Running On Water

The Vibram, FiveFingers barefoot running shoe, is one of the most unique innovations in footwear produced in the last ten years. The FiveFingers shoe mimics the motion of running shoeless and allows the wearer to feel and respond to the surface they travel over.

But it takes some time to get used to. Wearing soled shoes for your whole life makes you walk a certain way. Adjusting to the FiveFingers is a process, not an overnight transition.

The reward is worth the awkward first outings. A shoeless jaunt to the store can easily become the highlight of your day, as your feet experience the dynamic surface changes between your home and your destination.

'FiveToes' Seems More Appropriate

Moving from a fiberglass kayak to a skin kayak can hold a similar feeling of trepidation.

Fiberglass owners are separated from the water surface they paddle over, so it is natural to feel overwhelmed when transitioning to a skin design. Some paddlers may experience a need for the security that a rigid hull provides, but the aluminum framework provided by a Feathercraft is just as strong or stronger than a hard bottom boat.

The thrill comes from feeling the motion of the sea beneath your kayak. The skin actively responds to varying sea conditions, cutting through swells and absorbing wave energy.

If you haven't tried a skin kayak, you haven't really kayaked.

See for yourself!

Test-paddle a boat at our Feathercraft Factory or approach one of our worldwide kayak dealers. We promise you won't want to ever go back to the hard 'sole' of a fiberglass boat.

The Highways of Venice

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide. 

Skin Welding

The largest organ in your body is your skin. It wraps around your skeleton in a seamless weave of cells that protect your inner organs. At Feathercraft, we wanted to replicate the same seamless characteristics in the design of our boats. Fabric welding technology has allowed us the opportunity to create an exterior skin that eliminates water seepage completely.

The outer skin of our kayaks is made of two parts: the deck and the hull. In the past, Feathercraft stitched the Cordura deck layer to the hull.

With the advancement of urethane fabrics, we are now able to weld our Duratek hull layer to a polytech deck layer, using radio frequency welding technology.

Radio frequency welding joins polyurethane fabrics by exciting the molecules and creating a permanent bond. This bond acts like a gasket creating a water-tight seal between the two fabrics.

The end result is an exterior skin that is completely waterproof. Pretty amazing eh?!?!

Exciting the Urethane Molecules 

(Like Dancing - Without the Awkwardness)

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

Hope in the Salish Sea

Whales fill us with hope. If something so big can flourish here, maybe in time the smaller and less obvious parts of the puzzle can too.

-Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun

This quote is taken from a recent article in the Vancouver Sun. The article focuses on the surprising resurgence of marine mammals in the Salish Sea.

The Salish Sea is a 7,000 square kilometer body of water that includes the Juan de Fuca Strait, the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound. Within this territory is a complicated ecosystem that has seen a considerable amount of damage since the arrival of European settlers. Overfishing, commercial whaling, pollution, habitat destruction and climate change have all affected the region.

Concern for the marine mammals in this area began nearly 50 years ago when scientists started tracking and recording the dramatic dips in population. When the alarms sounded, measures were set in place to increase the numbers by limiting and in some cases banning commercial hunts.

Management of fish stocks, in regards to whale population, became important. Habitats were protected and pulp and paper mills that bordered endangered marine habitats were shutdown.

Marine life became a major concern for not only the scientists working on the West Coast, but also the residents living here.

And now for the good news.

Since the 1960s, the population of harbour seals, which once numbered as low as 15,000, is now over 100,00. The number of humpback whale sightings is up. The stellar sea lion population is thriving. And while the number of resident killer whales is down to 88 in the Salish Sea, the number of transient killer whales passing through our waters is up dramatically.

An increase in large mammal numbers means the smaller marine animals, further down the food chain, are increasing as well.

There are still 113 species of marine organisms that are threatened in the Salish Sea, but the increase in the larger mammals gives us hope. 

Interesting Fact: It takes 660 chinook a day to feed the resident killer whales in the Salish Sea. 

Feathercract. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

Navigation Lessons

Navigation is an important tool for sea kayakers of all abilities. From recognizing landmarks, to studying tidal charts, to using a compass, any paddler who intends to leave shore should have a basic navigation tool set.

If you're looking to upgrade or start from scratch, there are a variety of courses available to improve your nautical precision.

Here are two options for those living in Vancouver, Canada:

• David Dreves Kayaking, a tour, rental and instruction company, is offering a variety of courses both on the water and on land. 'Coffee shop' sessions offer information on marine forecasts, compass work, chart reading and trip planning. Each session is $20. The spring schedule has not been posted.

http://www.kayakcourses.ca/

• Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak is offering a theoretical and practical navigation course for intermediate paddlers. The course is a full day lesson, running out of Whytecliff Park, in West Vancouver. The first half of the day is spent learning the skills, well the second half is spent putting them into practice. This course costs $120. It is being offered on June 30th and again on August 11th.

 http://www.deepcovekayak.com/rental-and-lessons/

Hope to see you in the classroom!

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide. 

Iron Mountainwear Leg Armour

We have a soft spot for local innovators. We started with just an idea on how to make a light kayak that could collapse into a backpack. Then we perfected our design and added to our catalogue. Now our fleet includes kayaks with larger storage opportunities, sleeker frames for Greenland style touring and sit-on-top boats, for fun in warmer climates.

But back when we were starting, it was that first product, the K-Light, that got people talking. It was new, light and it got locals excited about an emerging sport.

