Kap
Farvel by Rainforest Designs 
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| Kap
Farvel Design Statement:
The Kap Farvel came about in response to a request from our Japanese distributor for a day-touring, Greenland-style kayak. The Kap Farvel was conceived as a day paddling boat with the capacity to be used on weekend trips. The design is quite stable in spite of its narrow hull, because the thin ends and lots of rocker increase the draft and lower the paddler's center of gravity. The Kap Farvel has recessed deck fittings, flush hatches, bulkheads and no rudder. It can easily be controlled with paddle strokes and boat lean. The small cockpit, low deck and low volume make this a small-to moderate-sized paddler's boat. The Kap Farvel will reward skilled paddlers with its performance, but other paddlers will also enjoy paddling it. Steve Schleicher |
Reviewers: KN5'7",
125-pound female. Day trip in calm conditions with boat wakes. Kap Farvel Review: The reviewers liked the look of the Kap Farvel: "The upswept bow and stern, combined with the narrow, streamlined hull, give the boat a sleek and graceful appearance"(KC). The seams and bulkheads show "excellent craftsmanship," noted SN, though he found two small bubbles in the gel coat on the deck ridge. At 48 pounds,
the Kap Farvel is "lightweight, well balanced and easy to carry"
(KN). Toggles at the extreme ends of the kayak make for an easy
tandem carry and the U-bolts there are large enough to take a cable
for a security lock. The cockpit opening was not long enough for the reviewers to board the kayak butt first, then feet. SN, noting he has a 32" waist, thought the width of the cockpit opening and the seat felt "custom made" for him. The seat is a contoured piece of closed-cell foam with a mesh cover. The seat pad is attached to plastic brackets that can be unbolted and adjusted fore or aft. Though one of the brackets broke when SN was moving it, once he got the seat into the position that suited him, he noted that the "seat back is very comfortable and easily adjusted. The seat bottom fit me perfectly." KN also thought the seat was quite comfortable, although the slope of the seat "encourages a leaned-back position" not conducive to her upright paddling posture. Thigh bracing is provided by sheet foam glued to the underside contours of the deck. SN found it "very secure" and for KN it was a "comfortably snug fit." In the narrow cockpit, KC found she didn't have the leverage she would have had with her knees splayed a bit more. She relied more on "hip motion and leans to turn the boat." The foot braces are adjusted by a strap-and-buckle system that KC and SN found easy to adjust, but which KN had some trouble with. The foot braces rely on the webbing to resist foot pressure. All of the reviewers found that the foot braces were not as rigid as they could be for a boat without a rudder. KN also noted that the system squeaked as she paddled. The Kap Farvel's initial stability was described as "low" (KC), "moderate" (SN) and "high"(KN) with low secondary stability. While each of the reviewers had a different impression about how easy it was to set the boat on edge, they agreed that the boat turns well in response to edging both for turning and for making corrections to stay on a straight course.The Kap Farvel is not a strong tracking boat, so its response to edging is important in holding a course. "The deck does an excellent job of shedding water, which is good because the boat tended to get a lot of water on deck" (SN). When loaded with 50 pounds of gear, the boat had "a tendency to dive coming down the back side of a wave, [and] water sloshed up over the front hatch" (KC). The reviewers thought it was "relatively fast" (KN), and had " higher than average speed " (SN), although the attention paid to keeping a straight course was at the expense of speed. "The boat likes to go downwind and is fun on small waves" (KN). On boat wakes, KC found the Kap Farvel to be "lively and fun. It maneuvers well in small chop, turning easily on wave crests and remaining stable." SN thought the Kap Farvel "performed best on larger, more separated waves. On these waves I had no problem steering down the faces." In the chop, SN found that the Kap Farvel "wanted to turn parallel to the waves." The Kap Farvel
is "very easy to roll. The boat's shallow depth [and] low rear deck
[are] conducive to rolling" (KC). The Kap Farvel has a relatively low volume: under 10 cubic feet. As SN put it, "not enough space for a 15-pound turkey. Space is limited." The only leakage reported was by KC, who noted a few tablespoons of water after doing four rolls. The fiberglass lids and the neoprene covers are all tethered against loss, with the same cord attaching both pieces. The rear hatch has two bungies crossed over the hatch lid as well as the two straps securing it, "too much stuff to make opening and closing easy, especially with cold hands" (KN).The fiberglass bulkheads are watertight and the aft bulkhead slopes up to the coaming to make it easy to drain water from the cockpit. "My overall impression of the Kap Farvel is a positive one. I liked paddling the boat. It would be a fine boat for an intermediate paddler. It is not threatening in its stability, yet it is maneuverable enough to allow someone the opportunity to do some rock hopping and surfing as well as trips" (KN). "This is a fun boat for someone who likes to play in the waves and has a desire to explore" (SN). "This is a sporty kayak for the smaller paddler who wants to actively 'drive' a frisky boat" (KC).
Designer Response Thank you for
reviewing our Kap Farvel. We were pleased to find that the reviewers
had discovered the many nifty features that we feel make our kayaks
special. Our seats are especially comfortable, and the slope of
the seat can be adjusted to accommodate the more upright paddling
posture by removing the foam wedge from under the front of the seat.
Steve Schleicher
Options and Pricing Designed:
1997 Manufacturer's
Address: |
