Folding Kayak

[jmpeltier]

Apologies if I missed a previous post about this, but I couldn't find one with a quick search...  I recently bought an 8' Portabote as my tender and keep it folded up on deck for storage.  It blocks one of the side decks and is a hassle to assemble on board, but I thought it'd be the best answer for a portable rigid dinghy that I can row.
Then I went kayaking one day and it occurred to me that a folding kayak is the way to go for exploration and grocery runs, but I was already stuck with the Portabote.  Now I have buyers remorse, especially after a few point-outs from others.  I thought I had extensively researched the topic...guess not!
I have an Orion 27 with limited topside storage.

What are your thoughts?  Do I keep the Portabote?  Ditch it for a quality folding kayak?  Recommendations on kayaks for those who have been there?

Thanks,
John

[tomwatt]

I hope this doesn't sound too preachy, just my thoughts & opinions, free advice being worth what you paid for it: Kayaks' performance are very sensitive to hull shape, chine, etc. Most kayakers go through quite a dance to find a boat they like... I can think of two brands/builds I would never go out in again simply because their moment of stability was so out of tune with my own build; as a result, I took a big roll into the drink with one, and could only sit in a weird, nervously hunched position in the other.
I have not used a folding kayak, so I cannot state that it is or is not a suitable boat for myself or you, but you should definitely try one before you buy. And that should include loading it for your intended purpose, as the weight - and therefore waterline - will also greatly impact the boat's behavior and performance. A kayak sitting with the DWL submerged tends to be very sluggish in the water and not something I'd want to be at sea in. Since you're supposed to "wear" a kayak rather than just sit in it, an overloaded one is a little like wearing a sumo suit to go running.
Just as an aside, I wonder if you might be able to mount a (normal) 13-15' sea kayak on one of the side decks in a modified car carrier mount (j-mount) without completely losing use of the deck and portlights? Cheers!

[jmpeltier]

Thanks for the advice, I'd definitely try out a folding kayak if one was available but it seems everyone has rigid kayaks around here.  Maybe I'll buy a used one off ebay before shelling out the cash for a new one.  I'd like to just get a rigid sit-in, but it'd have to sit up high or on my stanchions and I'm worried about not being able to reduce windage or damage to the stanchions.  I've had good luck with sit-ins, and others I've talked to say that folding yaks are more stable than the rigid variety due to the inflatable sponsons inside.  Decisions....

[Godot]

I have a cheapish inflatable kayak. I like tooling about it in, and thought it might make a decent portable dinghy. The problem is getting in and out of the darn thing. Doing it from a boat ladder I usually end up swimming. I'm sure there is a better way...