Could Folding Kayak Make Spectating Convenient?

Don’t Miss The Spectator Boat

Have you ever gone to watch a regatta and either missed the spectator boat loading time or it was already full? Maybe there was space, but you just wanted to follow your own sailor and/or take photos. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could just pull a folding kayak and collapsing paddles out of your trunk?

My friend Steve just bought a pair of these Oru folding kayaks. I think that they could be great for use on some lakes for watching races if the waves and traffic weren’t an issue. I’d never heard of them before. I had learned of great advances in origami mathematics leading to applications by NASA for unfolding solar panels (see Related Content below), so it made immediate sense. Steve’s retired and has a fascinating life experiencing his area of northwestern Connecticut. I own two standard kayaks and have experienced the sadness of spotting a fabulous “put in” point without my kayaks on the roof. Why? Because I don’t kayak enough off lake to own a roof rack and I’m not in the habit of throwing them in the back. With these kayaks, I could keep one in the trunk at all times.

Be In Control

Another reason to have one is that sometimes the spectator boat wants to follow a section of the fleet far from your loved ones. Whether that’s because your sailors are way out in front or on the other side of the course, these folding kayaks could let you be in control.