Search results

The problem is that the epoxy casting would still be surrounded by the foam core of the gunnel and dependent on that bond for strength. I think if this happened to me, I would push the insert down below the surface of the gunnel, cover it with a small patch and forget about it, as I'm not sure...

Yes, I am sure you are correct. If Swift would manufacture under the same standards as NASA or MILSPEC this threaded insert would not have failed under any circumstance, foreseen or unforeseen. But geez, I can no longer afford a new Swift now!

Well, in Swift's defense, no one has ever had an issue with the inserts if guidelines were followed (or at least no one has ever posted about it). 'Sloppy work' seems a bit harsh. I recall one issue when the boat was dropped and struck the insert, forcing it down into the gunnel; another when...

Both Swift and Placid Boatworks have odd-shaped composite gunnels that make yoke clamps a challenge. The inserts were supposed to offer an alternative to the fabric yokes, but neither ever appealed to me. Northstar's E6 gunnels have a shape that allows for conventional clamps, but that would...

Some folks over on the Swift FB Group have come up with some novel ideas (but not very pretty)

You converted an Esquif Echo into a pack canoe with whitewater outfitting? Interesting......

I remembered seeing this come up once before:

I am glad my Kee 14 came without the inserts, as they always seemed to catch my thumb mid-stroke when I had them on my Cruiser. When you look at the cross section of the Swift gunnels, it all seems so delicate; I really hope I never experience a solid impact. I don't know what the repair...

Well, if you are determined to give this a try, the Wenonah Fusion is available with a rudder, because it tracked so poorly without. You could mount a rudder in much the same way (readily available aftermarket) and disable the steering function, thus making it a drop down skeg. All mounting...

Great for smaller dogs, mine preferred the front hatch. I had the Mini Canak, it was a novel boat, but cumbersome to portage and transport.

Literally just doing this a couple of days ago. If you don't address sharp scratches in the gelcoat, it tends to propagate, as shown in this pic. When I have a color that's very hard to match, like this seafoam green, I will use Gflex and then mix automotive paint or Krylon to cover with an...

I have never paddled one, but I went to look at one a few years ago and noticed how much flex there was in the hull and passed on it. In the 80's and 90's the Katahdin line of fiberglass canoes were offered by Old Town (displacing the earlier Carleton line), and then the Stillwater line...

I had a 1985 Whisper (Gen1) in FG for a while. I still maintain, although I have no proof, I could paddle faster in it than my 1997 Advantage. The 50 pounds eventually got the best of me though. She was fast, but a bear to turn.

Sold my last Royalex boat last year, the venerable Old Town Pack. Getting old sucks when you can't lift 35 pounds over your head anymore. Both remaining boats now Kevlar, 28 pounds max.

I wish them luck, I do. I would have thought someplace like Florida would have been a better choice, though, given the demographics and year-round paddling opportunity.

I have had 4 Swift Canoes and 3 kayaks in either Kevlar or Carbon Fusion over the years, and as much as I value the quality of their build, I must admit their composite hulls seem to be more susceptible to spider cracking from minor impacts. Most of the time, it is better to leave them alone...

Just a follow-up shout-out for Hornbeck. I ordered a new seat from them; came in two days, all necessary hardware, explicit instructions, a personal thank-you written on the order and a perfect fit. Customer service is everything.

Finally got my first paddle in today, shortened slightly by the limited available liquid H2O. NY's Finger Lake region can be iffy this time of year, first two choices were still frozen, but not parts of Conesus.

Happy to see Wenonah embrace infusion technology! I'm sure they will expand the offering to other models eventually. I wonder what's next: carbon fiber gunnels perhaps?

I have had a couple of all carbon boats, including a GRB Rambler. I do recall several times where I nearly burnt my hand on the hull when unloading after a long drive, but I think it would take more than a month of sun exposure to do any real damage. I also had a carbon Swift that was stored...