Email: lylehancock@bresnan.net
As a folding kayak enthusiast, I am really excited about all kinds of portable boats for padding in remote areas. I started Folding Kayak Adventures, www.foldingkayak.com, in 1997 when I realized that sea kayakers would be interested in renting folding sea kayaks for distant expeditions. The business really took off, and I soon became a Feathercraft dealer. Paddlers take Feathercraft folding kayaks on multi-day expeditions all over the world. In addition to sea kayaking, I enjoy paddling whitewater kayaks.
Why SOAR canoes…?
I often paddle a whitewater kayak on multi-day river trips. I always wanted my wife to join me on these trips, but since she is not a whitewater kayaker and I was not interested in getting into rafting with all its inherent cumbersome gear, I was stumped as to how we could enjoy paddling together. One afternoon on the Class 3 Dolores River in Southwest Colorado, a paddler in a SOAR 16 caught the same eddy I was in. His SOAR was loaded with gear for a multi-day trip, but had plenty of room for two paddlers. I inquired about the SOAR and immediately contacted Larry to see about getting one.
My first SOAR was a “14.” It is small enough to handle well when paddled solo, but large enough to include my wife and gear on multi-day trips. We have paddled together on the Dolores and San Juan, and I have paddled it solo on the Animas and Salt.
The SOAR is stable and easy to paddle; it is family-friendly. The self-bailing feature allows it to run Class 3 and even Class 4 whitewater if you have the paddling skills. Because the paddlers kneel on the inflated floor and brace against the inflated side tubes, it is extremely comfortable. Set-up is quick, just blow up the tubes and lash on the seats. The heavy-duty grommet strips along the side tubes allow easy packing and securing of all kinds of gear, and the seats can be positioned for the best trim. Materials in SOAR canoes are incredibly durable, and I have yet to need any repairs.
Getting to some of our favorite paddling destinations often requires a long drive. Being able to drive to the put-in in our Volkswagen Jetta Wagon TDI with all our gear and SOAR canoe stashed safely inside is a brilliant testament to the portability of the SOAR. I’m looking forward to flying to remote rivers in Alaska.
The Four Corners Region is home to many Class 2 and 3 rivers suitable for multi-day trips. Since we are located in Durango, CO, being able to demo and sell SOAR canoes through Folding Kayak Adventures allows us to meet the needs of a growing number of paddlers that demand a high-performance portable craft that will carry lots of gear and two paddlers in whitewater. Many paddlers live in condominiums and apartments, and having a versatile boat that they can store in a closet is a real asset. As a society we need to conserve scarce resources, so driving smaller cars to our favorite recreation areas and living in smaller buildings with less storage all make sense. The SOAR canoes fit our evolving lifestyle and still allow us to continue paddling and enjoying the wonderful rivers we are so blessed with.