Submitted: 03-25-2002 by tchapin
We bought the Klondike for its performance and versatility. The Klondike is quite fast, easy cruising pace with two paddlers was 3.5 knots. It handles very well on the water but is not built like a barge so you have to pay attention in rough conditions. For me, the rudder stirrups took a bit of tweaking until the rudder felt right. The boat can haul a lot of gear and the hatches make loading much easier than other folding kayaks. It's not the fastest boat to set up, takes me over an hour by myself. Get the sailing rig, it's a total blast. My gps said we were doing well over 8 knots in about 15-20 knots of wind and we probably could have gone faster. Also get the seasocks. We practiced a rescue and the swamped boat must hold over a hundred gallons of water even when it's loaded with gear. We tried to drain the water as we were flipping the boat but it didn't seem to make much difference. With 2 people pumping, it would take a very long time to pump out the Klondike. The Klondike is definitely pricey, but it's a really sweet and versatile expedition boat that you throw on the plane or in the trunk. The final selling point for my fiance was the triple seat option for the future bambino paddler. |