Feathercraft Folding Kayak Reviews - Folding Kayak Adventures

Feathercraft Kayak Reviews

Wisper Review - by Lyle Hancock - partner in Folding Kayak Adventures

The Wisper is the result of the continuing effort of Feathercraft to build a better performing folding kayak that is easily portable. Improving upon the popular Kahuna was a challenge, but the elegant Wisper is a bit faster and more maneuverable; it is stable and seaworthy, but easy to Eskimo roll.

Specifications and construction

Length - 15 feet 7 inches
Beam - 23.5-inch
Weight - 33 pounds in lighter weight skin; 37.5 pounds in standard skin
Upswept bow and stern - like Khatsalano
Stern deck - lower than Kahuna, but not as flat as Khatsalano
Frame uses four cross ribs and 5/8-inch frame tubing - like Kahuna
Cross ribs are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) - like Khatsalano
Sewn-in coaming - easier to assemble; no risk of breakage; packs up smaller
Built-in thigh bracing bars in cockpit - like Khatsalano and new Kahunas
New foot bracing system - lightweight, adjustable, comfortable
Lightweight seat has built-in air back lumbar support and air bottom for added comfort
Medium stern hatch is standard
Cannot be fitted with a rudder, so a strap-on skeg is standard; clips easily to deck webbing
Spray skirt made of lighter-weight nylon
Sea sock - lightweight version for lighter model
Backpack made of lighter material, just as durable, but more portable
Optional bow hatch (handy for multi-day trips)

Assembly

Assembly time is about 20 minutes - it is the same procedure as the Kahuna with an extra minute required to install the stern hatch.

Performance

The narrower beam and longer waterline make the Wisper a bit faster than the Kahuna and a tad easier to paddle. It carves a turn easily, bracing is effortless, and it is still exceptionally stable and seaworthy. Tracking is good, but it will weathercock in a beam or stern wind; the strap-on skeg mitigates this issue. If the paddler has a decent roll, the narrow beam, built-in thigh braces, and lower stern deck help the paddler roll up easily after capsizing.

Capacity

The snug Wisper cockpit offers a wonderful fit for smaller to medium size paddlers and slender taller paddlers. I'm six feet tall and weigh 160 pounds, and I fit just fine. Paddlers over 6' 1" tall, that weigh over 190 pounds, or that are heavy in the hips might want to consider the Big Kahuna or K1 Expedition. For smaller to medium sized paddlers, the 300-pound payload and reasonable volume allow room for multi-day trip gear.

Portability

Packed, the Wisper plus some paddling gear will stay within most airlines 50-pound weight limitation. Even though the standard-weight Wisper weighs a couple pounds more than a Kahuna, because of the lighter weight materials used in the spray skirt and backpack, the entire package, kayak, spray skirt, sea sock, and backpack weigh about 45 pounds, the same as a Kahuna in its pack. The lighter-weight Wisper weighs about 40 pounds packed up. Because there is no fiberglass coaming, one can pack the Wisper into a lightweight duffel bag rather than the backpack, thus further cutting a couple of pounds for traveling.

New Features

The new sewn-in coaming is a positive development (available on the Wisper and new Kahunas). There is no risk of breakage while traveling and it works just as well for attaching the sea sock and spray skirt. In fact, even during wet exit and roll practice, there is little opportunity for water to enter the kayak. After assembling the frame inside the skin, one slides two rib-bone-shaped HDPE rim inserts into sleeves in the coaming to complete the installation. The procedure takes less than a minute and is easy for anyone to do.

The new thigh braces (available on the Wisper and new Kahunas) made of 5/8-inch frame tubing are a cinch to install; they give the paddler better control over the kayak and greatly improve the ability to roll up after a capsize. These braces are not required for the structural integrity of the frame and may be left out if one prefers a more open cockpit.

The new foot bracing system works well and is adjustable for the height and angle of a paddler's feet. A plastic plate reinforced with aluminum tubing hangs from the gunwales by webbing straps. Installation requires one to reach inside the bow, push a webbing strap over each gunwale, and fasten two buckles. The plate is adjusted for angle and height with webbing straps and buckles, and adjustable webbing straps that reach cross rib #2 account for different leg lengths.

