Folding Boats
Folding boats are made from light weight
materials such as marine plywood, aluminum or more exotic man-made materials
lighter and tougher than aluminum. Folding boats fill a need for people
who do not have storage space for a full-size boat or cannot transport
a full-size boat. A Folding boat is usually a smaller boat, typically
ranging between 8 to 12 feet. This style of boat must also allow for
easy lifting which requires a light weight.
There are several folding
boat makers and folding kayak makers in the world from the USA, England
and Australia with several variations and models.
Making your own folding boat is not beyond the ability of a person who
can use basic tools.
The Barquito is a folding
boat based on this plan. An extensive website of its construction is
worth looking at. Simpler folding boats are called Origami boats.
These often use a minimum
of wood and rely of waterproof PVC or other fabric for the hull. The
sites that follow are an example of this kind of folding boat. Matt
Layden's has designed a simple folding tender that can be stowed in
small cruisers.
Although there is much to be said of the advantages of a folding boat,
they are not commonplace in boating. Aluminum and inflatable alternatives
are far more prevalent despite some folding boats having been sold for
several decades.
Traditional boats in the
same category of folding boats include inflatable dinghies and small
aluminum boats. Inflatable boats try to solve the portability problem
with an inflatable keel and side pods. This allows better storage and
weight advantages.
The main problems of these
craft are that they are still quite heavy, they can puncture while on
the water and can be time consuming to inflate and deflate for usage.
Folding boats require in the order of 10 to 15 minutes to set up and
put away but are much tougher than an inflatable craft, and may ultimately
be smaller in storage as an inflatable boat may have hard board components
for the floor.
Aluminum boats cannot
be disassembled, and the folding boat of space-age material is stronger
than aluminum, while the strength to weight of some wooden ply is actually
stronger than aluminum. The lower stiffness and rigidity may add to
potential safety of a folding boat by allowing it to flex over waves.
This stops the boat from the rocking effect of an inflexible boat.
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