Jane and I spent our summers paddling in Greenland. We bought a folding kayak from Folbot. It was their “Greenland II” model. So, naturally, we sent photos of the Greenland II in Greenland.
The photos went down well. 🙂 Here’s another:
So, when I decided to do a solo kayak expedition for a month in Uummannaq Fjord in 2010, I wondered if Folbot was interested in sponsoring the expedition with a solo kayak?
Absolutely, was the answer, or words to that effect.
Knowing that delays were the norm in Greenland, we agreed they would send the kayak a year early. So in April 2009 it arrived!
Folbot kayaks and folding kayaks like them are inspired by the traditional Greenland qajaq – a traditional skin-on-frame kayak. The frame was typically built from driftwood (no trees in Greenland!) and bound together with sealskin cord. Binding it allowed the frame to flex in the waves, absorbing the shock and allowing a qajaq to cope with more turbulent seas than the hardshell kayaks made of fiberglass and plastic today. The skin was sealskin, stitched to fit the frame.
The Folbot kayak – the sponsored model was the Kodiak – also absorbed the waves, but whereas a qajaq is super light and super fast, the Folbot wasn’t. 😉 But then I didn’t need it to be fast, I needed it to carry me and a month’s worth of gear, which it did admirably.
I took it out for a trial run in July 2009 – sneak peek below:
There’s a reason there’s a camera is strapped to the deckbag. More on that later when we get to the summer months!
Chris
P.S.
If you’re following this blog, you’ll know I’m digging through the hard drive and pulling out photos from the same date in Greenland, Canada, Alaska … even Denmark!
P.P.S.
Folbot, sadly, doesn’t exist anymore.
P.P.P.S.
Damn! I miss Greenland!