The strap-on skeg attaches easily to sewn-in buckles on the stern webbing straps. One can just leave it on or stow it until needed. With the skeg attached, the Wisper tracks like it is on rails.

Both weights of skin look the same, but the standard weight is more durable. If you are planning to do mostly day trips and are prepared to be careful how you launch and land, the lighter-weight skin will be just fine. For multi-day adventures with a loaded kayak, the standard weight skin will be your best choice.

Summary

The Wisper is going to be a very popular kayak - it assembles quickly, handles as well as any kayak, is easily portable, and is suitable for multi-day trips to remote destinations.

Java Sit-on-top - by Lyle Hancock - partner in Folding Kayak Adventures

The new Feathercraft Java is truly a revolutionary new breed of kayak. My first impression on Lake Washington in Seattle was that this lightweight, maneuverable craft would be lots of fun. Since then, I have paddled the Java in the open waters of Puget Sound, in ocean surf, and on a six-day trip in the Sea of Cortez with a full complement of camping gear, five gallons of water, and snorkeling equipment. The Java has more than exceeded my original expectations... it is fun to paddle and has proven itself to be a serious recreational and multi-day touring kayak.

The Java is 15 feet 4 inches long and has a 28-inch beam. It weighs 33 pounds and its payload capacity is 450 pounds. All Feathercraft Airline models incorporate a Duratek hull sewn to urethane coated Polyester deck material . Four urethane sponsons filled with lots of air support the kayak. The ingenious frame consists of three shock-corded longitudinal 6061-T6 aluminum alloy tubes attached to HDPE end plates at the bow and stern. The sharp, upswept bow offers a clean entrance into the water for enhanced speed.

Assembly is easy... about 15 minutes (really), including four minutes to pump up the four air chambers using the double action hand pump included with each kayak. You just lay out the skin, connect the tubing , fasten it in place between the inflation tubes with Velcro lash tabs, and inflate the chambers. The seat with inflatable lumbar support upholds the Feathercraft reputation for comfort and support. Standard Feathercraft foot braces adjust securely along a footbrace track exactly as they do on the traditional Feathercraft models, and padded thigh straps give the paddler more contact with the kayak for edging and bracing. The adjustable cargo deck mesh panels allow secure storage for lots of gear in the bow and stern. Because of the rigid frame, the assembled Java can even be transported on a typical kayak roof rack.

Going paddling with the Java is a snap... grab a paddle, paddle leash, and a PFD, and you're on the water (no spray skirt, sea sock, float bags, bilge pump, or rescue float). Although the paddler sits higher above the water than in a traditional sit-inside kayak, the 28-inch beam and multi-tube design makes the Java plenty stable. One has the option of sitting with knees bent or with legs almost straight by adjusting the foot braces further forward. Sitting with knees bent and the thigh straps in place gives me better control.

It's a water sport and you're going to get wet. The paddler's legs get wet from water dripping off the paddle and if a wave breaks over the kayak, one's butt gets wet before the self-bailing feature drains the water out. However, since I dress for the water temperature, I found myself wearing the same paddling gear that I would wear if paddling a traditional kayak. I wear a drysuit with fleece underlayers when paddling in Puget Sound and on the Washington coast, and often a shorty wetsuit or waterproof paddling pants and paddling jacket when paddling in protected lakes during cooler weather. These clothing combinations keep me warm and dry while paddling the Java. In Baja, I wore sandals, nylon shorts, a long sleeve sun protection shirt, and lots of sunscreen. It was pleasant to be "outside" rather than cooped up inside a traditional kayak in the warm and sunny weather of the Baja Peninsula.

