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| Name: | Popcorn |
| E-mail address: | popcorn@mailinator.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://polpus.my5gb.com |
| Comments: | Love your site! |
| Name: | Limey Dave |
| E-mail address: | pilgrim632000@yahoo.co.uk |
| Comments: | Hi,
A GREAT website. Particularly the forum. Well presented and with lots of friendly folk and good advice. An especially big thank you to those who have taken time to post photos of the assembly of the Kleppers. Boy have those been of assistance ! And every time I've posted a query, some very nice people have responded with either encouragement or sound advice. This is a nice place to drop into !! Safe and happy paddling all. Dave |
| Name: | Steve G. |
| E-mail address: | phd_robotnik@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Hey, I forgot. I've also used my pal Ralph H's Folbot
'Pisces'. That baby assembles a bit differently! I think he bought that in '89 or '90, around the time I bought the pickup I use for boat trips. I think there was a Japanese/Folbot USA connection with that craft, if I remember right. We all get together here in Southern California. Favorite trips are in the ocean from Ventura to San Diego & the lower Colorado River, where the water is smooth enough for large touring folders. We float from Parker to Squaw Lake, about 80m from the air, about 111m in the bends of the river. We tow a beer raft behind one of the Kleppers. The raft capsized once, so there are bottles of Frydenlund, Spaten & Lowenbrau all over the bottom near Lost Lake since 1976. We tore up an Aerius II once trying to navigate the Rogue, in south Oregon. It has since been rebuilt. Don't take a touring craft where only hard-shells should go! We were a little smashed that day (pun intended). I was once sent an ad (in the 90's?) for a 4 seat folding Russian touring kayak! that thing must've been a monster! I almost bought it, until I thought it might be hard to get 4 guys together frequently enough to use it. |
| Name: | Steve G. |
| E-mail address: | phd_robotnik@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | My first Folder was a 'Tyne' 2 man from England, that I bought in the early '70's, & I now own a Folbot Greenland II purchased in '94. It's a little slow, but stable. I have used my friend Gary R's Pouch 2 seater from the '50s several times, (my favorite boat!) once in 30' seas, and the Aerius II (my least favorite, bought in 1969) and (have you ever seen one?) an Aerius 20 that was never put into mass production (it was a little heavy, deck at the water line!). It had great fittings and was very quick to assemble. It belonged to my pal, Tony S. We had an unfortunate surfing accident with it. He still has the pieces in his shop. He went to Rosenheim in the mid eighties to pick it up from the factory. All of these boats were 2 seat touring craft. I
had to shorten the frame a bit on my Folbot by shaving off some of the nose! to make it fit inside the hull, but it's a fine boat, still in great shape. I've used it in seas and rivers, mainly long camping trips. I want to spend some time in Lake Powell with it, if I can assemble a group. Getting fellows together is not an easy thing these days! |
| Name: | Roy Martin |
| E-mail address: | roym@computerpro.com |
| Comments: | can't even lurk...seems I'm beeing told that I'm banned from the site
Best wishes Roy |
| Name: | Greg Loftus |
| E-mail address: | cominco@theedge.ca |
| Homepage URL: | http://tundrasails.ca |
| Comments: | Nice site however you should mention Pacific Action sails in your sailinf section. Isekll these sails and they work very well on folding boats, we have mounted them on Klepper and Feathercrafts as well with exellent results. I will be checking here more often now that I have found your site Cheers and thanks Greg |
| Name: | Astrid |
| E-mail address: | astridguen@aol.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.beepworld.de/members19/angloclub |
| Comments: | Hi, we just had a meeting of people with folding cayaks at the Lake of Constance in Germany recently. You can find comment and pictures at www.faltboot.de
(We'd be glad to welcome international guests as well at one of our next meetings!) |
| Name: | Pedro |
| E-mail address: | pedroinlondon@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi. I have some photos I've taken from my Nautiraid Greenlander, in the Irish Shannon River. Can I post you some?
