G
not worth it.
damn, that aint cheap. I don’t think you should spent 3 times more on a kayak so it’s take-apart.
Another take apart
In addition to the tap ND Explorer, Easy Rider makes a few TAP’s.
http://www.easyriderkayaks.com/index.htm
They look interesting, but if we every get to take that Tahiti/Bora Bora dream vacation, I’m leaning towards a couple of folding boats. Just because they are lighter/cheaper and can be put inside standard luggage.
Are there other manufactures who have tap designs?
Don
Yostwerks…
man, Tom’s been really busy since I last checked. He must have doubled the number of his designs.
It’s all free. You just have to get the materials and put in the labor. Most of the designs are under 40 lbs and fit into one bag.
http://www.yostwerks.com/DesignsMenu.html
sing
I once saw an Impex Montauk
instantly converted from a one-piece to a thousand-piece boat on the S-curves of I-5 in Seattle. At 60, the shatterage was dramatic, immediate, and spectacular. For details, contact Sean McClure of Alder Creek in Portland.
It is a reasonable price
Maybe you should paddle more and play video games less. You are at risk for becoming Poser_K
But I dont play video games
Early version
My explorer is an early three piece version and I believe later ones are lighter. Waterfield in Japan make a 4 piece which is very light and the pieces fit inside each other to make two pieces of luggage.
Kelvin
Got a Waterfield link?