The Java turns quickly with a slight sweep stroke or one can even edge it a bit and carve a turn. Tracking is greatly enhanced by the drop down skeg which is deployed just like the Feathercraft surf rudder. With the skeg down, the Java tracks well, even in significant winds. Although I didn't do any scientific testing, the speed of the Java seems to be similar to that of the Kahuna. On the Baja trip, I easily kept up with the group consisting of two fiberglass doubles, a K1 Expedition, a Khatsalano, and a 16.5-foot rotomolded single. The Java surfs okay, but while paddling out through the surf, waves wash over the deck and deposit several gallons of water in the kayak. It drains out, but often not quickly enough before the next wave hits. This issue is not a problem when the kayak is loaded with gear, and it is easily remedied in an empty kayak by inserting inflated float bags under the mesh deck panels.

The Java makes an efficient and convenient snorkeling platform. It was easy to don my mask and fins while sitting on the kayak, and easy to climb back on afterwards. By attaching a tether to the kayak, I could tow it behind me while I swam. The stability of the Java makes it ideal for photography, bird watching, journaling, you name it.

There are many rigid sit-on-top kayaks on the market today, but they are heavy and anything but easily portable. There are also several inflatable touring kayaks, but they lack the rigid feel and solid support provided by the frames of the new Feathercraft Airline models. I believe the Java is going to be a very popular touring kayak as soon as the word gets out about its performance, versatility, and ease of paddling.

Kahuna Review - by Ralph Diaz - from the July/August 2000 issue, Vol. 10 No. 4, Folding Kayaker newsletter

Feathercraft's Kahuna Features Big Performance In a Light Package

When I first heard that Feathercraft was discontinuing its K-Light in favor of a brand new model, the Kahuna, I must admit I was a bit puzzled. I asked myself the question probably some of you have: Why drop a successful product that has proven so popular and has in its very short life time become a new classic (Folding Kayaker May/June 1999)? Now that I have had a chance to look at the Kahuna, I can begin to see why. The Kahuna is a terrific kayak. I still have some regrets seeing the K-Light go on a couple of scores, but the Kahuna is certainly a very worthy successor to it.

The brief way of describing the Kahuna is that it is a cross between the K-Light and the group's bigger brother, the K1, with all the good features of each and none of their shortcomings. That is saying a lot and perhaps the best thing to do with this review is to go into those comparisons and contrasts as well as to look at the Kahuna in its own right. But first the boat's genesis.

Genesis I am always thinking about folding kayaks with "what-ifs." One of the thoughts that crossed my mind several years ago was, "Wouldn't it be nice if Feathercraft were to take the K-Light, a very portable boat, and lengthen it?" I did some extrapolating of weights and frame and hull materials on paper. In my notes, I figured out that every foot of additional length would add about 2.5-3.0 pounds to the K-Light's then 34.5 pounds. I didn't think the boat should weigh more than around 40 pounds so the "improved" K-Light would be around 15 feet and still go into a single pack and be easy to carry either assembled or in the bag. I think I may have mentioned it to Feathercraft but this doesn't matter since they are always thinking of of ways of improving their models and clearly were one ahead of me this year.

The genesis of the Kahuna is very simple. When Feathercraft switched to new materials and new technologies in 2000, one of the results was an 8-10% weight reduction for every model. As the weight for K-Lights made in 2000 dropped to 31 pounds, I should have seen it coming... a longer boat. And that is exactly what happened. The company decided to throw that weight savings back into the boat and create a new model almost 2 feet longer and weighing virtually the same as the earlier K-Light, i.e. 5 pounds lighter than my dream boat.

Specs and Construction To be precise, the Kahuna is 14 feet 9 inches long compared to the K-Light's 12 feet 10 inches length. Its weight is just 35 pounds. The beam is exactly the same as the K-Light, i.e. 25 inches.

Other design elements are shared. The 4 crossribs are the exact same ones as used in the K-Light in material and size. The fiberglass coaming is also identical with one small addition: the company is also offering the Big Kahuna, which is a Kahuna with a larger cockpit coaming borrowed from the K1, i.e.about two inches longer and an inch wider. The Big Kahuna has the placement of its cockpit crossribs further apart to accommodate the bigger cockpit.

