Re: [Paddlewise] Impex kayaks

Dear Clark and Paddlewisers,

	Now I believe that the Diamante uses a rather large gasketed 
hatch.  My instructors often use this boat, and report no problems. 
When I have paddled their boats, [no accounting for foolish 
instructors :-)  I have always found that I did need to take  extra 
care to close the hatch properly.  New gaskets always take a while to 
conform as well,  so I actually store my  new boats with the hatches 
on for a while.  After a bit of time, the gaskets become accustomed 
to the shape of the item to be sealed against. Like breaking in a new 
pair of shoes. Also, I have found that using 303 on gaskets help them 
slip along any side surface that they meet, so that they get to meet 
the opposing surface which compresses them properly.  Impex is 
struggling with  hatch design issues on the boat.  They transferred 
the gasket location either from or to the hatch.  rather than 
adhereing them to the boat, or vice versa.  I  would like to think if 
you bought a boat from them they would help you with a fix if the 
hatch was bad. I might ask the rep to give a promise in writing.

	I have seen Impex have problems with hatches before and this 
was a published response from a company rep.  This was on a glass 
boat, real money spent here.  It was in response to a question on 
major leakage.

  <snip>
We have recognized the problem with the hatch and the handles and we 
have made changes to the boat for 2001. The old Viking hatch on the 
Seabreeze is not watertproof  <sic>and
should not have been represented as such.

Johan
johan_at_impexkayak.com
<snip> from the discussion section of their site.

I do not know about you, but if I see a bulkhead and a hatch on a 
glass kayak, I assume it is not absolutely dry, but is adequate 
floatation.  They should offer major compensation to any owner of 
those boats.  The existence of a hatch and bulkhead is a 
"representation" in and of itself!  I am really put off by Johan's 
implication that the  leakage problem is with how it was 
"represented" not the design as executed.  Maybe if an original 
purchaser called them up and insisted they would give them some 
flotation/storage bags, or give them some money off on a new ride. 
Great compensation if you took a faulty boat out and croaked from 
inadequate flotation.  It is a glass boat and should have been 
soundly made.

	Impex boats have never impressed me and my cronies as quality 
leaders in execution of designs,  but the the designs of these boats 
as they affect basic performance (paddling turning etc, not hatches, 
skeg control placement etc), are good.  They tend to be at the bottom 
of their classes in terms of price, so I wouldn't look for them to be 
quality leaders.


Bottom Line:  (from my vantage point)

Two  very experienced instructors who are my friends use this boat. 
One can fault them for their choice of society, ;-)  but I depend on 
them and their boats if I have problems.  I have been comfortable 
doing this.   I have never seen a Diamante with leakage problems that 
could impair flotation. I have seen Impex display a much less than 
optimum attitude regarding hatch leakage problems.  Their recent 
major change in hatch design on this boat indicates that they are 
trying to make them better. Are they trying to improve them it from 
abysmal to acceptable, or from acceptable to great? No easy answers 
here

All the best,

Peter K.
















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