Saturday, October 31, 2020

An Origami Kayak--The Oru Beach LT

rev 7-25-2024

Three years later it is going strong. It is now being tested by my daughter and her husband.

 I've noticed a lot of these at the local semi-urban park, Riverbend, north of Washington DC. Typically the owner has a car without a rack. Only sometimes do they live in an apartment. Commonly they do not feel strong enough (smaller women) to lift a kayak onto the roof of a car. None have complained of durability, and they are all older than mine.

 The idea of a folding boat prompts images in my head of cardboard boat races and sinking within 50 feet. However, the Oru is a whole lot better engineered than that, and I've been asked to test one.

                                                        Lifts right out of the box, ready to go.

 Yes, you need to read the instructions the first time, but by the second time it only took 9 minutes to assemble, in the wind, on the deck of an anchored boat. 

 
 
There's a lot to like. Very fast for the type, dry in light clop, good tracking, very light, and reasonably stable.  I'm going to have to live with in for a while to form a final opinion, but it's clearly a lot more boat than you might expect from folded paper.

[It is made from a very, very heavy duty corrugated polypropylene, rated for something like 25,000 fold cycles]

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Labels: Guide Revisions, PDQ Tips

2 comments:

  1. Robert SalnickNovember 1, 2020 at 9:32 AM

    Hi Drew -
    I reviewed these back in 2014, but I never got a chance to try one out... waiting for your analysis.
    http://windborneinpugetsound.blogspot.com/2014/11/origami-kayak.html

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  2. Drew FryeNovember 1, 2020 at 9:45 AM

    I chose to test the Beach LT, which is one of their less expensive models. It is a recreational kayak design, not a true sea kayak, which means it is easier to get in and out, more stable, simpler to set-up, and better suited to carrying groceries. But it dos not take a spray skirt and would not be my choice for open water. It seems durable enough and it is fun to paddle in the harbor and light chop.

    But I do kinna wish I had the Beach ST (more like a sea kayak) to see how that does on open water. Which is the better choice probably depends on what you'll use it for.

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