Hey Everyone,

I am looking for some help on a project I am taking on as a thesis. I am an Industrial Designer, and if you happen to be unfamiliar with this discipline, just think: product design (its a lot like that). Anyways, my thesis is to investigate storage/transportation of kayaks and for the next 6 months develop a new solution/design for the storage/transportation problem. I am just getting into the research phase now.

I am specificifally intrigued by modular kayaks because they seem like a somewhat unexplored area. Ones that I have seen seem to have a lot of negative qualities. It got me thinking: there must be a better, more marketable solution.

Here's where you come in: I need your 2 cents. You guys have superior experience and knowledge over me on the subject. Do you own a modular kayak? Would you ever buy one? Would you even go near one? Why? Why not? What's good and what's down right aweful? Is there anything you would like to see in a design? I just need quality feedback from experienced kayakers.

Anything you can offer me would be great! Thank you for your time!

John K.

Market example:
www.point65.com/kategori/5050/modular.html

There are actually a number of modular or compact kayaks. Fluid kayaks makes a similar one to the Point 65 SOT, but Point 65 also came out with a bunch of sit inside rec/sea kayaks that are modular as well. Trak makes some of the highest performance, and they fit in a golf bag. PacBoat and Klepper have been making folding kayaks for a VERY long time. Can't remember the name, but within the past year someone brought a oragami like kayak to market as well. There are also a number of inflatable kayaks on the market that target this market, and some of them have rigid members to help increase performance. Durability, setup time and performance are usually the factors, or at least some of those, where these type of boats fall short. It also really depends on what sort of kayak you are trying to create: ww, sea, rec, SOT, etc... I'd love to see a modular ww kayak, especially if you really want a challenge