Our Christmas Present

[Wango]

Wandering Sage,
Have had similar issues with our folbot as well. Frustrating to say the least, love the idea but not the setup.
Looked at feathercraft for a long time before they closed shop. Just didn't have the funds back then, now have two what I consider near perfect for us hardshells, an inflatable, a river boat and the folbot. Thinking though that maybe getting rid of a couple of them and buying a better folding boat is the next move. The price is a little high, but so is everything else I guess, and quality costs money.
Will be adding this to the research list.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Wango, let’s get the boats out this spring. Hagg Lake near Gaston might be a good lazy man’s paddle.

 

[DavidGraves]

Kleppers and Long Haul Products folding boats are very well designed and excellent sea boats.

That said, they are a lot of work and time to assemble, particularly on a hot day by the beach in Baja with lots of sun and sand and your wife wanting to go paddle.

I have owned Kleppers a long time.

There is a lot of work involved for the amount of water time.

This might not suit a lot of WTW folks who just want to have a boat along when you visit a mountain lake or a fishing pond, etc etc.

They were initially designed to carry upriver on a train and then paddle downstream during a camping trip.

Kleppers were the first kayak of any kind to cross most of the oceans.

They also served in lots of military and scientific expeditions where they might be brought in by float plane, lowered off a ship in the Artic, etc.

We enjoyed owning and using them for about twenty years.

David Graves

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

David, Klepper and Long Haul are in my opinion, a lot easier to assemble/disassemble than a Folbot. My experience with them was not great. I think with practice, I could get the LH assembled in about 15-20 minutes, Folbot, easily double that. In the sand at Lake Powell, it took about 90 minutes.

 

[Wango]

WS,
Agreed, a paddle trip would be great. Just spoke with Mark at Long Haul, going to stop in on him on my way to KY/NC this spring. If i like what i see i am going to order one. Can pick it up when i go back through in July heading east again. Have looked at the others, but so far these guys check off the most boxes. Price is steep, but most likely will sell most of the "fleet" this year anyway.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

To save a small amount, have it shipped to Oregon and avoid CO sales tax. Shipping was $250.

 

[Wango]

Interesting, having to sort out tax vs shipping.
Thanks for the heads up.

 

[MaxSand]

“There’s nothing––absolutely nothing––half so much worth doing as messing about in boats.”
― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind In The Willows