Back to the K-Light/Kahuna comparisons: the aluminum tube framing just about everywhere is the same with one exception. That departure is very significant with pluses and and minuses depending on how you want to look at it. The difference is in the method and structures connecting frame halves. In the K-Light, frame half tube endings at the chines and gunwales abut and are held in that position with a short over-riding sleeve that slides over the connection. In contrast, the Kahuna frame halves connect the same way as does the K1. Telescoping tubes are extended using a lever device and each telescoping tube is locked in position by a snap button that pops through a hole.

In the K-Light, you did a similar step at the keel that consists of a telescoping extension tube and pop-up, snap button. In the Kahuna, you now do this in 5 places: keel, 2 chine spots, 2 gunwale spots.

Up-sides, Down-sides The major up-side of the assembly change, and the reason Feathercraft switched to this setup, is that it adds greatly to the strength and extension force of the frame halves connection. If Feathercraft had not made the change, it probably would not have been able to add the 2 feet of length without getting some sag in the middle.

But Feathercraft also achieved other up-sides with the change. With telescoping tubes in all five longitudinal tubes, the boat is much stiffer and this adds to performance. The change also adds a cosmetic change that does have some performance benefit as well. Greater stiffness and better frame half extension make for a more taut skin and certainly reduces any drag.

Down-sides? I see one, assembly times, and this may be a case of "it depends."

Assembly Like the K-Light, the Kahuna has many tubes pre-connected via bungee cords that allows them to snap together much like do tent poles. So it is fairly easy to get each frame half assembled and then insert it into the hull. At this point of the assembly process, the two models go separate ways.

The K-Light's sliding sleeve process was easy for some kayakers but others found this step vexing. It could take a knack to get the tube ends from each half to abut and to work the sliding sleeve over the connection. And sometimes the problem was one of luck of the draw. Some individual boats were more difficult than others because of slight variations in size of frame pieces vis-a-vis the cut of the hull.

The Kahuna's telescoping tube method of connection adds an assembly step. You have to place the levering device into position (these are two tubes that later become the stern and bow deck bars) and lever. And, according to factory instructions and advice, you should go around again popping all the buttons to the next hole in the telescoping tubes. The K-Light's sliding tube step when it worked was lightning fast but, as mentioned, it sometimes was difficult for some people. The Kahuna, while involving extra motions, is more predictable, i.e. it will work every time for everyone.

Performance To appreciate the performance of the Kahuna consider this: Feathercraft has created a model that is exactly halfway between the length of the K-Light and K1 with no gain in weight over what the K-Light weighed for most of its production run. With this new model you start getting many of the desired performance traits of the bigger boat at the weight of the smaller one. That is what makes it so exciting.

Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, but in my view, the Kahuna answers many of the needs of paddlers who liked the K-Light but felt they needed to go to the K1. And it is a lot cheaper than the K1! You see the improvements in several areas:

Tracking. The K-Light tracked amazingly well for a small boat. Few people ever used a rudder on it to keep it going straight. It did however have a squiggly feel in the stern, hard to avoid in a short boat. The Kahuna tracks quite well with none of the fishtailing feel of the K-Light.

The Kahuna is slower to weathercock into the wind and waves than was the K-Light, not that the latter turned all that much. The Kahuna can be kept on course easier. In that respect it has the feel of the K1's longer waterline for purposes of tracking. Like with the K1, you don't need a rudder at all in the Kahuna.

Agility. The Kahuna shares much of the responsiveness paddlers have liked in the K-Light. The boat reacts well to any turning paddle stroke. Also it can be laid on its side fairly readily for carving turns. While the Kahuna is halfway between the K-Light and K1 in length, its responsiveness to your maneuvering motion is more akin to that of the smaller boat.

Portability. For anyone who knows a pre-2000 K-Light, you will notice no difference in the Kahuna in this important department that makes the K-Light such an attractive vessel. Whether the boat is in its bag or being shouldered in assembled form, the Kahuna is a K-Light for all practical purposes. It can be thrown on a roofrack easily and taken off without much struggle. At worst, the extra length may mean you will have to watch yourself in moving around in tight quarters.

