An uninspiring subject-heading, I'm afraid, but something that's been on my mind for over a month now, so: I own a K-Light, and love it for, among other reasons, the two mentioned in recent threads: excellent tracking and sensuous feeling of being one with the water. I spent this past summer in British Columbia, and while paddling around Salt Spring Island I noticed what looked like a serious crack in the cockpit coaming. I wrapped it with multiple layers of duct tape and hoped for the best, but wasn't really surprised, given the inevitable flex that the coaming is subjected to, that the crack grew larger during my next paddling session, developing finally into a complete fracture. Fortunately I was heading into Vancouver the following day, so I stopped in immediately at the Feathercraft factory on Granville Island and showed the broken coaming to the person there. I asked him if such failures were common with K-Light cockpit coamings and he said, "They're not really common, but they're not unprecedented." Needless to say, Feathercraft took full responsibility and handed me another coaming on the spot, but the incident left me with some questions. The thought of a similar component-failure happening when I don't happen to be within a day's ferry-ride of Vancouver is pretty unappetizing. I've been told, and I believe that Feathercraft's literature mentions that the cockpit coaming is the most complex and difficult component to manufacture. Certainly it takes a great deal of strain, whether during portages, re-entries after wet-exits, or just the ordinary flexing associated with wave action. And since the coaming serves as the `frame' of the backpack in which the disassembled boat is packed, there is probably the possibility of shock and damage when it is transported (like other K-Lights, mine gets taken on airplane trips as checked luggage). I'm wondering if other Feathercraft owners have experienced similar problems with cracked or broken cockpit coamings. Also, is their any experienced-based wisdom out there regarding ways to minimize the strain placed on that component? David Kosofsky Seoul, Korea *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, 9 Sep 1999, David Kosofsky wrote: > I've been told, and I believe that Feathercraft's literature mentions that > the cockpit coaming is the most complex and difficult component to > manufacture. Certainly it takes a great deal of strain, whether during > portages, re-entries after wet-exits, or just the ordinary flexing > associated with wave action. > is their any experienced-based wisdom out there regarding ways to > minimize the strain placed on that component? It was suggested to me that when entering or exiting the boat, one should push off the gunwale bars, not the coaming (or perhaps plant your hands on the deck between the coaming and gunwales). Naturally I assume it's a good idea to put no more weight on the deck than is needed, e.g. also put weight on the dock, on the K-Light's floor, etc. -Peter *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter W wrote: > > On Thu, 9 Sep 1999, David Kosofsky wrote: > > > I've been told, and I believe that Feathercraft's literature mentions that > > the cockpit coaming is the most complex and difficult component to > > manufacture. Certainly it takes a great deal of strain, whether during > > portages, re-entries after wet-exits, or just the ordinary flexing > > associated with wave action. > > > is their any experienced-based wisdom out there regarding ways to > > minimize the strain placed on that component? > > It was suggested to me that when entering or exiting the boat, one should > push off the gunwale bars, not the coaming (or perhaps plant your hands on > the deck between the coaming and gunwales). Naturally I assume it's a good > idea to put no more weight on the deck than is needed, e.g. also put > weight on the dock, on the K-Light's floor, etc. > > -Peter > A couple of points regarding the Feathercraft coamings: 1. They are indeed complex and costly for the company to have made (they, for example, make up a sizable percentage of the cost of the K-Light, a figure that would surprise you). At one point early on, Feathercraft had to reject a significant number of those that it got from its supplier because of cracks. I don't knowwhat its supplier situation is now, but I do know that Feathercraft inspects everyone they get very carefully. 2. The current coaming being used is a lot tougher than the earlier one. You can tell if you have an early one as opposed to a newer one by the surface. The older ones are shiny black; the newer ones matte black. The change was made just within the last two years. 3. You need to protect the coaming in transit. The easiest way that I know and which I recommended in an article awhile ago in my newsletter is to run pipe insulation tubing around its entire circumferance when ever you are traveling where the bag will be handled by others such as on airlines. Pipe insulation, available at hardware stores and Home Depot type superstores, will go a long way to protecting the most fragile part of the coaming, its outer sharp edge (also a week point in fiberglass composite hardshells I may add), Look for the type of pipe insulation with a longitudinal slit along one side, which is meant to ease wrapping pipe with it and works the same to run around the outside of the coaming. Avoid the kind that has glue strips in that slit as it will just gum up on your coaming. Be careful how you place the coaming in the bag; keep it as flat as possible so it isn't being bent over some frame parts in the bag. 4. As Peter W. rightly points out, avoid putting your weight on the coaming when getting in and out of your boat, especially the K-Light. Unlike its bigger sisters, the K-Light's coaming is not clamped down at it fore and aft points, and this can stress it more than in the other models. But regardless, avoid placing your hands on the coaming for support in any of the models (I would suggest the same caution with any coaming on any folding kayak although some models could take a gorilla hopping up and down on it). Instead place your hands on the gunwale bars as close to the crossrib in the rear of the cockpit which is a particularly strong part of the boat. You certainly can put weight on the coaming...they are not eggshell fragile; but why take a chance when there is a more solid support spot just next to where you might be tempted to place weight on the coaming. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The earlier fiberglass coamings were made of chopped strand mat and a good number were getting cracked or broken. Almost all during air transport. The newer ones use woven roving (I believe) a much stronger material. I don't think I have ever seen one of the newer ones broken. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com -----Original Message----- From: David Kosofsky <kosofsky_at_maincc.hufs.ac.kr> To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 7:06 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] Feathercraft K-Light Cockpit Coaming >An uninspiring subject-heading, I'm afraid, but something that's been on >my mind for over a month now, so: > >I own a K-Light, and love it for, among other reasons, the two mentioned >in recent threads: excellent tracking and sensuous feeling of being one >with the water. I spent this past summer in British Columbia, and >while paddling around Salt Spring Island I noticed what looked like a >serious crack in the cockpit coaming. I wrapped it with multiple layers >of duct tape and hoped for the best, but wasn't really surprised, given >the inevitable flex that the coaming is subjected to, that the crack grew >larger during my next paddling session, developing finally into a complete >fracture. > >Fortunately I was heading into Vancouver the following day, so I stopped >in immediately at the Feathercraft factory on Granville Island and showed >the broken coaming to the person there. I asked him if such failures were >common with K-Light cockpit coamings and he said, "They're not really >common, but they're not unprecedented." Needless to say, Feathercraft >took full responsibility and handed me another coaming on the spot, but >the incident left me with some questions. The thought of a similar >component-failure happening when I don't happen to be within a day's >ferry-ride of Vancouver is pretty unappetizing. > >I've been told, and I believe that Feathercraft's literature mentions that >the cockpit coaming is the most complex and difficult component to >manufacture. Certainly it takes a great deal of strain, whether during >portages, re-entries after wet-exits, or just the ordinary flexing >associated with wave action. And since the coaming serves as the `frame' >of the backpack in which the disassembled boat is packed, >there is probably the possibility of shock and damage when it is >transported (like other K-Lights, mine gets taken on airplane trips as >checked luggage). > >I'm wondering if other Feathercraft owners have experienced similar >problems with cracked or broken cockpit coamings. Also, is their any >experienced-based wisdom out there regarding ways to minimize the strain >placed on that component? > >David Kosofsky >Seoul, Korea > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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