Feathercraft Heron User manual

The Legendary Performance of
YOUR ADVENTURE UNFOLDS
TM
Feathercraft Products Ltd. 4-1244 Cartwright Street on Granville Island, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6H 3R8
Toll Free: 1-888-681-8437 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] www.feathercraft.com [e-mail]
Heron
FOLDING KAYAKS

Feathercraft Heron 1
Contents
Heron Folding Kayak.............................................................Page 2
Specifications ........................................................................Page 3
Heron Frame .........................................................................Page 4
Care and Maintenance ..........................................................Page 5
Heron Assembly Instructions ................................................Page 7
The Feathercraft Sea Sock .....................................................Page 20
Disassembly..........................................................................Page 21

Feathercraft Heron 2
Built in coaming
Comfortable sling seat
Removeable air sponsons inside
skin along gunwales
Hull reinforced on outside over
keel and chine bars
Heron Folding Kayak

Feathercraft Heron 3
Seat: 420 denier rip stop nylon cover with
closed cell foam, inflatable seat back and
moulded plastic seat bottom
Accessories: Included with every kayak:
Double coated nylon spray skirt
Double coated nylon sea sock
Pivot Foot Brace
Calf Plates
Medium bow hatch
Small and large stern hatch
Repair Kit
Pack Bag
Rudder
Assembly instructions
Specifications
Length: 5.4m (17’ 7”)
Beam: 61cm (24”)
Weight: 24.5 kg (54 lbs)
Pack size: 98 x 50 x 31cm (38.5 x 19.5 x 12”)
Storage Volume: High
Frame: 3/4 and 5/8 round aluminum
magnesium alloy tubing with
clear anodized coating
Crossribs: 1/2” High Density Polyethylene
Skin Material: Welded Urethane

Feathercraft Heron 4
Heron Frame
Deck bars are at the top of the frame,
under the deck
Gunwale bars are the upper
most along the side
Keel bars are on the bottom
of the kayak
Chine bars are along the side, next up
from the keel

Feathercraft Heron 5
Care and Maintenance
The Frame
The tubular frame is very strong and corrosion resistant. We
recommend that the frame be disassembled after extensive use
(2 – 3 months). The inside and outside of the tubes should be
washed with fresh water. Try to keep the inserts and extension
bars free of sand and grit.
Included in your repair kit is a small dropper tube of Boeshield T-9.
This product is made by Boeing and is an excellent lubricant
and protectant for aluminum.
Aerosal containers of Boeshield can be found at marine hard-
ware stores. We also have available 4 oz bottles of Boeshield.
However, please note, that the lid closure is not suitable for
shipping after the bottle has been opened. This container
would be good for your “at home” clean-up.
Apply the Boeshield lubricant to frame tube inserts, spring but-
tons and sliding pieces prior to assembly. If you should leave
your boat assembled for a maximum of two months, this will
assist in preventing tubes seizing.
Other maintenance “musts”:
• everytwomonthscompletelydisassemblethekayak.
• washtheframecompletelywithfreshwater.
• reapplylubricantand/orwipedowntubeswith
Boeshield T-9.
• afterpaddling,spongeouttheinsideofthekayak.
Do not allow water to pool along keel bar.
The Skin
The surfaces of the skin will not rot. They are stable in sunlight
and are very tear-resistant. On the hull, areas likely to be
exposed to abrasion have been reinforced. However, we
recommend care when approaching shore. Sharp rocks, and
barnacles can penetrate the skin. Avoid pulling a loaded boat
over rocks whenever possible.
For patching and repairs, a patch kit is included. For quick field
repair, duct tape works very well, and is a good addition to
your repair kit.

Feathercraft Heron 6
Welded Sealskin
The Polytech deck and Duratek hull are urethane. Seams are
permanently sealed.
A patch kit is provided for deck, hull or sponson punctures.
The urethane glue will work for repairs to all of these fabrics.
For preparation and application, follow the instructions on the
adhesive container.
Sponsons
Due to the tight fit of the skin, the sponsons are under
considerable pressure and some seepage of air may occur.
It is advisable to periodically reinflate the sponsons. After
paddling on hot days, release air from sponsons.
To Repair/Replace Sponson
The sponsons can be completely removed from the sleeve sewn
to the inside of the skin. Turn the skin inside out. The sponson
chamber is open at bow and stern ends. Tie a long string
through the hole in the tab at the end of sponson. Pull sponson
through the center opening of the chamber (where sponson
hose is attached). To reinstall, pull the cord attached to the
new sponson back through the chamber. Ensure sponson is
not twisted in the chamber. Repeat with the opposite side.
Urethane glue and patches are included in the repair kit. Duct
tape works well on the sponsons.

