Marine

Oru "origami" kayak heading for production

Oru "origami" kayak heading for production
The Oru folding kayak should soon be heading into commercial production
The Oru folding kayak should soon be heading into commercial production
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The Oro can reportedly be assembled in about five minutes
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The Oro can reportedly be assembled in about five minutes
The Oro folds down into a portfolio-sized case
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The Oro folds down into a portfolio-sized case
The Oru measures 12 feet (3.7 meters) long by 25 inches (0.6 meters) wide, weighs 25 pounds (11 kg) and has a carrying capacity of 260 pounds (118 kg)
3/5
The Oru measures 12 feet (3.7 meters) long by 25 inches (0.6 meters) wide, weighs 25 pounds (11 kg) and has a carrying capacity of 260 pounds (118 kg)
The Oru folding kayak should soon be heading into commercial production
4/5
The Oru folding kayak should soon be heading into commercial production
According to its makers, the Oru can stand up to at least 20,000 fold cycles without leaking
5/5
According to its makers, the Oru can stand up to at least 20,000 fold cycles without leaking
View gallery - 5 images

Just a couple of months ago, we first heard about the Oru – a prototype touring kayak made from corrugated plastic, that can be folded up and carried like an art portfolio. Designer Anton Willis and his team have since launched a crowd-funding campaign that has already far exceeded its goal ... which means that the Oru should soon be available to buy.

Unlike other folding kayaks that consist of multiple parts including a frame and skin, the main body of the Oru is made up of a single prefolded piece of plastic. Once folded into shape, the boat is held together using attached straps with quick-release buckles. The entire assembly process is said to take about five minutes (once users get the hang of it), and according to its makers, the kayak can stand up to at least 20,000 fold cycles without leaking.

The current version of the Oru features adjustable foot rests, a foam seat and back band, a rubber deck strap for securing gear, and a coaming (cockpit rim) that should accept most commercial spray skirts.

The Oro can reportedly be assembled in about five minutes
The Oro can reportedly be assembled in about five minutes

It measures 12 feet (3.7 meters) long by 25 inches (0.6 meters) wide, weighs 25 pounds (11 kg) and has a carrying capacity of 260 pounds (118 kg). Once folded down and put in its shoulder strap-equipped carrying case, it measures 33 x 29 x 10 inches (84 x 74 x 25 cm).

Willis and his team set out to raise US$80,000 in production funds, and at the time of this writing are already at over $224,600 – and there are still 21 days left to go. If you want to reserve an Oru of your own, you’ll need to pledge a minimum of $800. Lower pledges will still get you a discount off the final retail price of $850.

The kayak can be seen in use in the pitch video below.

Source: Kickstarter

View gallery - 5 images
2 comments
2 comments
Fritz Menzel
Wow, as a soon-to-be retired wanderer/casual kayaker I was thinking, 'Come on, you can't beat the inflatables for tuck-away travel convenience.' But then I watched the video and this might actually be better.
mgb
The thing I love most about this kayak is the name, what a great play on words...must have had a bit of help from someone who knows Japanese: oru means to fold (hence ori-gami= folding/folded paper), but also when the o is pronounced the English way by making it longer such as in the word "or" pronounced in British English,it then becomes the same pronunciation as "ouru" in Japanese, borrowed from the English "oar"! The Japanese love these kinds of "dajare" or silly puns.