New Issue with my Swift portage yoke

[billconner]

I have a wood clamp on home for my DR Tranquility and use it to flip canoe without hesitation or any problem. I have the Swift clamp on carbon fiber home for Swift Prospector and just have to be a little careful, mostly tightening it, and very few problems. It seems the bolt on is not a cure-all.

 

[Black_Fly]

I flip my other canoes with an assist from the clamp on detachable yoke all the time. Never had an issue. Done it with this homemade screw on yoke too, never thought about it. Bouncing on the road is a lot more stress, when I think about it. I really envisioned the anchors being lavishly epoxied into the CF gunnels. Now that I know they’re just a glorified wall anchor, I wouldn’t imagine they’d be as strong a connection. I’ve always had aluminum gunnels, I reckon. Next boat, I’m going wood! At 44 lbs, I likely won’t adventure too far from the water with this Swiftie on my shoulders. My shoulders suck as it is. While I love the feel, handling and stability of the P14, it needs to be 12 lbs lighter to be a tripper. I’d love to have a p14 in a lighter hull, but not at the prices I’m seeing.

 

[Black_Fly]

One bright side to this is I can make a similar doohickey to tighten the loose anchor on me seat. I took the seat off to tighten the webbing and noticed a loose anchor there too. I guess it’s also just a mechanical connection.

 

[M Clemens]

One bright side to this is I can make a similar doohickey to tighten the loose anchor on me seat. I took the seat off to tighten the webbing and noticed a loose anchor there too. I guess it’s also just a mechanical connection.

Wondered if you caught this over on the Swift FB Group? Jeez.......

 

[Tryin']

Wondered if you caught this over on the Swift FB Group? Jeez.......

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If they are using RTV to anchor the seats and drywall poppets (equivalent) to anchor the yokes, my opinion of Swift just took a serious hit. I have a Shearwater and it is fantastic. But, it has standard-hung seating on aluminum gunwales and a clamp-on yoke system.

 

[M Clemens]

If they are using RTV to anchor the seats and drywall poppets (equivalent) to anchor the yokes, my opinion of Swift just took a serious hit. I have a Shearwater and it is fantastic. But, it has standard-hung seating on aluminum gunwales and a clamp-on yoke system.

C'mon now, not RTV and not the equivalent of drywall poppets. Riv-nuts and Plus-nuts are industrial grade fasteners, used them alot at Eastman Kodak 30 years ago. Something going on at Swift though. Makes you wonder if the couple of pound weight reduction for carbon gunnels and seat pods is worth the risk. I'll have to be more careful with my Keewaydin.

It just occurred to me, I do a shoulder carry from the launch back to the car which must put a strain on the side pods. Time to get busy on the yoke.

 

[Tryin']

C'mon now, not RTV and not the equivalent of drywall poppets. Riv-nuts and Plus-nuts are industrial grade fasteners, used them alot at Eastman Kodak 30 years ago. Something going on at Swift though. Makes you wonder if the couple of pound weight reduction for carbon gunnels and seat pods is worth the risk. I'll have to be more careful with my Keewaydin.

It just occurred to me, I do a shoulder carry from the launch back to the car which must put a strain on the side pods. Time to get busy on the yoke.

You are, of course, correct. Shock value statements aside, this was something I asked about at Canoecopia and was told that "there is no way these pods are coming off". I assumed they were at least using a full contact patch of epoxy or vinylester. Appears not.

 

[M Clemens]

You are, of course, correct. Shock value statements aside, this was something I asked about at Canoecopia and was told that "there is no way these pods are coming off". I assumed they were at least using a full contact patch of epoxy or vinylester. Appears not.

That is troubling, since the person who posted this issue on the Swift FB Group was not alone. There have been a couple of other issues, such as delamination of their epoxy shield that was posted in the Group and then mysteriously deleted. They have a reputation for 'swiftly' making good on any issues that people have, but disinformation does not become them.