A Belgian company is more than a third of the way towards a $166,000 USD Kickstarter campaign goal to produce a foldable canoe inspired by origami.
A folding canoe design to help city-dwellers paddle more
When ONAK founders Otto Van de Steene and Thomas Weyn found themselves wanting to travel with a canoe they would be able to use within a city, they decided to make it themselves. The origami design and the ability to unfold the canoe in ten minutes from its rectangular suitcase on wheels fits their goal of creating a boat that people can store without a lot of space available.
READ MORE: Folding kayak company aims to raise $427,325
The Brussels-based company created hundreds of paper models and fifteen prototypes before eventually choosing a narrow and fast design that maintains momentum on the water while still being stable. The canoe is 183 inches long and 33.5 inches wide, and weights 27 pounds when packed into its case on wheels. It has a carrying capacity of 441 to 551 pounds. The canoe case can be transported by cargo-bicycle, a key detail for many in European cities where two-wheeled commuting is the norm.
The canoe is built with ONAK’s own patent pending Honeycomb–Curv polypropylene, a tough and recyclable material that gives the boat extra buoyancy.
The intention of the Kickstarter campaign is to allow ONAK to automate and perfect the production of their canoes, which will be made in Germany and Belgium.
As of July 5, ONAK has raised $62,231 USD with 26 days remaining in their campaign.
