Dave Kruger wrote: > > I have a vintage 1993 Eddyline Wind Dancer, which has a too-light layup on the > back deck, aft of the rear hatch. It's strong enough, but just not rigid > enough. When I slide my upper torso across it preparatory to re-entering the > cockpit (in a paddlefloat self-rescue), it flexes a lot. It has flexed so > badly, there are a couple loooong gel coat cracks. > > I'm not concerned about the ugliness of the gel coat cracks, but with the > effects of repeated flexes of the back deck. I suspect it will fail one of > these days. So, I have begun to reinforce it with epoxy/glass layers. Just thinking out loud. I seem to recall your commenting that you are a hefty size and weight. I wonder if what you should be doing instead of creating greater layers of kayak skins, you might want to put some reinforcement pillars inside the rear compartment. This would be similar to what whitewater kayaks have to prevent the paddler from being pinned in his boat if the boat gets crushed against a strainer or rock. It usually is in the form of a center pillar running part of the length of the boat (in the WW case, in the bow where the paddler's legs go). This might sacrifice some storage room in the stern compartment but you could devise a pattern of pillaring that would reduce the amount of space you would lose. Again, just thinking out loud. 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 - 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 Mon Feb 21 2000 - 05:43:45 PST
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