[Paddlewise] Breaking Boats

I have been following this heavy boat/light boat thread with some interest.  I
have a boat which uses a "light" layup, and I am very leery of taking it out in
even mild surf, because I suspect it would get broken.  

In fact, I know it will break in six-foot surf, because its predecessor (same
model, same layup, AFAICT) broke forward of the cockpit when the previous owner
took off straight toward the beach on a six-footer.  It oil-canned and although
the keel survived with no apparent damage, there was a crack on the deck, the
side seam delaminated, and the coaming detached from the deck along its sides.

So when I hear Matt say don't worry about breaking your boat, I wonder how I
can tell what my boat can take.

Let's hear what folks who **have broken** boats have to say.  (Except for Doug 
Lloyd -- I think Doug is proud of having broken his British heavy several
times!)  I'd like to know what model you broke, and how you did it.

Then I'd like to hear what the manufacturer said when you took it back, broken,
and asked if the boat was guaranteed against breakage.

I'll start:  Eddyline Wind Dancer, broken in six-foot surf, 200 lb paddler, no
surf skills, went straight off, pearled, and oil-canned forward of the
cockpit.  Eddyline slimed on a cheesy glass patch under the deck and called it
good.  That patch came off easily (I **scraped** it off with a paint scraper),
but the boat was restored to function by replacing the patch, replacing the
side seams, and re-attaching the cockpit all of which added about five-six
pounds -- making it an American light-heavy, I suspect.  BTW, I sold it, and it
never came back, so I assume it never broke again.

I'd also like to hear Matt describe the conditions his Mariners will survive,
and what the nature of the guarantee is if someone brings back a boat broken in
surf (not by hitting docks, rocks, or a jet ski!!).

Who's next?

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR

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