Pedro |
| Name: | Eaglevu |
| E-mail address: | evmail@eaglevu.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.eaglevu.com |
| Comments: | Also saw the mentioning of foldingkayaks.org in the Denver Post citing the 100th anniversary of Klepper. When I'm finished climbing the big mountains of Colorado, and the world, I'm going to build my folding kayak and paddle along with the rest of you in Vancouver, Glacier Bay, Bora Bora, St.John and other favorite spots. |
| Name: | Bill |
| E-mail address: | lizandbill@juno.com |
| Comments: | Saw the mentioning of foldingkayaks.org in the Denver Post citing the 100th anniversary of Klepper. Bought a Klepper Aerius II in 1969 for $350 USD. On it's 2nd skin with keel strips - still cruising and carrying an adequate supply of Fat Tire Ale. Cheers. |
| Name: | Taiga |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.taigaworks.ca |
| Comments: | It's nice to see an entire website dedicated to folding kayaks. We have been selling folding and inflatable kayaks for a while now. Our customers love this alternative to bulky hardshell kayaks. |
| Name: | Chuck |
| E-mail address: | geshetz@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I use a Greenlend II Folboat which has served me well for the past 13 years. Trips from Charlevoix to Beaver and High islands can sometimes be very interesting. From calm to stormy. The Gulf of mexico is also very nice. Put it in the bag and go.
Excellent website! |
| Name: | Robert Jensen |
| E-mail address: | jensen800@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I'd just like to say - what a wonderful website. I had a (rigid) canoe as a teenager which I built myself to a Percy Blandford design: it had a PVC-coated canvas skin on a wooden frame of sitka spruce runners and marine ply ribs. I built it in the family garage in Brighton, on the south coast of the UK, in about 1964 or so! WMy father and others) and I took it on rivers (Arun, Adur, Ouse) and briefly on the sea.
Now I rent a flat in Rousse (Ruse) Bulgaria, near the Danube/Donau, which re-kindled my interest. Now at the tender age of 58 maybe I can afford a new canoe! |
| Name: | R Ewing |
| E-mail address: | hayyouing@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I noted that Whalecraft was reported defunct. It is in fact alive if barely at the moment. The owner, Mr. Niblock, is regrouping while he is building a home on the Olympic Peninsula. He can be contacted at 206-634-0628. From time to time I help him design and fabricate replacement skins for an assortment of folding kayaks.
My personal relationship to Whalecraft was as a Boeing textile designer (now retired) where I found modern fabrics and construction techniques when Mr. Niblock first bought the company. My last major trip in my Whalecraft was in late summer in Nootka Sound where we ended the voyage by traveling 20 miles in less than 3 hours in a full gale while under sail. (White knuckled to put it mildly!) |
| Name: | A. H. |
| E-mail address: | anina@ruc.dk |
| Homepage URL: | http://nordenvinden.dk |
| Comments: | Hi there
I plan to build my own kayak, and I've got a lot of inspiration on this site. Well done :) Greetings from the Faroe Islands (a small country in the North Atlantic if you wonder) |
| Name: | The One and Only Dobo |
| E-mail address: | jaolive@sbcglobal.net |
| Comments: | Cool site! We gotta go kayaking some time. See ya later.
--Dobo |
| Name: | tramadol |
| E-mail address: | aa@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.tramadoldrug.com/ |
| Comments: | hi |
| Name: | aaa |
| E-mail address: | aa@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.tramadolmedicine.com |
| Comments: | hi |
| Name: | Tim Gray |
| E-mail address: | timothy.gray@tesco.net |
| Comments: | Thanks for a great site. I had a Briish made Tyne about twenty five years ago when I started paddling. Currently using wood on the North Sea expecting fabrics soon. |
| Name: | Bill Weller |
| E-mail address: | flapdoodle_dinghy@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://flapdoodle.250free.com/ |
| Comments: | After about 4 years work, I have a CD for Seahopper-like, folding, sailing, dinghy plans available now. |
| Name: | Gelina and Dave |
| E-mail address: | ramblekatz(at)gmail(dot)com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.ramblekatz.com |
| Comments: | Love the site, as always. It's a great resource.
Can't find your email, but just wanted to let you know that your link to our Folbot Pisces site has changed to: http://www.ramblekatz.com/kayak/pisces.html Thanks, Gelina and Dave |
| Name: | Car Loan Nashville |
| E-mail address: | car-loan@nashville.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://car-loan.host.sk/nashville |
| Comments: | Your site is realy cool! My congratulations! Thanks for Your job! |
| Name: | James Knox |
| E-mail address: | jknox@ideafamilies.org |
| Comments: | Just posted- got my email address wrong! This is the right one. |
| Name: | James Knox |
| E-mail address: | jkno0x@ideafamilies.org |
| Comments: | Great Site!
