[Paddlewise] Old Town Millenium 174

From: Peter Treby <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2003 09:42:35 +1000
Ken and Paddlewise:
I looked at your website and was interested to see you are happy with your
Millennium 160.
I recently went for a short paddle with my 18 year old daughter. We borrowed
a Millennium 174 for her. I had a short paddle of it at the end.
The boat leaked unacceptably into the hatches. The spray skirt would hardly
stay on the rounded coaming. I rolled the thing, the skirt imploded, and I
came up with the huge cockpit one-third full. The spray skirt would surely
implode in surf. This boat is one of the heaviest lumps of Tupperware I have
manhandled.
Here are some selected comments from owners of the boat at
http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=415
"there are some severe drawbacks: - bulkheads are leaking from the very
beginning - hatches are more a dust cover than really watertight - some
screws were loose and not sealed, so I had water coming in from many places"
"I would not buy it again due to the low craftsmanship."
"Finding a spray skirt that would stay on was an expensive problem."
"I was totally disappointed with the poor craftsmanship applied to the final
(out of the mold) fixtures. We purchased two Millennium 174 and both
required considerable detailing. Bulkheads, fore and aft leaked and required
re-caulking. Two hatch covers seal gaskets ends were absent of bonding
material and adhesive, leaving a 1/4 inch gap on one of the kayaks. The
other kayak's forward hatch cover was warped to the point where a tight seal
may never be achieved. All of the fittings fastened to the deck with rivets
(24) were not sealed and required caulking."
"You must use an Old Town spray skirt, other after market spray skirts tend
to come off the cockpit's lip"
"when you lift the kayak by the cockpit to carry it, the bow is heavier than
the stern, so the bow tends to dive toward the ground"
There are many positive comments as well, as you would expect from people
who have already paid up for the thing. But I am not being balanced and fair
here, with a bland Sea Kayaker type review designed to maintain a working
relationship with an advertising manufacturer. I didn't like it.
I would only recommend the boat to cashed-up jet skiers with suicidal
tendencies.
Cheers, PT.
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Received on Wed Jul 02 2003 - 06:23:12 PDT

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