long distance boat?
If you're looking for a Kruger design without spending tons of bucks,
you might look for a used Loon or Monarch. The Loon is a design which
predates the Dreamcatcher, but it still has an extensive expedition
pedigree. The Loons were built by Sawyer until the late 80's. Mad
River built a version called the Monarch which is very similar. I
believe both were used on the circumnavigation of South America, but
my memory is fuzzy, it may have just been the Loon on that trip.
Used Loons, when they can be found, are not all that expensive. Our
shop currently has 2, a 43lb Kevlar version for $1750, and a 55lb
Glass for $1250. They are the Sawyer version, with the 4 way seat
(adjusts up, down, forward and backwards) and a rudder. If you look
online you might be able to find one locally for a good price,
shipping boats is expensive so I am not trying to sell mine here, just
giving comparative info.
The cross section on a Loon is a shallow arch. The boat is technically
a sea-canoe, since it has a canoe hull not a kayak hull (wider,
designed for the seat to rest above the waterline, open cockpit). I
believe the hull just meets 3/27 racing specifications, it is very
fast. If you slide the seat out, there is a 7' cockpit which you can
lay down and sleep in. We have run the boats through class II
whitewater without problem, they are incredibly seaworthy. For speed
raise the seat for a better paddling position, in rougher water drop
the seat for a lower center of gravity. I have not tried sailing one,
nor have I rigged a rowing system onto it, so I cannot testify to how
the boats handle in those scenarios.
The Loon and Monarch are built lighter than Krugers boats, because
they were being marketed to people more interested in performance than
tank like durability. The only downside is the rudders are very old,
and probably should be retrofitted with something a little more
modern.
However like Mike said, they meet the criteria. We have used them for
2+ week trips, so they have plenty of capacity.
Another boat which would meet the criteria is a Klepper, however it is
not nearly as fast as a Kruger. You can sleep in a Klepper, you can
sail them, they have been used to cross the Atlantic. The only
downside is their speed, or lack thereof. Incidentally the Klepper and
the Kruger look similar, and if you are just looking for the type of
craft that can do what you are looking for, it will probably share a
similar design.
Eric
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