Oru, the origami-inspired folding kayak company, has introduced the world’s first folding kayak for two people. They give this incredible project the name ‘The Haven”. They have had launched single-seater models before.
Anton Willis, Oru chief designer, and company co-founder, explained, ‘we created the first-ever two-seated, tandem origami kayak, designed with families in mind; this boat is simple and intuitive to set up, and is easily converted into a single-seater.
A team has combined the ancient art of ‘origami’ with everything they’ve learned to date from their experience of designing foldable kayaks. They turned their experience and art into an unmatched and flawless tandem kayak. The Haven is readily convertible to a single-seater kayak with the switch of a few buckles for those times when you just want to fly solo for a bit.
The Haven is analogous to a traditional tandem kayak in almost every aspect. The 16-foot by 31-inch footprint is long enough to track well and wide enough to provide even amateur paddlers with decent stability. It is sturdy enough to boast a 450-pound capacity.
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It takes hardly 10 minutes to unpack, assemble, and turn into a boat from a box and two-seater to a single-seater. The Haven has been designed with an integrated rail system that lets you add many accessories for fishing, photography, picnics, or whatever else floats your boat. It is lightweight, sturdy, and durable on the water—the best ever space-saving solution for adventurers.
Willis says, “Oru believes that connecting to nature is a deep human need, and they strive to make the outdoors more accessible for all people through kayaking. With the option of bringing a second person aboard, Oru is opening the doors to nature for kids and people unable to carry a kayak.”
Unmatched features
- The kayak packs down to a compact 33-inch by15-inch by 30-inch “suitcase.”
- It handles flat and fast water well.
- It weighs 40 pounds, with a carrying capacity of 450 pounds.
- It uses a track system to support accessories.
- Made of 5mm double-layered custom-extruded polypropylene
- Manufacturer-rated for 20,000 fold cycles
- 10-year UV treatment
- Superior tracking and speed due to a rigid hull and fold patterns
They enumerated an additional four feet of length and a five-inch wider cockpit compared to Oru’s beach LT product. The Haven is 57% larger and fully assembled but still folds up into an easily transportable box merely 46% larger than the beach LT’s box. It’s stable enough to keep the kids safe and equipped with a universal rail platform to accommodate a variety of accessories.
Haven tester said, “The design is simple and felt sturdy and roomie for two people with a dog. It was intuitive to put together on the first assembly. I felt really comfortable in the Haven for my first ever kayaking experience.”
