>I consider Royalex a heavy material for portaging, >more suited for whitewater than for lake travel. Since European FRP canoes typically weigh more than 35 kg to well over 40 kg/88 lbs, we consider(ed) Royalex as a lightweight material in the Netherlands! The last(!) German FRP canoe I bought, was a 17.5 footer advertised for 30 kg/66 lbs and actually weighed 45 kg/100 lbs! The builder was very surprised/annoyed when I returned the boat because of this! >My skin coat, foam core, FRP, Wenonah Jensen 18, which I bought for >paddling and portaging in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, >weighs about 24 kg, versus 32 to 36 kg for a typical Royalex canoe. This will probably be comparing apples with eggs, but I assume a Wenonah Jensen 18 built in Royalex should weigh not much more than 30 kg/66 lbs? That can hardly be called heavy? My own Royalex touring canoe (an American model of course, but only available in Europe!?) which is comparable to the Jensen 18, weighs 30.5 kg/67 lbs. But being made from Royalex it gives me at least much more 'peace of mind' in demanding situations, while portaging is still a bearable option for me. Of course, if this model was available in a vacuum bagged Kevlar 'expedition' lay-up weighing say 27 kg/60 lbs, I would now start saving money for it. But I admit to probably hold on to my Royalex version for the somewhat more difficult rivers, more for psychical than physical reasons, because the performance would probably be almost the same as the FRP version. Dirk Barends the Netherlands *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
>>> This will probably be comparing apples with eggs, but I assume a Wenonah Jensen 18 built in Royalex should weigh not much more than 30 kg/66 lbs? That can hardly be called heavy? My own Royalex touring canoe (an American model of course, but only available in Europe!?) which is comparable to the Jensen 18, weighs 30.5 kg/67 lbs. But being made from Royalex it gives me at least much more 'peace of mind' in demanding situations, while portaging is still a bearable option for me. Of course, if this model was available in a vacuum bagged Kevlar 'expedition' lay-up weighing say 27 kg/60 lbs, I would now start saving money for it. But I admit to probably hold on to my Royalex version for the somewhat more difficult rivers, more for psychical than physical reasons, because the performance would probably be almost the same as the FRP version. Dirk Barends the Netherlands >>> I think early Royalex canoes weighed about the same as standard-weight aluminum canoes -- about 76-80 lbs. -- but a visit to the We-no-nah Web site at http://www.wenonah.com/ showed me that their current Royalex models run mostly about 62-66 lbs., which is about the same as their heaviest FRP layups, so you are correct, though I consider 66 lbs. a tad on the heavy side for long portages. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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