FAQ
WHAT'S THE KAYAK MADE FROM?
The kayak is made from extruded polypropylene. It took much research and experimentation to come up with the right blend of UV tolerance and plasticity, wall thickness, skin thickness and flute spacing to optimise the strength and durability whilst maintaining the lightest possible weight.
HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Polypropylene is extremely durable and its UV resistance can be increased with additives such as you find in tree guards, real estate signs, etc. Typically you will get thousands of folds before holes can appear. These are easily patched and don't threaten the integrity of the kayak strength.
HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN IT HANDLE?
We have had testers up to 6'4" and 140kg cruise comfortably in the 488T. Maximum load should be kept below 200kg. We do not recommend the 488T for any person under 45kg as stronger winds can overpower control.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GETS A HOLE IN IT?
Paddle to the shore, then wipe it dry and apply one of the repair patches. Failing that, most duct & pool repair tapes adhere very readily to the hull as it is treated to accept adhesives.
WHY IS IT SO LIGHT?
We started with the lightest weight, waterproof product and combined it with several years of design and development. You'll notice triangulation of the corflute components adds strength and stiffness just where it's required. We've managed to keep the weight of the 488T to less than half of a carbon fibre kayak of the same length.
WHAT DOES THE T STAND FOR?
The T represents Touring which is what the 488T was designed and built to do. This also makes it an excellent recreational kayak for those who are unable to store or carry a traditional kayak.
IS THE ZIP WATERPROOF?
The YKK spiral zip will handle day to day flat water activities and keep you dry. A completely waterproof zip as found on some wetsuits might be able to replace the spiral one but generally the longevity is not as good and doesn't cope with the folding required by the design of our 488T. It's recommended that anything you want kept dry inside the hull should be put in dry bags.
ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A SMALLER ONE?
Due to its pack-down size being so tiny and light, we wonder how a smaller kayak would be an improvement. Having said that, yes we are working on a smaller one but it won't be as efficient in terms of load carrying capacity, hull speed and your ability to stay dry while on the water.