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Guest
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2002 Current Designs Caribou. A 14 year old hard chined boat that has seen more miles use and abuse than imaginable.
The Everglades are an especially tough venue on a boat. Sharp limestone everywhere, oyster bars and, worst of all, worm rock (Sabelleriidea)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabellariidae
OK, worst of all, clients who suddenly opt to drag a full loaded boat up a concrete ramp. The sound you just heard is me cringing and crying aloud in warranty anguish.
The Caribou’s sharp keel needed a lot of client abused TLC, epoxy & G/flex mix and graphite powder. The Oriole’s colors black and orange “racing stripes”, hiding repairs to every sharp chine bottom and sides, needed repair and repaint, the hatch cover gaskets were falling apart and there was an interior crack under in the stern hatch compartment.
The foot brace bolts on the Caribou were getting a bit water weepy. The bolts were frozen in place, so the plan of installing new O-rings went out the window. A little schmere of Plumber’s Goop around the bolt heads (hopefully) did the trick, or it’ll be another warranty call back next spring.
2013 Current Designs Nomad. A single year of Everglades use and that expedition sized kayak had already worn through the (kinda thin) gel coat and well into the kevlar in four places.
Under both bulkheads (always an inflexibly stiff issue), for 54 inches along the sharp bow and 62 inches along the sharp stern.
The Nomad became a bit of an experiment. 1 inch S-glass tape along the bow wear, Dynel over the bulkheads wear and topcoated 1 inch E-glass tape over the stern wear. All laid up with West 105/206 and G/flex mix.
2002 Necky Looksha IV High Volume. A near pristine barn find steal. How can a 14 year old hull be in that good shape? An epoxy repair to a cracked hatch cover, a couple piece of High Intensity reflective tape on the stems and a better rudder catch that the OEM Necky thing and we were done.
Deck hook & bungee simple transport rudder restraint. Much more secure.
The Everglades are an especially tough venue on a boat. Sharp limestone everywhere, oyster bars and, worst of all, worm rock (Sabelleriidea)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabellariidae
OK, worst of all, clients who suddenly opt to drag a full loaded boat up a concrete ramp. The sound you just heard is me cringing and crying aloud in warranty anguish.
The Caribou’s sharp keel needed a lot of client abused TLC, epoxy & G/flex mix and graphite powder. The Oriole’s colors black and orange “racing stripes”, hiding repairs to every sharp chine bottom and sides, needed repair and repaint, the hatch cover gaskets were falling apart and there was an interior crack under in the stern hatch compartment.
The foot brace bolts on the Caribou were getting a bit water weepy. The bolts were frozen in place, so the plan of installing new O-rings went out the window. A little schmere of Plumber’s Goop around the bolt heads (hopefully) did the trick, or it’ll be another warranty call back next spring.
2013 Current Designs Nomad. A single year of Everglades use and that expedition sized kayak had already worn through the (kinda thin) gel coat and well into the kevlar in four places.
Under both bulkheads (always an inflexibly stiff issue), for 54 inches along the sharp bow and 62 inches along the sharp stern.
The Nomad became a bit of an experiment. 1 inch S-glass tape along the bow wear, Dynel over the bulkheads wear and topcoated 1 inch E-glass tape over the stern wear. All laid up with West 105/206 and G/flex mix.
2002 Necky Looksha IV High Volume. A near pristine barn find steal. How can a 14 year old hull be in that good shape? An epoxy repair to a cracked hatch cover, a couple piece of High Intensity reflective tape on the stems and a better rudder catch that the OEM Necky thing and we were done.
Deck hook & bungee simple transport rudder restraint. Much more secure.
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