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Telescoping Kayak
By : Design 1st, Rhys Kirk
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 15th edition
Discipline : Product
Categories : Other categories - Products / Concept in products : Gold Certification
The Telescoping Kayak is a first-of-its-kind collapsible water vessel (commonly known as a kayak or canoe), easy to transport and store. Custom designed for the water enthusiast with components that make it simple for users to collapse and carry, the Kayak revolutionizes the transport and storage process of personal water vessels without impacting functional and aesthetic quality. Kayak is currently a production-intent prototype that is attracting investors and fueling interest from industry leaders.
Kayak was inspired by the market opportunity and customer need for an easier way to transport and store a personal water vessel. Kayaks are bulky so getting them to the water is a task. Having the ability to collapse the kayak for transport inside a vehicle would solve the challenge. Kayaks also require a large storage location such as a garage or basement. Floating vessels are available with assemble and disassemble features; however, until now, they were difficult to assemble and disassemble and arduous for the user to transport.
Founder, Rhys Kirk, wanted to design a Kayak that allowed anyone to enjoy this water sport and not be hindered because of storage or transport difficulty. The one huge obstacle was to deliver on the convenience and not let water in. Design 1st worked closely with the founder to discover a concentric collapsing method and sealing technique.
The engineering team then developed a 3D “production-ready” design and a working prototype. The solution balanced many key aspects and met specific requirements such as being cost-effective to manufacture, easy to carry, and waterproof. With the convenience of fast expansion as well as comfortable paddling ergonomics and clean aesthetics, the design achieves the store, carry, use product features enabling this unique kayaking experience.
Collaboration
