I have two kayaks, actually, and the thought makes me laugh, as I have virtually no skill and even less courage. Both of them are kept at my cottage on Sebago Lake, Maine. There are also two other small boats there (a very large, heavy canoe and an aluminum rowboat equipped with an ancient 4.5 hp outboard), but I almost never use them, because I'm usually there alone and I can't manage to get them out of their storage place and into the water by myself.

One of the kayaks is a small (10 feet, 40 pounds) Old Town kayak that I like very much. It's easy to paddle, and I can cover a surprising distance with minimal effort. I never go out when the water is rough (that lack of skill thing...), but when it's calm I really enjoy getting out on the water and exploring the shoreline. When I bought it, the marina folks tied it onto the top of my station wagon, but I've not had occasion to take it anywhere else and don't anticipate doing so. If I had to transport it overland, I'd probably put it inside the station wagon.

The other one is a Klepper folding kayak that a family friend gave to my father 30 years ago or more. It's really an ingenious design (love that German engineering) with a wooden frame and rubberized canvas "skin," and rubber air chambers around the waterline to provide floatation. The advantage, of course, is that when disassembled and stuffed into its bags it can be stored in a relatively small space and transported easily. The advertising says the whole thing can be carried "easily" by one man. My Ex tried it once and said, "yeah, for about 10 feet..." With practice, it takes about 20-30 minutes to assemble, depending on whether you're rigging it for sailing. Yes, I do have the sail rig -- aluminum masts, nylon sails, a rudder which is controlled by foot pedals, and wooden leeboards. My Ex and I used it mostly for sailing, and it was really fun, though surely not the world's best sailboat. On the other hand, the world's best sailboat can't be stored in an apartment closet. I haven't had occasion to use the Klepper for a couple of years (a friend and I capsized it last time out...), but I'll probably hang on to it for a while yet. You can find out more about these remarkable craft here and here. Come visit me at my cottage and we'll take it out for a spin!

Nancy