Folding yaks are the best in my book- starting with plastic whitewater boats in my 20's I slowed down to Sea Kayaking in my 30's and owned plastic, kevlar and glassboats from many prominent dealers, then I experienced Dyson's skin boats, a folbot and made a 19' canvas and wood Greenlander skin boat up here in Alaska. I can truly say after paddling many boats that the skin boats are alive and dynamic in the water- like waves are to a flat calm. And this site covers a multitudeof considerations for folding yaks- keep up the good work- James |
| Name: | adam ashton |
| E-mail address: | misfitslax08@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | this site is great!! it has been really helpful. i want to build a folding kayak. i am pretty good at building things and it would be great if anybody would send me some plans. it would also be great if you could tell me a little bit about the kayak. how much did supplies cost? how long does it take to build? how long does it take to set up? thoes kinds of things. i saw the "build your own?" section of this site and the "EVA" built by igor ravbar caught my eye but i was having trouble e-mailing him. i would really like plans to a kayak like that. but all plans are wanted to open my eyes to different designs.
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| Name: | Donald |Lawrence |
| E-mail address: | donlawrence@tru.ca |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.tru.ca.ae/vpa/faculty.htm |
| Comments: | HELLO,
I am from Western Canada, currently travelling in Ukraine. Around the end of my trip I am going to end up with about one day (June 16th or 17th) in Germany. Being a klepper owner (and very interested also in small/focused museums) I thought that I might go to the Klepper museum. I gather from the introduction to your website that you have been there and might be able to point me in the right direction. I believe that it is in Rosenheim but haven't yet found an address or return e-mail adress (I am just beginning to look ... maybe its not difficult to find, but I simply came to your site first). So, I am wondering if you have any information: 1) Do I have the right town? 2) Do you have any contact information (e-mail would be ideal) 3) Might there be more than one museum (the information I have seen was a bit contradictory) Anything you can tell me would be helpful and appreciated. Also, if it might interest you I think I have an image of a small sketchbook drawing of my klepper on the beach at Roque Island, from a 1994 trip to Maine on the U.S. east coast in 1994. It should be in the "artworks" section of my web site along with a few other kayak related works. Bye for now, Donald Lawrence |
| Name: | AUGUST HAHN |
| E-mail address: | augusthahn2SBCGLOBAL.NET |
| Homepage URL: | http:// YAHOO.COM |
| Comments: | I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THE FIRSTLIGHT KAYAK COMPANY IS STILL MAKING KAYAKS I,V TRYED NUMERIOUS TO CONTACT THEM TO NO AVAIL. |
| Name: | Loren Lawrence |
| E-mail address: | loren_lawrence@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I am very glad you have this site. I've become interested in folding yaks for the past year and after reading the folding kayak book, am sure that I want one to extend my journeys further than here in NW Arkansas. We have great rivers and lakes and I've enjoyed them in my hardshell 3-4 times a week, but I yearn for farther shores. There are so many options, I can't imagine I would be able to purchase a folding kayak without the help of this site.
Thanks |
| Name: | M Akehurst |
| E-mail address: | mmlakehurst44@aol.com |
| Comments: | Most intersted to see your website.
My Dad was given a Hart, 2-man Fol-boat as a wedding present in 1938! Unfortunately, although the skeleton is in v.g condition, the skin is NOT. We cannot house it much longer. Would love some ideas as to what to do with it! It is complete with bags, wheels, oars &c. Can't bear to throw it! Has anyone an idea? I live in S.of England. |
| Name: | Ron |
| E-mail address: | rsk5150@aol.com |
| Comments: | Can I get an administrator to activate my account? I don't see any option to contact an admin person other than this - sorry. I still can't log in, but I am listed in the member list.
Thanks! |
| Name: | Heath Paull |
| E-mail address: | rookie4570@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Amazing website, thank you. I have always been intrigued by kayaking but never wanted to deal with storing or transporting a hard shell kayak. I discovered Feathercrafts website by accident and never knew such a product existed. I am now hooked and looking everywhere to find more literature on folding kayaks. (suggested book Complete Folding Kayak already ordered yesterday). Looking forward to purchasing my first unit shortly but will have to go bargain for the first year like a Puffin or Atlatl.
