Folding canoe
A folding canoe is a canoe that can be dismantled in the shape of a canoe . It essentially consists of a flexible outer skin made of coated canvas or a PVC tarpaulin and a collapsible frame, mostly made of wood or aluminum tubes. Folding canoes are among the folding boats .
A folding canoe has various advantages over a party boat. When folded, the boat requires significantly less storage space and can be transported more easily (train journey, flight, car transport without roof rack). The weight of the folding canoe, especially the more recent constructions with aluminum frames and PVC tarpaulin, is significantly lower than that of most of the same size fixed boats.
The disadvantage is the time required to set up and dismantle the folding canoe, which can take around 30 to 60 minutes, depending on exercise and experience. The lower stiffness of the hull has a negative influence on speed and directional stability, on the other hand an advantage in waves and white water. The flexibility allows the boat to “ride” the waves more easily and glide over obstacles more easily. By using modern materials, the risk of damage is no longer higher than with fixed boats.