In a message dated 1/30/00 10:21:38 AM Pacific Standard Time, rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com writes: << Plastic kayaks have leak-susceptible bulkheads. No matter what the manufacturers say, they can leak (perhaps that is too blanket a statement). You should always use airbags in any plastic kayak regardless of the presence of bulkheads. >> Sea Kayakers, The bulkheads in the plastic VCP Skerray I recently sold didn't leak, and they where the welded in plastic type. The bulkheads in my plastic Necky Looksha IV don't leak either. Like a lot of other plastic kayaks, the bulkheads in the Looksha are 3" closed cell foam with sealant around the edges. By the way, my fiberglass Necky Arluk II and fiberglass Northwest Seascape have the exact same type of bulkheads, and these fiberglass hulls flex as much as the plastic Looksha. The Seascape bulkheads are starting to leak, because the sealant is old. I will have to reseal it soon. Whether your kayak is plastic or fiberglass, you may occasionally have to perform maintenance on the bulkheads in them. The only reason plastic kayaks may have leaking bulkheads more often is because of the abuse these kayaks take. Many of them are very old and have been stacked, sat on, stored improperly, and left out side to weather and bake in the sun, while fiberglass kayaks are treated like precious china. All kinds of kayaks have leaking problems. There were recent posts on this list about an all mighty fiberglass Romany having a leaking skeg box, and there have been some posts about leaking seams in a variety fiberglass kayaks. On the crossings I made in my plastic kayak last year, I didn't use air bags for back up flotation. I did have a couple water proof bags I used to make sure my sleeping bag and clothes stayed dry from typical hatch leakage, but they weren't for and wouldn't have provided much extra flotation. I won't be using air bags on the crossings I have planned in my plastic kayak this year either. However, back up flotation probably isn't a bad idea in any sea kayak, whether it be plastic or fiberglass. Plastic kayaks, and the bulkheads in them, don't deserve the bad rap they keep getting. Duane Strosaker Defender of Plastic Kayaks! <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/pirateseakayaker/index.html">Pirate Sea Kayaker</A> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Jan 30 2000 - 11:54:38 PST
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