Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25125
column: gear_ DESTINATION: THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COAST TRIP NOTES: Choose intrepid poddlers like Luke Shullenberger and Jean-Philippe Soule as your role models. In 1998, this duo readied their paddles for a two-and-a-half-year, 5,OOO-mile kayak expedition from Baja, Mexico, to Panama {crossing from the Pacific coast to the Caribbean coast over Guatemala!. On a paddle joumey like this, all the possible ways to mangle a kayak are magnified. "We've blundered onto rocky beaches in Bolo, been incised by coral teeth in Belize and slammed into submerged trees while descending the Rio Platano in the Mosquito Coast of Honduras," says Luke. On a trip like this, sure you'll have to deal with holes-rats might even add a few by chewing through the hulls---but the key is to patch and push on. Glue and duct tape stick quicker than fiberglass epoxy. You'll encounter all the big stuff-12-foot swells in Baja and elght- foot coastal rollers in the Caribbean-so make sure you are confident with surf landings, or at least a quick study. PS: For more information, check out Luke and Jean-Philippe's website {www.caske2000.org!. If you don't want to go solo: ... then don't attempt this trip! If, however, you want to do a portion of it, consider the following outfitters. Bend Outdoor Center, 541-389-7191, www.corw.com/bendoutdoor/costarLhtm. October through March, 7-21 days in Costa Rica, Chile and Ecuador, 7-day trip US$lAOO, 14 days US$2,410, 21 days US$3,250. Kayak Connection, 831-479-1121, www.cruzio.com/-kayakcon/index. html. March, 7-day trips in Belize, US$1,100 including food and lodging. Recommended Boat: Feathercraft Kl Boat Notes: The K1 is a soft-shell, foldable kayak, featuring welded-skin fabriC on the deck and hull. As a result, it can be easily folded up for travel purposes. To prove it, Luke outlines how he received the boat while living in Japan, took it to Thailand for training, then sent it to San Diego for takeoff. "The Feathercraft K1 is the Cadillac of kayaks," he explains via email from the Mosquito Coast in Honduras. "We chose it because of its performance characteristics and large storage capability, but mostly because it is packable and you can put it on an airplane with ease." For 2000, the Kl's fabric has been upgraded to Duratek to further enhance the boat's durability and waterproofness. Although a skin boat just isn't as durable as a plastic or fiberglass boat, the K1 is every bit as stable as its hard-shell counterparts and offers excellent tracking. As Luke writes, "We took them fully loaded with over 200 pounds of gear into 12-foot breaking swells, in storm conditions. No problems, no capsizes." Plus, the seat is super comfortable for long hours spent sitting on your butt. Feathercraft, 604-681-8437, www.feathercraft.com. $3,490 Length: 16 feet 6 inches Width: 25 inches Weight: 51 pounds 74