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The Raptor 16 is a unique boat, which, with small improvements, can become an exceptional craft. In 2006 I was looking for a craft that I could easily handle by myself, so that I was not reliant on anyone else's assistance when loading onto/unloading from the car, launching/recovering or sailing, and the Raptor met these requirements. It is light enough to be 'portaged' (transported by hand) over extended distances. I also wanted a boat that I could store in my garage, suspended from the ceiling so that my car could enter as well. Initially, I thought my choices would be limited to kayaks, possibly with a rudimentary sail added for downwind assistance. However the Raptor 16, while weighing little more than a kayak, is a proper sailing boat, which is able to point well into even strong winds. The outrigger also gives it far superior stability in rough water, making it a much safer (and faster) touring option in my opinion.
I believe that Hydrovisions' design philosophy was to make a boat light enough to achieve these objectives and to allow it to be 'car toppable' (carried on a roof rack). This inevitably involved some compromises. Firstly, it is really only a one-person boat. Although Hydrovisions claim a lightweight passenger can be carried on the sidecar, this would be uncomfortable for anything other than a short ride* and would prevent anything being stowed on the sidecar (such as paddle or dagger-
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