RE: [Paddlewise] FC- K2 (new to me)

I said I was " looking for any good solutions"

 

and Craig kindly responded "Aquaseal and a patch?" and suggested talking
with FC

 

I have already had a (very quick) response to an email to Feathercraft - but
they have no products for re-sealing that which  I want to re-seal (not ones
that they feel like promoting, anyway). I do completely understand that
there may be many issues - to do with liabilities, nasty smells, lack of
total success, etc - that might make a reputable company reluctant to advise
customers to undertake some procedures. I'm certainly not upset with FC.

 

You guys have fewer liability concerns ;-)

 

Let me also be very clear that I am not talking about either the hull
(Hypalon) or the deck (Polytech) fabrics. Both of these seem to be in very
good shape. My boat is one of the (relatively rare) transitional ones with
the older hull & newer deck fabrics - sewn together rather than welded as
are the newer ones. I have had all that confirmed by FC (from the kayak's
serial number).

 

No, the hull & deck are in great shape.

 

What needs a little TLC are the few bits made from a third type of fabric -
a tough nylon fabric with a waterproofing layer on the back. As this reaches
old age, it starts to flake off in little golden (varnish-like) flakes - not
unlike dandruff ;-)

 

I have an old LL Bean backpack which has degenerated in just the same way -
so I recognised the syndrome at once. Since the rest of the backpack works
well, I just put a big garbage bag inside and keep using it. Cheap of me, I
know ;-)

 

In the case of the FC spraydecks and the sea-socks, I can simply buy
replacement items (if I can't successfully refurbish the flaky ones).

 

In the case of the fore & aft hatches, about 3" of the rings (that stand up
from the deck) are made from this material and it would be a bit of a major
job to replace these sections of fabric. (Visualise the whole hull under a
sewing machine ;-) 

 

It may not leak much - so perhaps I should trial it first - but it's really
the only part of the boat that begs for some attention.

 

Given that there are quite a few FC out here - at least as old as ours - I
suspect I'm not the first to encounter the problem. So I threw it out in the
hopes that somebody has a miracle cure... 

 

Best Regards

Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand
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