Speed. The K-Light has always been a delightful boat to paddle in terms of speed and would never embarrass you if paddling in mixed company with people in longer hardshells. The K-Light accelerated fast and had a good cruising speed. The Kahuna is even better at all of this.

Greater length adds more cruising speed but doesn't seem to reduce quick acceleration from a dead stop. The more rigid frame also has something to do with the greater speed. Less flex helps transfer more of the energy of your forward paddle stroke into forward movement of the boat. In addition, the more rigid connection in the middle reduces sag and wrinkles in the hull. This results in less drag and smoother forward movement. Lastly, the Kahuna has a sharper bow than that on the K-Light, almost as sharp as on the K1. The bow cuts through the water more smoothly with less resistance. The result is more speed.

Stability. I always felt that the K-Light was a pretty stable boat although some people found it a bit tippy. If anything, the Kahuna feels more stable. It is the same beam as the K-Light but you do get some measure of stability from length in any vessel.

Where I noticed this with the Kahuna is in getting in and out of the boat on a beach or dock. The K-Light felt sometimes like it might slide out from under you. The Kahuna has none of that feeling. It seems easier to just step in and out of.

The Kahuna also shows its stability while underway. When waves and wakes hit it on the beam, the boat takes them in stride and stays on a pretty even keel as it passes over them. The Kahuna has a very secure feel in turbulence and you can relax. In this it resembles the K1, arguably one of the most seaworthy folding kayaks around. All of this may be better answered by the next item -- solidness.

Solidness. This is not a category I ordinarily consider but I have added it for the Kahuna. The Kahuna just feels solid. I guess I am more aware of this because the Kahuna looks like the K-Light which is a light, not solid-feeling boat. So, when I am in the Kahuna it surprises me that it has the solid feeling of the K1.

Clearly here is where Feathercraft can feel justified in switching the connection of frame halves to the telescoping tube method. The paddler pays the price of possibly slightly greater assembly time but the resulting boat is solid.

Capacity. As readers of this newsletter know, the K-Light was capable of carrying at least a week's worth of camping gear (Folding Kayaker May/June 1996) if you weighed under around 175 pounds. You also had to pack carefully. The Kahuna ups the threshold for paddler weight and capacity in terms of space and weight limits.

The Kahuna's capacity for paddler and gear is 300 pounds up from the K-Light's 260. The greater length means you can put more gear in front of the footpedals and in the stern. I would also think that with the stiffer frame halves connection, the frame won't be as strained as in the K-Light.

-------- Review by Ralph Diaz, author of The Complete Folding Kayaker and publisher of the newsletter, Folding Kayaker

K1 Expedition Review - by Ralph Diaz - from the May/June 1998 issue, Vol. 8 No. 3, Folding Kayaker newsletter

Feathercraft 1998 K1 Expedition Single

The Feathercraft K1 has long been the flagship of the company's fleet. While the Khatsalano is the model that gets respect for Feathercraft in the temples of rigid kayakdom, the K1 represents the best of the single folding kayak breed for its balance of traits. It is a quick, responsive folding kayak with predictable behavior that does just fine in the hands of the beginner kayaker and the expert one as well. The K1 has now undergone a major overhaul that makes it even more attractive a boat than before in two departments: sleeker feel and easier assembly.

This is the third iteration of this model. The K1 was the very first boat the founders made in the early 1980s when there was not much of a company beyond some purloined space in an abandoned industrial zone and materials to make boats were being bought hand to mouth. That boat weighed 40 pounds, was shorter and had an integral sprayskirt sewn into the deck that you wrapped around you, i.e. no cockpit coaming; and the back deck had a full-length zipper access. In the late 1980s the model went through its first full overhaul. Length increased, Hypalon hulls were introduced in earnest, hatches cut into both decks, and a fiberglass coaming added.

The Changes

The K1 has undergone such a major change that it is virtually a new boat in how it looks and feels. Gone is the stubby nose and in its place is a bow and stern reminiscent of the Khatsalano, sharply pointed and upswept.

