Yolanda and I popped in to Knoydart while we were up in Lake District over the weekend to test some Feathercraft models we have been interested in for a while now.
Dave at the shop was really friendly and talked us through the model range before we headed over to a nearby lake to test out the Khatasalano and K1 Expedition.
We both fell in love when we tested the K1; it handles almost like a fibreglass kayak but still has that stable feeling you get in a foldable boat. It’s also really fast and easy to paddle both on flat water and against some sea. The Khatsalano was a nice boat that might give you that little extra in handling and speed but the construction has some extra assembly quirks that adds time and the hatches is very small and I can imagine endless fiddling and re-arranging to fit all the gear for a multi-day trip.
Dave is also a keen kayak sailor and told us about his extended trips along the Scottish coast with his K1 and a Balogh rig. The Khatsalano can not be fitted with a sailing rig.
The downside? Both boats are really expensive (£3000+)! However, people are now selling their 3-4 year old boats for nearly the same price they bought them for when they were new; a sign of the exceptional quality of the Feathercraft construction and selection of material.