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The ONAK Foldable canoe designed by Otto Van De Steele revolutionizes the way outdoor equipment can be used and transported by urbanites. This canoe can be folded into a compact 48” by 16” case that can be stored easily in the trunk of a car or a cargo bike and even be taken aboard public transport. Co-founder Thomas Weyn wanted a way for city residents to be able to enjoy the waterways existing in many cities. “We wanted people to be able to experience canoeing wherever they are, even in the city.”
The design of the canoe is inspired by the origami foldable canoe, consisting of one main piece with a few other appendages. The limitations of origami required experimentation through models and over 15 prototypes were made to achieve a sleek and stable design which would be easy to assemble, even by beginners. It can be assembled in 10 minutes and folded back in less than 5 minutes.
Using the lightweight and recyclable thermo-formable, composite material by Honeycomb – Curv™, the canoe is durable and can be folded and folded numerous times. The framework was removed to keep the weight of the canoe down. Extremely buoyant, even when flooded with water, the canoe is called “unsinkable” due to the honey comb air cells in the material. The ONAK team conducted numerous tests even paddling it through an inch of ice. The canoe weighs 37 pounds when folded and can carry two adults and a child.