In the process the boat length has been stretched some, about six inches to a total length now of 16.5 feet. Other subtle changes have been made to the lines of the boat all along its length. The cockpit size has shrunk a bit in length.

The deck is now an exciting new material. Gone is the Cordura that had been the mainstay of Feathercraft decks for years. In its place is the same deck material introduced last year in the Khatsalano. It is Poly-tech, a 420-denier nylon with a top 4.5 oz. urethane embossed coating and a 1.5 oz. urethane undercoating. The material is dimensionally stable (read: doesn't shrink or stretch), waterproof and very abrasion resistant. (Deck colors have changed. Feathercraft offers it in now in bright yellow, a color also used in the earliest K1s, and olive. So you can decide whether to be seen or not be seen. I suggest that you opt for the yellow; don't be afraid of stains, it easily wipes clean. Teal and red are also offered.)

The frame has also been almost totally revamped. It is still aluminum tubing and high-density polyethylene. But the way it all fits together is quite different. This frame change combined with the new deck material has miraculously transformed the K1 from a tedious, time consuming boat to put together into one that is much easier and speedier to assemble.

Assembly Made Easier

Assembly was always a sore point in the K1 vis-à-vis other folding singles. Others could be made in 15 minutes after you got the knack of them. The K1 was always at least a 35-40 minute job, and often enough it could take longer as some step or another snagged up under certain circumstances. Lengthy assembly time and the sweat involved discouraged the use of the K1 by individuals who had no place to keep it assembled and who needed to make the boat every time they went out.

The K1 now is about a 20 minute or so job and assembly is more predictable and consistent. You no longer have to scratch the K1 from your list of choices if you have to assemble a boat each time you use it. How could changed deck material and a reconfigured frame account for such an impressive assembly improvement?

The deck is a good part of the savings in time and reduced difficulty. Cordura is a terrific product for abrasion resistance and holding a waterproof coating. But it is subject to extreme stretch and shrinkage. Stretch when wet, shrinkage when dry. The Cordura decks were cut on a compromise pattern to allow for that broad variation. But if you were assembling the boat after long storage in a dry closet, the skin would often be too tight to get the frame half in, or for extending the keel and other bars or for inserting ribs. The company could have cut the decks looser, but then when the deck got wet while underway it would stretch and make for a sloppy skin, which Feathercraft did not want. The new Poly-tech material does away with all those problems. The skin and frame mating remains constant.

The new frame setup does its share in easing the assembly requirements. Gone is the awkward connection of the chine and gunwale bars at the bow and stern that required running a pin through holes at the ends. It took a knack and consumed a bit of time, one of those little annoying steps that added to assembly time. Now the bars are pre-attached to the ends like in the K-Light.

The company has also done away with the welded rib cage setup at the center of the boat. The rib cage created a strong fixture in the boat but could be awkward to work with, thus consuming time. Another change, the increased length and sharper nose, almost paradoxically, has actually helped assembly, too. One would think that longer and narrower would be harder but actually proves less snag prone than a shorter, broader nose when inserting the front frame half.

The looser, stable deck material also makes it easier when working the extension of the frame at the keel, chine and gunwale bars. This sometimes was quite strenuous to do. But now it seems to require less effort. Also all the cross pieces in the cockpit area seem to go in easier.

On The Water

The K1 was always a fine performer on the water. It is even better now, especially for more expert paddlers. This doesn't mean that beginners won't like the K1 or not find it paddleable. Rather that expert paddlers will feel it handles with greater response. It means that they may now be torn between the Khatsalano and the K1. Let's look at some areas.

Speed. The K1 benefits from the new sharper bow. You notice a lot more speed from each stroke of your paddle and greater glide between strokes. It seems effortless to paddle, like the Khatsalano. It just is a very sweet boat when underway. You feel its efficiency.

