Re: [Paddlewise] Leaking Skirts

In a message dated 12/1/2002 2:47:34 PM Central Standard Time, 
dougl_at_islandnet.com writes:

> One thing I wanted to mention and throw out for discussion was the issue of 
> spray skirt tightness and leaking. I was pummeled a few times in my 
> Nordkapp Ocean Cockpit and took on a lot of water, even with a top-end 
> Snapdragon skirt. 


That's funny, I thought I was the only guy who got pummelled and everyone 
else went down wave beautifully! I needed a new all neo spray skirt for my 
Nordkapp Jubilee and decided to experiment with a Bushsport. It is a dry 
spray skirt and I stay alot drier than my old, factory tuned Snapdragon. I 
still get water in the boat after repeated rolls, but not like before. 
Bushsport has a rubber rand along the inside of the skirt that goes nearly 
all the way around the skirt. It is harder to get on, particularly when dry. 
I have no entrapment issues with it.

I use a snapdragon on my WW boat. This summer I was pinned in a hole and 
while I waited for the current to grab my paddle and take me out, I couldn't 
help but notice how the sides of my spray skirt were pulsing open in the 
hydraulic and my boat taking on water. As I escaped the hole I found rolling 
difficult with all the water in my boat. Essentially, with the spray skirt 
fully enclosed my boat was filled to just below the knees.

The sewed-on bungee never came loose, but I got a lot more water > penetrating 
> than I wanted or liked. I phoned the manufacturer (was also doing research 
> on an entrapment article for SK Mag that I seemed to have inherited) and 
> mentioned the leaking. They indicated that the skirts perform better if the 
> bungee is at maximum
> factory-set tightness, but unless the customer specifically requests it (or
> the store ordering the skirt(s) ), they normally pick an average tightness
> so as not to cause potential problems for entry-level paddlers or those who
> might find difficulty wet-exiting with too tight a skirt. Snapdragon did 
> offer to make an after-sales adjustment (return skirt to factory for 
> resewing), which was
> sporting of them. Anyway, just wanted paddlers to know that apparently, 
> some
> companies do have a way of providing a tighter fit (meaning less water 
> entry
> with the better seal under the coaming) if the customer wants (providing 
> the
> customer is always right, which we are, right?).
> 
I don't necessarily view it as a manufacturer's issue. Bushsport is very 
tuned into what cockpits VCP markets and adjust their skirts accordingly. (I 
had to specify my make, model and cockpit dimension when ordering) 
Snapdragon's fit on my German boat is less than precise, but now I know 
better and will send it back and have an inch of bungie taken out. Given the 
plethora of WW boats I can see their problem in choosing fit. I now know 
better to order my skirt. Thanks for the info, Doug.

Where is the rain?

Rob G






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