Day 105 Oru (Oragami Kayak)

It suffices to say that up here in Wisconsin we lived through one of the roughest winters in recent memory. So it was with much anticipation that I waited for the local lakes to finally thaw so I could get the Oru out on the water. Ironically it was on my very first outing that a twist of fate allowed me to benefit from the boat’s most notable feature. I was about a mile up the Eau Claire River having been forced into the main channel due to my favorite backwater short cuts still being iced over. I had just rounded the top of a mid-channel island to turn around and right there stuck upside down on a sand bar was a Wenonah canoe. The canoe was a bit beat up after apparently being stuck on/in the frozen river all winter. But, after a brief inspection, I figured with a little TLC (and a lot of glass and resin) this canoe could be nice to have, so I decided to take it home. At first I was kicking myself for not bringing a rope that I could use to tow it, but then it occurred to me that I could just fold up the Oru put it in the bottom of the canoe and use the kayak paddle to paddle the canoe home. It worked like a charm and all I could do was smile at the fortuitous chance of being there with a folding kayak. 

At twelve feet long and twenty five inches wide, the Oru tends toward the “Recreational” kayak genera of kayaks and its speed and basic handling reflect that (ie… deep seat, roomy, stable, easy to turn, not exactly a race horse). One notable difference is that impressed me is, unlike so many “Rec” boats, the Oru does not have an oversized cockpit opening. Instead the cockpit is sized like many sea kayaks and can be fitted with a ‘normal’ (Snap Dragon –large-) spray skirt. This normal sized cockpit combined with a not-too-deep deck allows for good body contact. It’s that body contact that allows a paddler to edge and roll the Oru effectively putting its overall handling more toward that of a touring kayak.

Of course there are always tradeoffs when you design a boat that can be stored in the trunk of your car. This is engineering not magic after all. And the Oru has a couple quirky things that at first I was a bit skeptical about. The first is the unusual foot brace which consists of a flat bar that is held in place by two straps anchored on the sides of the kayak. While the foot brace allows you to push firmly, it can “swing” up and down on the straps. At first I found it a little distracting but quickly came to enjoy the ability to change my foot and leg posture in the kayak while still maintaining contact on the foot brace. The second quirky thing that is a byproduct of the Oru’s foldability is the neoprene end caps that pull over the bow and stern of the boat and a few flat washered anchors that protrude through the hull. I feared these would create a bunch of drag and slow the boat down. Really though once you’re on the water you forget they’re even there.

So as far as paddling goes I feel the Oru fits in the “recreational” end of the spectrum in line with boats like the Necky Manitou 12 or Current Designs Kestrel 12.  As far as the Oru’s packability, I have to say it is by far the easiest kayak to set up and take down that I have ever seen. While other manufacturers SAY their boats can be assembled in twenty or even ten minutes, it’s actually true with the Oru. My first go at setting up the boat, with the Oru rep standing by offering pointers, was 15 minutes. The second try, even after not doing it for a while, was 11 minutes. This last time only 9 minutes and I know with practice I could do it even faster. I wager that when you compare the time it takes to load and unload a hard shell kayak on top of your car, overall it takes less time to get an Oru from storage to the water and back again.

Oru Review

Manufacturer = Oru Kayak
Brand = Oru
Model = Oru
Type = Packable Recreational
Material = Plastic
Length = 12'-0"
Width = 25"
Weight = 26 lbs.

Location = Eau Claire River - Schofield WI -
Time = 5:00 PM
Distance = aprox 3 miles
Duration = 1:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Cloudy and chilly with snow on the ground