> -----Original Message----- > From: PGevanthor_at_aol.com [mailto:PGevanthor_at_aol.com] > Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2000 9:10 PM snip > What do readers of the list know about the high > performance thermoplastic used by Prijon vs. the standard > plastic used by > Necky and most of the other plastic boats? Thanks foe any help. In my layman's understanding - Prijon uses a blowmolding process that utilizes a cross-linked polyethylene. Most other poly boat makers use a roto-molding process - linear polyethylene. The long polyethylene molecules in a cross-linked plastic are "linked" to each other thus forming a stronger bond and the result is a stiffer plastic. Linear plastics have the same long poly molecules all laying side by side - but without the crosslinks between molecules. I think that Old Town uses a composite polyethylene consisting of a linear polyethylene "skin" sandwiching a polyethylene foam core - supposed to be pretty stiff. Their ads also claim it adds flotation but I'd take that pill with a grain of salt. Flotation perhaps - significant in the event of a capsize well...YMMV. There was a post by Debbie Reeves(?) a while back about rescuing a swamped OT Loon that wasn't floating too well.... Is there a long-term durability or performance difference between the two? I can't really say. I think that both types are equally susceptible to UV degradation. The Prijon WW kayaks that I've seen (paddling buddies' boats) "seemed" stronger than some of the roto-molded kayaks, but that was strictly a subjective observation. My roto-mold Skerray is in its fifth year of life and I haven't had any cracks or _noticeable_ brittleness yet. (it's the brittleness that I can't detect that worries me!) If you decide to go with a plastic boat of whichever construction you will best serve it by storing it indoors and regularly treating it with something like 303. Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska *************************************************************************** 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 Wed May 31 2000 - 09:01:28 PDT
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