I am not in a position to clinically measure relative speed of boats. All I can say is the boat seems fast and moves very well through the water with just a few flicks of the paddle. When the Khatsalano was being developed four years ago, the folk at Feathercraft found about a 5-7% difference in top speed between it and the then K1. I wonder what a similar trial would show now with the sleeker K1?

Stability. Initial stability has dropped of a bit from the older K1, but only by a little. It is very easy to get used to and the boat isn't going to keel over by any means. My experience with it at first was a bit of disconcerting. I was wearing a slippery 2000 Polartec wetsuit and using the sea sock. Every time I leaned the boat my weight suddenly would shift making all seem precarious. Solution? Don't use the sea sock if you have slippery clothes!

The K1's secondary stability seems fine. You can put it on its side very predictably. However, like any folding kayak with sponsons, you can only go so far before you are fully on the sponsons and then the boat could slide out from under you. However, that is an extreme maneuver. The initial and secondary stability of the K1 are in such balance that you never have to get to that point.

Maneuverability and Tracking. The K1 is very easy to lean on its side for carving turns and it feels predictable as you do, unlike the Khatsalano that feels tender. With the K1 you get no sudden feelings that you may go over. This ability to easily lean the boat makes for sharper turns when not using the rudder.

Regarding tracking, the earlier K1 tracked as if on rails. In fact, it seemed hard to turn because of this. This latest version seems to keep this favorable tracking trait but with the good maneuverability mentioned above.

So, you can point the new K1 at some spot across the bay and you will go there. Even winds and beam seas don't seem to throw it off any more than other boats. If the K1 does start to weathercock, it is very easy to lean it to correct your course.¨

-------- Review by Ralph Diaz, author of The Complete Folding Kayaker and publisher of the newsletter, Folding Kayaker

K-Light: Fresh Look At A New Classic - by Ralph Diaz - from the May/June 1999 issue, Vol. 9 No. 3, Folding Kayaker newsletter

Sometimes a kayak model turns out to be something more than just another model. After a time, you realize that the craft has become a classic. I am speaking about the Feathercraft K-Light.

Even though it has been around just six years, this kayak has already had a major impact. Many experienced paddlers have it on their wish lists. And for a whole new generation of paddlers the K-Light has become the introductory folding kayak and often the only boat they will ever have.

I have been considering the K-Light's role in the folding kayak world for some time. And been thinking abut the many nuances of this special little craft. Over the years, Folding Kayaker has had numerous articles about modifications and fixes for the boat and featured it in a multi-article piece on camping in a mini-kayak. But those are details. I would like now to look at the forest and not just the trees.

I hope this look at the K-Light doesn't sound like favoritism; my remarks are not meant to slight other models. But the K-Light has started a quiet revolution in the sea kayaking world. Here is how and why:

1. The K-Light is the first folding single to become a classic. Some other folding kayaks have been classics. The old Folbot Super was one. So too was, and continues to be, the Klepper Aerius II still in production and popular after almost 50 years.

But these are doubles. Folding kayak singles never really resonated with the kayaking public, certainly not in the numbers and popularity of their double counterparts. In fact not so long ago when one thought of a folding kayak, the image almost invariably wa that of a double such as the Super (or its descendant the Folbot Greenland II) and the Klepper.

The K-Light has helped to change this image in two ways. First, it has placed folding kayaks in tune with tastes and paddling demographics. In the last several decades since the introduction of hardshells, the tendency has been for new paddlers to want to be in their own boat, i.e. a single rather than in the double family boats that pretty much earlier dominated sea kayaking. Second, the success of the K-Light has opened up many of these new paddlers not just to it but also to larger folding kayak singles in both the Feathercraft family and in other makes of folding kayaks. Once hooked on the K-Light, the transition to acceptance and consideration of other single foldables has become easier.

2. The K-Light has amazing performance for such a small boat. I liken it to the "Q" ships that were used by the Allies in the two World Wars. This kind of ship looked like a defenseless freighter and would lure enemy submarines to surface in order to use their cannon and save valuable torpedoes. But "Q" ships were secretly heavily armed and would turn the tables once the submarine surfaced.