Thanks again for the amazing site and incredible info. |
| Name: | Mark R |
| E-mail address: | julia-mark@sbcglobal.net |
| Comments: | Hi, I've been reading the fourum for a month now. (when I signed on, I think i messed up, so may need to resign up)
I bought a used Klepper II from Craigs List, here in Sacramento, California and soon found what a bargain it is. I visited Peter Schwierzke for small parts and information and he was great in helping me. (lucky he is only about 45 minutes from home, with all his knowledge and shop on folding boats) Peter thinks my frame is from around 1958 (only a few fittings had to be replaced) and the skin is of unknown age, likely from the 1970's, but could be as old as the frame. I've used this forum and web page for tons of good information. I've got the sails, rudders, and all, ready to go as soon as the weather improves slightly. I live along the Sacramento river, so will take it out, as well as San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, a perfect boat for these waters. thanks |
| Name: | Que Areste |
| E-mail address: | drque@speakeasy.net |
| Comments: | I have been reading this page and drooling for a while. I will probably start with a Pakboat or an Atlatl. They are light and affordable. If any of you have expereince with either or both of these, could you give me your opinion on how they handle. I am not a competative athlete, just enjoy puttering around in a kayak and have been doing that for some years. |
| Name: | Amber |
| E-mail address: | ambergh@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.rxtramadol.com/ |
| Comments: | Great site and information, you should be proud of the work you have done and for giving it freely to the public, thanx, Amber |
| Name: | Dev Bernbeck |
| E-mail address: | devbernbeck@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Looking for old (1930's) Klepper plans, oars, ways of displaying. I have a frame of an Aerius II in great condition that I would like to display.
Thanks!! |
| Name: | David Grant |
| E-mail address: | standsure@traceur.fsnet.co.uk |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.traceur.co.uk |
| Comments: | Please note change of e-mail address.
many thanks! |
| Name: | jonathan brooks |
| E-mail address: | jmbrooksy3@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I've been in the kayak accessory business for several years but only recently became aware of the folding kayak phenomenon, an associate turned me onto it. Now i'm actually in the market to buy one and your resources are just the ticket!!! excellent knowledge base... |
| Name: | Julie Chaperon |
| E-mail address: | sweetdreamsinn@aol.com |
| Comments: | Hi,
I am here in the Thumb of Michigan and we have a big project ahead- This Spring, the grand opening of the Michigan Heritage Water Trail for Huron & Tuscola Counties- along M-25, the shoreline of Lake Huron! We are excited & will be having several events this spring & summer 2006! We hope all of the Canoe & Kayak enthusiasts will keep us in mind next time they plan a trip with their group! We will also be having a bike trail along M-25 in the near future,some is completed already! The Michigan Heritage M-25 Road trail along the lakeshore is in the works also. We have a lot of history in the thumb & many historic sites, Lighhouses, museums, beaches, parks, campgrouds, gift/antique/art shoppes, several beautiful golf courses, shipwrecks along Lake Huron, etc. Check out www.huroncounty.com also for more info. on events all year long & several festivals! We hope you come & check out the closer up north - 1 tank trip from the metro Detroit area, See you soon! Please call me with any questions you may have on the Thumb Area. Aloha, Julie |
| Name: | Christine Dal Porto |
| E-mail address: | mommers21@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Just bought an old (very old) Klepper Master and would love to have some help with putting the darn thing together...got it down most of the way but am stuck with a few things....it is in such beautiful condition, the original everything....can't wait to get it on the water so anyone....please.....HELP!!!!!! and many thank yous!!! |
| Name: | Jan & John Van Wyk |
| E-mail address: | jjvw@earthlink.net |
| Homepage URL: | http://wmcka.org/ |
| Comments: | We have an 45+ old Folboat double, a FC Klondike and a Seavivor Solo and for the grandkids, an CLC Cape Charlie, Perception Umiak and a P&H Tupperware boat. We are charter members of the West Mich Coastal Kayakers and chaired their 99 & 2000 Symposium.
We usually paddle Lk Michigan in the Saugtuck to Traverse City area, with winter trips to Florida or Texas. We have paddled in Maine, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick. |
| Name: | Larry Dittberner |
| E-mail address: | lawrencedittberner@comcast.net |
| Comments: | I bought a 1970 Aerius II in 1976 for $400.00; it came with the total sailing rig as well. Amazing ,sturdy boat. In 2001, I refurbished it with a new keel strip and some minor repairs and took a 10 day solo trip from Ft.Snelling to Winona-about 120 miles-on the great Mississippi River.Packed it all up in 3 bags and hopped a train back to St. Paul.Then I bought a free wind sail(or is it a down wind sail?). I was hoping to do a 5 day trip down the St. Croix next week but my stern piece broke. Got any idea where I can get another one, used or new?
