Re: [Paddlewise] Magazine out-Article by Doug L

Kevin Stevens said:

>
> I'm surprised (and impressed) that the various repairs, patches, and re-seams
> (apart from the end-pours and other modifications) haven't added more weight
> than that.

The re-seam job actually added a fair bit of weight. You only have to flounder once
at sea, to never want that to happen again. With most of the epoxy glass work I did,
I put down each layer a day or two apart, sanding and cleaning with solvent each
time. This helps remove some of the excess epoxy and keeps the overall layers as
thin as possible, yet strong and flexible where it needs to be. I also try not to
pre-wet the cloth tape too much, but rather let it soak in after brushing the area
to be stregthened/fitted first. Where I do do two layers at once, I don't wet-out
the second layer, but rather let the first one absorb its excess resin into the
second layer, then "dimmple" the second layer into the first. When I repaint the
kayak, I sand between coats, just until I'm almost through, before spraying the next
coat. Again, this keeps it as light as possible.

There are a lot more mod's to the boat than you may realize, including a hatch and
opening molded into the deck for an access port to the rudder pedals and foot pump;
imbedded brass in the last 12 inches of the stern keel; all the glass to hold down
the interior ash keel; and 20 deck fittings that were molded and glassed in with
epoxy. This added to the other modifications mentioned before, add a fair amount of
weight. Then there are the 4 lbs of Stainless Steel nuts, washers and bolts, etc.
:-)

You might want to note that I rarely do a shoulder carry with the heavy kayak. It
can be hard on the back, but more to the point, the wraparound bulkhead that forms
behind my lumbar region while seated, means that I can not "tuck" my shoulder under
the cockpit rim on the inside very well during a carry, without it slipping off. So
the point is mute. What I have done is add a carrying handle just abaft of the
cockpit rim. My other hand grabs the front deck of the kayak by opening the deck
hatch to the knee tube first. This allows me to grab under the rim and then to lift
the kayak easily, and crab-walk it where I need to go. Of course, with a replaceable
plastic bottom keel strip and brass, I can just drag it where I want it to go. The
perfect kayak for a knuckle-dragging ape man :-)

> How does your boat (pre-keelson, if you can remember) feel compared
> to a new boat?  I'm not thinking of the weight as much as the tenderness and
> heel, etc.

IT TRACKS MUCH BETTER, SO THAT THE RUDDER DOESN'T NEED TO BE EMPLOYED AS MUCH. WAVE
PEELOUTS REQUIRE A BIT MORE PROACTIVE THINKING, AND A LOT MORE LEAN -opps, hit caps
by error - sorry.

>  Has the boat ever started to feel "clunky", or would you even notice
> with as much time as you have in it?  (I once got back on an old road-race
> motorcycle of mine after a season on a newer one, and immediately thought I'd
> kill myself before I could get off the course.)

Yes, on flat water it is slower (compared to a new Nordkapp I took out a while
back). Paddling in moving water is a touch more tedious without the liveliness of a
lighter, less stiff kayak. However, my main design criteria is abrasion resistance,
and overall stiffness and strength in big water and hitting objects at see and on
reefs, and the ability to punch through with sufficient momentum during storm
paddling while at sea. I know enough respected, big name paddlers who share a
similar view about the need for weight in open water conditions. I'm sure there are
those who disagree with heavy weights being necessary for playing in big water.
Without meaning to sound rude, I could care less what anyone thinks, regardless of
viewpoint.

And without meaning to sound elitist, I've never had a fellow paddler follow me out
into big water where she's started to kick up real good. They usually want to head
for protection or shore. They were good paddlers too. I just don't think they had
ultimate trust in their equipment and boat.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (who hopes the tone of this post isn't misconstruded)

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