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Features
and Materials Details
Mountain
Ash and Baltic Birch Frame
The wood is air dried over three years and every frame
member is protected through three dip-painted coats
of premium marine varnish. The rugged I- and T- beam
construction withstands bending, twisting, and compression.
This ensures safe and successful transit through the
most adverse environments. The Aerius is carefully engineered
for demanding military and expedition use in rough open
seas, white-water navigation and sport sailing. The
natural wood frame enables quick and easy repair and
requires a minimum amount of maintenance to ensure a
lifetime of reliable service. Wood as a boat frame material
offers several major advantages: it is one of the strongest
and most functional materials available, is literally
maintenance free, allows for easy field repairs, and
has a specific gravity of less than 1. [return to top]
Orthopedic
Seats
Contour-Molded seats and backrest provide a superior
body-to-boat contact. These are arranged in a spacious
cockpit for the best trim and efficiency. The seats
may be supplemented with an adjustable lower lumbar
support system to provide hours of comfortable and stress-free
paddling.[return to top]
Cotton
/ Hemp Deck
All decks are made from selected Egyptian long-staple,
self-sealing cotton/hemp. This allows the deck to "breathe".
The natural air circulation eliminates excessive condensation
and provides natural waterproof insulation. In addition,
the natural material provides a perfect fit of the boat
skin and seals the deck watertight without the use of
chemicals or artificial sealers. The cotton hemp fibers
swell in contact with water, thus naturally waterproofing
the boat deck while still allowing air ventilation.
This eliminates the use and/or periodic reapplication
of chemical sealers.[return to top]
Hypalon
Hull
The boat hull is made of a heavy-duty Trevira-Polyester
weave core (similar to a car safety belt) that is coated
on both sides with a thick coat of proprietary synthetic
rubber (Hypalon). The synthetic rubber offers hull life
expectancies of 25-35 years. This manufacturing process
allows the hull to maintain it's shape and pliability
from - 25° C to + 65° C.
The
trevira-polyester core increases significantly the puncture
resistance of the hull and provides the necessary flexibility
for the skin and makes the hull nearly indestructible.
The
hull is built like a conveyor belt. Upon impact it flexes
and absorbs the energy, thus avoiding damage.
The
multi-layer hull provides the very best cold water insulation
and comfortable boat interior.
Hypalon
is a synthetic rubber. In the case of an accident a
hull puncture can simply and quickly be repaired, similar
to a bicycle or car tire inner tube, even in the field
and under the most adverse conditions.[return to top]
Slide'n
Snap Fittings
The corrosion-resistant Dural alloy slide'n snap frame
fittings make assembly effortless in minutes, provide
frame flex under the harshest conditions, and are 100%
mud and sand-proof. Further details at 'Assembly'.[return to top]
Upwind
Sailing
Mast foot, mast support bracket, stayfittings and rudder
bracket are standard on all models for the set up of
several upwind and downwind sail rigs which range from
14 to 55 square feet of surface area. Further details
at 'Sailing'.[return to top]
Hypalon/Trevira
Keelstrips
The keel is reinforced with additional Hypalon/Trevira
layers which provide superior protection against coral,
rock, and man-made hazards for Expedition models.[return to top]
Contour-Molded
Rubber Caps
Bow and stern are reinforced with thick contour-molded
rubber caps for maximum protection during landings and
take-offs.[return to top]
Tow
and Lift Fittings
Heavy-duty Dural alloy fittings on the bow and
stern of the boat deck allow for 600 pound tow and lift
operations. [return to top]
Integrated
Air Sponsons
Two (or four in the Quattro model) internally-mounted,
full length air sponsons contain between 65-150 liters
of air and assure maximum stability, safety and hull
protection. The air sponsons allow for effortless assembly
of the boat frame inside the boat skin, maximum protection
against capsizing and easy re-entry into a stable very
buoyant boat when swamped.
The
Aerius Quattro models with 4 Air Sponsons, are the only
kayaks in the world with an adjustable boat hull. Full
inflation of lower sponsons will result in a flatter,
rounder hull shape. You can therefore slightly change
underwater shape of hulls, as illustrated below.
Air
pressure in the air sponsons tightens the skin and acts
as a shock absorber to protect the skin against puncture.
Also, a flexible skin absorbs more wave energy, thus
making the kayak less susceptible to hydraulic forces.
Air pressure in the air sponsons compresses the boat
frame, and turns the frame into a very strong, flexible
"air plane fuselage", thus making the frame more damage
resistant to impact while retaining its energy-absorbing
characteristics.[return to top]
Bow-to-Stern
Warranty
This covers all defects in materials and workmanship.
All models of the Klepper Aerius series are hand-crafted
in Germany with the finest materials and master workmanship.
Proved through decades of use from the arctic to the
tropics, Klepper Kayaks are consistently selected by
expedition outfitters, military special forces and professional
sportsmen. [return to top]
Conversions
to: Solo-Paddling, Rowing, Motoring, Sport Sailing
Conversion to rowing and solo paddling is an option
for all two seater Aerius models.
Conversion
to sport sailing and motoring is optional for all Aerius
models.[return to top]
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