Folding Canoes
Jamie Main
I'm interested in any information that may be out there on the
two folding canoes that I am aware of , namely the Mad River and
the ALLypak(?)
any web pages, or dealers...I'm in Alaska and interested in using one for
a wilderness trip
i've read the deja thread that ran in feb ...but it seems to have dried
up!
thanks
Jamie
Lyle Fairfield
I have a Mad River Escape 14.
Assembly needs a great deal of patience and perseverance at first. After
much practice, I can do it in about 30 minutes. It's essential that the
gunwale ends be inserted fully into the gunwales; you can't see if they
are, so you must feel along the gunwale fabric to ensure that this is so.
If not, the canoe will be crooked!
The stated 6" freeboard capacity of 400 pounds seems very conservative.
When I (175 pounds) am paddling it, the canoe has only its black shallow V
bottom in the water. This probably accounts for its extreme sensitivity to
the wind when lightly loaded.
Initial stability is very low, and gets lower if the moveable seat is
positioned anywhere other than dead centre. I think this is NOT the boat
for those who are concerned about how "tippy" a canoe feels. But secondary
stability seems high. The canoe has three planes of balance, the V being
perpendicular to the water surface, or either of the wings of the V being
parallel to it. Either of the latter seem very secure. It can be leaned
almost to the gunwale.
At speed, the canoe tracks very straight; but at rest or moving slowly it
turns very easily, perhaps too easily.
I suppose the canoe can be damaged easily. I have tested repairing the
fabric. It is very simple to repair, (sandpaper, adhesive, fabric), and the
patch seems as strong as the original.
The canoe, which weighs 36 pounds, can be portaged easily. The padded seat
sits on my shoulders and feels more comfortable than a yoke. (But tie a
safety line between your ankle and a tree if you plan to carry it in a
strong wind.) I fabricated a thick kneeling pad. It moulds to my forehead
as I portage giving me a two point support that is the most comfortable I
have experienced.
I bought the canoe, on impulse, one miserable winter's day and rationalized
it as a suitcase-toy kind of conversation piece that I could paddle in a
pinch. But since testing it and my Mad River Traveler, (very large solo
tripper), in similar conditions, I'm becoming more and more excited about
it as a canoe. It seems to do almost everything the Traveler will do except
move straight from a standing start. (I have taken to making my first
several strokes hit and switch, until I am well underway.) While it may be
damaged more easily than the kevlar Traveler, it can be repaired much more
easily.
This is the same boat as the Pakboat Escape 14 and made by Pakboat. Pakboat
list prices are slightly less then Mad River's.
In summary, I think I lucked out on that cold February day. Anybody need an
MR Traveler?
--
Lyle Fairfield
Jamie Main <jamie...@compuserve.com> wrote in article
<33485F...@compuserve.com>...
Fairfield
Ian
In article <334B32...@ivic.net>, kay...@ivic.net says...
>
>Lyle Fairfield wrote:
>>
>> I have a Mad River Escape 14.....
(snip)
>> At speed, the canoe tracks very straight; but at rest or moving slowly it
(snip)
>> This is the same boat as the Pakboat Escape 14 and made by Pakboat.....
(snip)
I posted a question not too long ago about folding canoes, the availability
of production spray cover for them, and their stability on open water versus
the characteristics of folding kayaks. are these boats too beamy for decent
handling on open water (i.e., Great Lakes, bays, big rivers)? Would spray
covers help make them more safe for this kind of use? I want to buy a folding
boat and would prefer a folding canoe but want to be able to use it in a
number of different conditions (excluding whitewater), so I've considered a
Folboat Aleut or similar model (avail. payload of somewhere around 250 - 300
lbs.) Please Help!!!
Ian
(not leaving my e-mail address, trying to root out some unsolicited mail)