Iron Mountainwear is doing the same thing with the downhill mountain bike scene.  They've created a new type of leg armour that can withstand the cruelest of punishments. They actually attempted to blow their armour up with 5000 lbs of explosives and were unsuccessful. This stuff is seriously tough.

It allows for a full range of motion from your knee, so you can ride the way you want to. With removable/washable pads, it won't smell like your hockey equipment bag and with vents on all sides, it will keep your leg cool for your entire ride.

Try it. You won't be disappointed.

We're excited for what they will dream up next.

Iron Mountainwear Shin and Knee Protection

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

Granville Island

Granville Island is the home of the Feathercraft factory. It is also the site of the world famous Public Market, two theatre venues, a plethora of artisan shops, the Emily Carr School of Design, the Granville Island Brewery, a kids water park, a cement factory and the Granville Island Hotel. Any visit to the city of Vancouver should include a trip to this unique district.

Feathercaft is one of the oldest operating companies on Granville Island. When the area was developed for commercial use in the late 1970s, Feathercraft was operating out of a small yellow shack, to narrow for a double boat to spin. In 1985, operations moved to the current location, on the eastern corner, near the Granville Island Hotel.

The factory now has the capacity to produce a full line of handmade kayaks that are shipped and sold all around the world.

Interested in visiting? Stop by between business hours and we will be more than happy to give you a tour.

If you have trouble finding our location, call us for directions. You can arrive by Aquabus, ride the seawall, take a public bus or park your vehicle within a one-minute walk.

If you're in Vancouver, it's worth your time to visit the home of one of Canada's most unique exports. 

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

Kayak Spotlight: "Klondike"

The Klondike is one of our most adaptable boats that we make. It can be used as a single kayak, a double or a double with a smaller third party option, for a child or pet.

Its unique open deck design allows you the flexibility (there's that word again) to alter your boat’s structure with a simple seat adjustment, crossrib move and a change of spray skirts. 

The open deck design gives you easy access to edible items, fishing gear or camera equipment.

The Klondike is considered a medium volume kayak, with a recommended max trip length of two weeks.

Klondike's Specs:

Skill Level: Intermediate

Assembly: 45 min

Length: 5.43 m x 77.5 cm (17' 10" x 31")

Weight: 34.25 kg (75.5 lbs)

Cockpit Size: 209 cm x 53 cm (83" x 20.75")

Rudder: Included

Borrowing a certain slogan from a delicious ice cream bar company - we ask the question:
"What would you do 'with' a Klondike?"
We would paddle the world. And we have. 

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

Made in Canada

What does a 'Made in Canada' tag mean to you?

To us, it means quality control, environmental responsibility and a commitment to the local economy.

When a product is built in Canada, it is manufactured under strict regulations. It is built to preform at a certain standard and function safely. When products are constructed offshore, the manufacturing quality has the potential to suffer dramatically. 

With fewer environmental checks and balances, many offshore factories produce a higher quantity of industrial admissions. These admissions are adding to the global degradation of our atmosphere and are making the planet a little less habitable every day.

When products are produced overseas, the amount of transportation pollution increases ten-fold. When Canadian companies construct their own products, they eliminate the extra pollution produced by shipping.

A 'Made in Canada' tag also tells you that Canadians were employed in the manufacturing process. With the current economic climate, keeping jobs in Canada is important to every Canadian. A strong manufacturing industry encourages foreign investment and increases the value of Canadian products worldwide. 

Feathercraft is committed to building quality kayaks in a safe, environmentally conscious, local environment. That is why each one of our boats comes with a 'Made in Canada' tag.

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

The Idea of a Folding Kayak

Why do we create folding kayaks instead of rigid boats? The answer is simple: flexibility.

With a folding kayak you can store your boat in almost any living space. Every kayak we manufacture comes apart in a simple disassembly process. The skin, hull, rudder and skirt all fit into specifically designed backpacks for easy storage.

Assembled, or in its compact form, a Feathercraft kayak is one of the lightest boats on the market. Our ultralight K-Light weighs approximately 14.9 kg, just under 33 lbs. A rigid frame kayak is much heavier.

With a light boat that can be disassembled, the options for travel dramatically increase. Check your boat on a plane, carry it in the back of your hatchback or portage with freedom - with a folding kayak their are no limitations. 

Flexibility also extends to the paddle experience. A folding kayak is unique in the way it joins the paddler and the body of water it is traveling over. Wave energy is absorbed effortlessly with a skin design, allowing for a safer, less disruptive ride.  

Environmental connection, increased travel possibilities, lighter boats, easier storage - Why make folding kayaks...? Why would we make anything else?

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.

Our New Blog

Welcome to Feathercraft's new blog site.
Feathercraft is Canada's leading designer and manufacturer of folding kayaks. Our kayaks are based on an ancient skin design. We have replaced animal hides with urethane fabrics, welded together to create a seamless skin composed of a deck and hull layer. Our aluminum frames are ultralight and are made of the same alloy utilized in airline construction.  Buoyancy is achieved with the help of sponson chambers that run along the inside of the frame.

Each kayak that we design folds up and fits in a backpack that can be stored easily in the closet of any home. 

These unique boats are all handmade by the skilled staff at our factory on Granville Island, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

We hope you enjoy reading our posts.

Feathercraft. Made in Canada. Paddled Worldwide.