Feathercraft Heron 7
pivot pedals chine & gunwale
extension bars in
seat sling
stern deck bar/horizontal
lever bar
stern deck bar/vertical
lever bar
keel extension bar
coaming rim inserts
hatch rimscalf-plates
(to be attached
to #3 crossrib)
cockpit bracing bars
Heron Frame Parts
crossribsskin seat

Feathercraft Heron 8
1 SET OUT FRAME PARTS AS ILLUSTRATED ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE
 • Stern and bow frame sections.
Bow deck bars have the single
band of white tape.
Stern section has the double
bands of black tape.
Bow section has foot track.
(see next page)

Feathercraft Heron 9
2 ASSEMBLE BOW SECTION
• “Shake”outbowsection. 
Shock corded tubes
take shape.
• Attach #1 bow crossrib to bow section.
Pin on crossrib goes
into black block.
Bow section with
foot track.

Feathercraft Heron 10
• Install#2crossrib
• Connectdeckbarwithspringbutton
and white tape.
• Slidethepivotpedalsinplacenow.
• Loopbungeecordwithclipsthrough
#2 crossrib as shown.
3 ASSEMBLE STERN SECTION
• Shakeoutsternsectionasyou
did the bow.
• Attachsterndeckbarwithdouble
band of black tape.
• #6and#5crossribareattachedthe
same as #1 and #2 for the bow.
Twister rotates closed.
Bow deck bar attaches
with spring button.
Completed bow section.

Feathercraft Heron 11
4 UNFOLD SKIN. INSERT BOW AND STERN FRAME SECTIONS.
• Slidebowandsternframesectionsintoskin.
Reach through hatches to pull frame into skin,
and align along the keel. Velcro closures are
attached to inside of the skin. Wrap these
around keel bar.
• Insert keel bar, sliding apart to connect bow and
stern keel bars.
Stern Bow

Feathercraft Heron 12
5 EXPAND EXTENSION BARS
a. Using the stern deck bars as horizontal and vertical lever
bars, extend the keel extension bar till the spring button
pops up in the first hole.
b. Insert Chine and Gunwale extension bars, keeping them in
the sleeves of the seat sling. Double bands of tape indicate
stern end.
c. Attach matching colours to bow and stern frame sections.
Expand chine extension bars to the first hole, as you did
with the keel extension bar. Expand gunwale extension
bars to the first hole.
d. Return to the Keel extension bar, and extend further, to
the center hole. Continue to expand each of the chine
and gunwale bars till each one is at the center hole. When
using the lever bars to extend, situate yourself across from
the parts you are working on. Each extension bar should
be extended to the same position.

Feathercraft Heron 13
6 INSTALLING LARGE CROSSRIBS
a. Insert #3 crossrib to bow.
b. Insert #4 crossrib to stern.
c. Crossribs slide over spring button. Screw end fits into
black block.
d. Under deck webbing with buckle loops around
stern crossrib.
Inside of the skin
Spring button

Feathercraft Heron 14
7 COMPLETE STERN SECTION
• Insert the Horizontal lever bar/stern
deck through the stern hatch; connects
to the deck bar attached to stern
frame section.
• InsertSterndeckbar/verticalleverbar
through the hatch. Bar slides through
hole in top of crossrib #4; slide back to
connect to deck bar, then twist to lock.
Hatch
Hatch
Hatch
Cockpit
Stern bar
Stern bar
Feathercraft Heron 14

Feathercraft Heron 15
8INSTALL REMAINING BOW DECK BAR
Rotate deck bar to lock
Insert deck bar through keyhole

Feathercraft Heron 16
9INSTALL RIM INSERTS
• Slideintopocketwithtabonundersideofcoamingrim.
10 INSTALL BRACING BARS
• Slideoversleeveonthighbracetowardsbow.Insertstern
end of tube (a) through hole in large stern crossrib. Insert
bow end (b) through hole in large bow crossrib. Slide over-
sleeve towards stern till snug and spring button appears.
• Webstrapgoesaroundgunwalebarandthighbrace.
Gunwale bar
a b
Thigh brace
Rim insert
Stern

Feathercraft Heron 17
11 INSTALL HATCH RIM AND COVERS
• Smallandlargehatchrimsareinstalledatthestern.
Medium hatch is on the bow. Remember to remove
hatch rims when rolling up the skin.
12 INSTALL RUDDER

Feathercraft Heron 18
13 INFLATE SPONSONS
• Turnthetopofthevalvetoopen.Wheninflating,alter-
nate sides to ensure the frame remains centered. The air
pressure from the sponsons can shift the frame within the
skin. Keep inflating until skin feels tight, and you can not
orally inflate any more.
CAUTION: If you leave the kayak sitting in the sun,
release air from sponsons.
14 INSTALL SEAT
• Inflateairbladderintheseatbacktosuit
personal comfort.
15 ATTACH CALF PLATES TO CROSSRIB #3
Calf plates

Feathercraft Heron 19
16 CONNECT PIVOT FOOT PEDAL TO RUDDER CABLES
Red web strap attaches to tension lock on foot
pedal webbing.
Foot pedals fold flat for easy gear loading.
When using the Sea Sock, no need to use bungee to hold
the pedals in the upright position. The sock keeps them
from falling forward.
Bungee loops around
side of crossrib; clips
to itself
Bungee cord
with clips