That beaches my boat; I'll be taking a 5 day motorcycle trip instead. larry |
| Name: | John Santic |
| E-mail address: | johnsantic@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Great site about such unique and useful watercraft; thanks for putting so much effort into providing good content.
I bought a Klepper Single in 1996 back when I lived in a house, but I now live on a sailboat. I can dismantle the Klepper and store the bags of parts in lockers below decks on my sailboat. This makes it possible to keep a kayak on-board, since I don't have a place to store a non-folding kayak. I went on one kayak camping trip out west and carried the Klepper as baggage on a cross-country flight. Although a folding kayak is highly portable (an asset touted by manufacturers), there was enough other gear for the trip that the whole load of stuff was too much to carry. I had to ship three boxes of gear via UPS before I left then brought the rest of the gear as baggage on the day of the flight. I have some pictures of the kayak camping trip (Green River in Utah) on my web site at http://johnsantic.com/paddling/green_river |
| Name: | Ron Wagner |
| E-mail address: | psychrn7n@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Great site. I bought the big 17 foot ocean inflatable kayak from Sevylor. I wanted a kayak that could do it all. This is sturdy, has room for three plus gear, and tracks well without the rudder. It has optional self bailing. It is suitable for use by one person, but is faster with two or three. It has plenty of D rings and can be used with optional thigh straps.
It comes with two seats with backs and detachable fanny packs. It costs about $900 at Shipstore.com. I am thinking of getting an Advanced Frame inflatable for my next kayak. It is more suitable for individual use, and is faster. I may buy a folding boat in the future. I prefer not to deal with the assembly right now. Many thanks for your site. I will try to remember to buy my Amazon stuff through your site. Maybe you could review Sevylor and Stearns kayaks in your inflatable section. All the best, Ron Wagner |
| Name: | Philw |
| E-mail address: | phil@phil.ca |
| Comments: | always looking for anything hunting or fishing related |
| Name: | CB Bassity |
| E-mail address: | cbb (connected by @) ionet.net |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.ionet.net/~cbb |
| Comments: | I grew up paddling a Klepper double that my dad bought in 1958. This site is great. With its guidance I bought Ralph Diaz's book, considered the various foldables, then bought a Klepper on eBay. For the full story, see:
http://www.ionet.net/~cbb/Klepper.htm |
| Name: | Daniel Finn |
| E-mail address: | DanFinn1@aol.com |
| Comments: | cool site, some sea kayak videos you might want to look at are: "The Haunted Cry of A Long Gone Bird," this is a NOVA video of Dick Wheeler's kayak trip from Newfoundland to Cape Cod following the old migratory route of the extinct Great Auk. A great video. Other videos on sea kayaking are the "Greatest Hits" and The Rock Garden video put out by the Tsunami Rangers. These are the best big water videos I've seen. Other videos are "Amphibious Man" and "Rolling with Maliquiaq." |
| Name: | Marc |
| E-mail address: | marc@jamois.net |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.voiliers-transportables.net |
| Comments: | This is Marc from La Rochelle in France, I am a fond of sailing kayak, i have a klepper and I sailed in Turkey and France, enjoy !!!! |
| Name: | Brian Frodsham |
| E-mail address: | frodsham@velocitynet.com.au |
| Comments: | I took up boating because of bad legs/feet, which ment strong arms. Built my first kayak in 1958, then went on to meet Percy Blanford, he lived some miles down streem. Canoed on many of Englands rivers. Built a "home designed 17 foot 2 seeter folding kayak in the early 1960's. Loaned it to Bradby Boys Club who raced it in 1965 Devises and won their class. I also bought a second hand folding P B K 13 & had lots of great times/ trips, tenting as I went. Was forced to sell when I emigrated to Australia 1968/9. Still interested. Started a training scheme for Nepean Canoe Club 1970/1 which went on to be adopted by New South Wales, then went Australia wide. Have served at Club; State & National levels & been rewarded with " Senior Instructor, Certificate No. 3". Been in various forms of print & helped with T V, though last time asked, I remained behind the camera (some one else's turn )
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| Name: | Alan Laing |
| E-mail address: | alanlaingmbe@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Great site - lots of good information - keep it up! |
| Name: | Pam JH |
| E-mail address: | pamjh@cox.net |
| Comments: | Kayaks are a great addition to any outdoor adventure. Combine kayaking with camping and a great time is guaranteed! Thank you for an informative site. |