Got a question: why are we all so surprised and so concerned that a solid rubber product which we stretch onto stiff flanges, leave out for extended periods in hot sunlight, and expose regularly to salt water --- for most of us --- shows some signs of surface checking or deterioration after a few years' use? We all buy rubber tires for our cars, and, in a few years, note that the tread is worn down, and that, if we haven't regularly used 303 or similar products on the sidewalls, see surface deterioration, but we're not up in arms with Mr. Firestone. I don't get it. How many of us have had failures with VCP hatches? If we were concerned about these things cracking and falling off, sure --- then we should grill VCP for lunch. But that's not what this thread seems to be saying. My Pintail is nine years old. It is garage-stored, but will frequently live on my roof for days or a week at a time during the busier bits of paddling season, summer and year 'round. The hatches are original. They've been pretty regularly maintained with 303 --- although I hadn't heard of having to take them off during non-use (but I do loosen them and leave them over but not attached to the flanges). Are they crazed and do they have some surface cracking? Sure. Do they keep the air in and the water out? Yup, as well as when they were new. Have they cracked or fallen off or failed at a critical time? Nope. Sorry to throw water on the hatch-fire, y'all, but I don't see where the problem is. Do these things age? Sure --- as do we all. But, until these things show some significant indication of potential or impending failure, I don't see where cosmetic cracking is a problem. Nine years, same hatches, occasional 303. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Jul 27 2000 - 06:19:56 PDT
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:29 PDT