Who would think that something so small (the K-Light is just shy of 13 feet long) could move so fast and be able to keep up easily with individuals in hardshells 3 and 4 feet longer? Or that it could take on heavy seas, surf well, carry lots of gear for multi-day trips, etc. In short the K-Light is a craft that like the "Q" ship has outward appearances that belie its underlying potential and strength.

Time and time again, in my own experiences and those relayed to me by others, the K-Light has amazed paddlers in other kayaks in just how well it can do. The stories are told so often, that when I hear of someone not being able to keep up in a K-Light, I am inclined to believe it may be because of the paddler and not the boat.

3. The K-Light continues to amaze people with its lightness. When it first came out in early 1993 it weighed just 29 pounds. (The original ad had a number of "almost's" listed in a whimsical way as in "almost 30 pounds.") Even now it is just 34 pounds. It never fails. Ask a person to pick one up and the reaction is pure delight.

Its weight accomplishes several benefits. First, low weight makes the K-Light an extremely attractive boat on that alone even before a person has a chance to paddle it. When they see later how well it does on the water, it is pretty hard to resist considering one. Second, having a folding kayak that is so light starts people rethinking their preconceived notions about folding kayaks being heavy.

It used to be that this was a major charge made against folding kayaks in sea kayaking manuals. Now with such a light one, many people are suddenly realizing that other folding singles, with one or two exceptions, are not heavier than their hardshell counterparts. For example, the Feathercraft K1 Expedition at 54 pounds is a good 10 pounds lighter than equal length polyethylene kayaks and at the low-range of fiberglass hardshells. The Folbot Kodiak is at around the same weight, albeit shorter, but it is no heavier than any polyethylene kayak in its length range.

4. It is one thing to be light; it is another to be portable -- The bagged K-Light is amazingly easy to carry. When I look at the K-Light I am reminded of how the very first folding kayaks in 1907 were extremely light and highly portable, being made to fit in the overhead racks of Alpine-bound trains. The K-Light is a throwback to them. Portability is written all over the bag. Padded shoulder straps with lifter straps on the top to draw the load closer to the spine and a padded hip belt to bear the load comfortably the way a good hiking backpack does.

Most people can carry a K-Light in its bag over middle distances, say through a train station to a nearby launch site. Not content with the backpacking aspect of the carrying bag, Feathercraft has enhanced portability by creating a clever cart for the bag. The cart can be used either with the boat in the bag or with the assembled K-Light. Those who could not carry the K-Light now have a way of getting around and those would could can ease the burden if they wish by using the cart.

5. The K-Light has become an ideal boat for women. This is not to say that men don't use or don't like it... they do. But its light weight and reliability on the water makes the K-Light very female-friendly.

Women make up a large portion of newcomers to sea kayaking. While women are getting bigger and stronger, there is no question that having a light boat helps them. I know of several women who are attracted to the K-Light not for its foldability but rather because it is one boat they can lift on to a car's roofrack by themselves with no tricks to master. Its shorter length helps them here because the K-Light is not as unwieldy as longer boats, even light Kevlar composite ones.

Shorter length in a boat that can handle rough water also helps women in paddling. Longer boats are supposed to be faster but may not be for a smaller person who can paddle quicker in a smaller boat. Years ago, I saw this in a petite woman who owned a Nautiraid Raid 1 (about 15.5 feet long and 51 pounds in weight) but turned out to be able to paddle faster when she got into the smaller Mini-Raid (12.5 feet long and weighing 37 pounds).

6. The K-Light as a travel boat for hardshellers. A number of individuals who are confirmed hardshell paddlers have chosen the K-Light as their travel boat. While it does not match the performance of their regular kayak, they have been finding that the K-Light does not sacrifice all that much and is a delight to use on trips involving air travel.

Perhaps this point is the best testimonial that the K-Light has arrived. When those who look down on a class of boat finally come around to accepting one, then you know it has become a classic!

-------- Written by Ralph Diaz, author of The Complete Folding Kayaker and publisher of the newsletter, Folding Kayaker