That would be the same as Royalite or R84 the thinner and lighter version of Royalex. The problem with this is that these lighter version are much more susceptible to cracking. The last thing you need for rocky class III rivers. The only positive is that they can weigh 8 - 10lbs less and for the maker a slightly lower cost of raw materials and maybe a bit less time in the "oven". All my Royalite boats have developed serious cracks.
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Happy National Blueberry Pie Day! 🫐🥧
Swift with new "UV shield" and Heat cured Epoxy resin built boats new for 2024
- Thread starter mitch7
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That would be the same as Royalite or R84 the thinner and lighter version of Royalex. The problem with this is that these lighter version are much more susceptible to cracking. The last thing you need for rocky class III rivers. The only positive is that they can weigh 8 - 10lbs less and for the maker a slightly lower cost of raw materials and maybe a bit less time in the "oven". All my Royalite boats have developed serious cracks.
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I dragged my first strip build downstream for quite a few miles last Fall and it seemed to hold up great (admittedly, not as well as a poly but the weight penalty was less severe also). Another advantage to building is that (at least IMO) they're somewhat disposable.
Kind of a "I built it, I didn't break the bank doing so and it won't break my heart to build another when this one fails" kinda thing.
I bought quite a few royal-lite prospectors from Nova Craft for the school club, they came in around 55 pounds I think. They are still going strong after having had quite a bit of abuse/ The hulls are less rigid than full royalex, and some flex of the hull might show up when paddling it empty, but for durability, I would probably choose it over tuff stuff.
As for Swifts latest wizardry, if I win the lottery, I would probably buy the prospector 14 and give it a good beating this summer and give you guys a real life review, but in lieu of that, all I've got to say is that hype seldom translates into reality.
As for Swifts latest wizardry, if I win the lottery, I would probably buy the prospector 14 and give it a good beating this summer and give you guys a real life review, but in lieu of that, all I've got to say is that hype seldom translates into reality.
I tried that already and still won't open.
Here's what I pasted:
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I suspect the issue is this site's "profanity" filter. The actual link contains a word the algorithm finds objectionable and I've noticed before that that word gets changed automatically to "heck" (which is not a place at all). Once the word is changed, no amount of cutting and pasting will get you there.
Best course is to follow the link as posted, which takes you to the blog. When it says "I have no idea what you're looking for", type in "Spencer" in the search window in the upper right. The article referenced will then pop right up with wording that is a bit more colorful but makes more sense if one was using the noun as a destination.
I agree with that analysis, which I didn't think of when I was struggling to link the article. The filter does change he*l to heck. That creates some other anomalies such as Heck's Canyon and Heck Hole rapid.
That is my Dragonfly...
They were demoing this at canoecopia. They had samples and would scrap it hard with a rock. Looked pretty scratched. Then wipe or buff hard with soft cloth, then repeat with 303. You could still see some surface imperfections if the reflection was just right, but generally the scratches did disappear.
Did they do a side by side comparison with their other layups to show the difference?
Alan
I can scratch the "heck" out of one of my strippers - when it's dry it looks like someone dragged it down a gravel road fully loaded. When it's wet, it is difficult to see the damage. Not sure if 303 would do the same, but I'm thinking it would.
I don't know for sure if your stripper would be the same, but applying 303 to my gelcoated Mad River makes scratches appear the color of the gelcoat, rather than white—just as if the boat were wet. Thin, shallow scratches seem to vanish entirely, and wider or deeper ones (e.g. the accumulated wear along the keel line) become much less conspicuous (though they don't become glossy like the unscratched areas of the hull). Swift's new gelcoat may be fantastic, but the scratches disappearing after applying 303 is definitely not a new thing!
Not for me. I thought this added some physical protection of the fabric. And saves a few pounds?
Penetrol has been used for decades to make scratches optically "disappear" on composites. It's what Dave Curtis uses when refurbishing used canoes for sale, and he is the one who first recommended the treatment to me. Having experimented with it and 303 for years, I find Penetrol hides the scratches better and lasts longer than 303, which washes off in water more easily. I have frequently used Penetrol along with an application of 303 for UV protection. Searches should reveal several references to Penetrol on this site.
Used Penetrol many years ago and it is great at hiding scratches but didn’t like the colorful “oil slick” that followed me around. Looked like gasoline on the water.
Same here. I don't bother trying to hide scratches and just fill gouges with epoxy and call it good. The new outer coating that Swift is using is more about protection from real damage. The UV protection is a plus.
