KyPack: The Design and Fabrication of a Foldable Composite Kayak

Winona, Minnesota

The KyPack is a solution to a problem faced by many adventurous apartment dwellers, small car owners, and frequent travelers: they would like to purchase a kayak but have no space to store or haul it. Manufactured from fiberglass, carbon fiber, and waterproof silicone-coated polyester fabric, the KyPack is a lightweight, foldable watercraft which can be quickly assembled and disassembled for easy storage and transport. The kayak folds down into a thin rectangle that is fitted with carrying straps. It can then be unfolded and assembled on any beach or shoreline and used as a typical kayak. At the end of the day the user can simply break it down, fold it back into the packed shape, and carry it off like a backpack. The design of the KyPack allows for a variety of people to be able to use it while not having to worry about the hassle that comes with the use of bulky traditional kayaks. The goal of this project was to create a consumer product that reaches millions while highlighting the remarkable properties of composite materials. This was done by designing a kayak from scratch, tailored to the performance goals of people in this market. Currently, the design is being fabricated for testing and qualification. The next benchmark will be refining the design based on the test results and preparing for market.