RoguePaddler

[editor]

Hi all,

Today I received this letter from a (very) concerned reader. I thought it appropriate to post it here, since it is addressing safety concerns about the content of my article "Choosing the Right Kayak." I am curious to see what the rest of you feel about this subject. Particularly, I am curious whether the rest of you feel there is a "snobbish" (or patently dangerous) bias toward composites in my article.

If you like, you can read my replies in the Letter to the Editor which is posted at: www.roguepaddler.com/letter1.htm

[editor]

Well, after I replied, I received another one. I can't understand the motive or reasons behind his impassioned appeals to life-or-death scenarios, but for what it's worth, I'll give him one more chance to chip in his two cents by posting his reply here.

I should point out that, despite what he suggests below, fiberglass and kevlar are fundamentally distinct materials. HTP, however, is not. It is a form of polyethylene. It is more rigid and more durable than some other polyethylenes, but not to the miracle degree he suggests. He has really swallowed the Prijon marketing line, which makes me suspicious of his appeals to his expertise.

[editor]

Frankly, I think all of these "concerns" are already adequately and explicitly addressed in the article. I'm not convinced he read the entire article, or if he did, he must have read carelessly. Here is a direct quote from the section on composite construction in the article:

[doncee]

...step up to the plate. I'd first read "Choosing the Right Kayak" probably about a year and half ago. At that time I was looking for a recreational/light touring boat. What I read was an informative guide on choosing a kayak to fit a person's needs. It covered the different characteristics to consider: length, width, hull shape, cross section, symmetry, material choices and more. Any one of those can be discussed on and on and on, and there's other sources to look those up. I didn't find any "composite snobbery" in it, or any elitist attitude on the subject of construction and material choices. Whenever I've come across "cheap", or "cheaper" and "plastic", that doesn't mean plastic is lowly or inferior. Plastic is a less expensive material and boats made of plastic are less labor intensive to manufacture than boats made of fiberglass or composites, which are pretty much hand-made. What I like about fiberglass and composites is that they can be custom made; reinforced in high stress areas and a lighter lay up in lower stress areas. And it's easy to repair. As for safety concerns, I'd think a lot of that would have to do with the judgement of the paddler rather than what the boat is made of. I do own a Prijon and yes, the plastic is tough. But so is any other polyethelene. I chose that particular model because I liked it's performance characteristics in that category. I've heard a lot of claims about HTP, but that was not a selling point. I'm currently in the market for a sea kayak, so would I buy another Prijon? Probably not. The Kodiak has way too much volume, and while the Barracuda is fast, there's more to kayaking than straight line speed. The SeaYak was nice, but I've found other boats in that price range that were more desirable in performance and handling. Oh well.

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone" - Bill Cosby.
Don

[editor]

That's pretty much how I feel, Don. I really do think this fellow is misreading (or not reading... or reading too much into) the article. In any case, I think it's useful that people see how easily this issue can stir up strong emotions. I'll probably post this exchange as a "Letter to the Editor" since I've been meaning to start publishing more of the letters I receive. Someone might find these concerns valid or useful, and I'm happy to publish dissenting views. While I respect his passionate concern for "safety," I can't comprehend his hyperbolic conviction that my article recklessly encourages paddlers to get themselves killed by paddling the "wrong" boat in potentially deadly conditions. That's entirely outside the scope of the article.

[UPDATE: You can read my replies to Concerned Veteran Kayaker's letters in the Letter to the Editor which is posted on the main page at: www.roguepaddler.com/letter1.htm ]
_________________
Paddle smarter, not harder.

[molawns]

just went back and re-read the article myself...I don't know what the big problem is. Wes, you do a fine job (in my opinion) of keeping things unbiased in either direction(composite vs. plastic).

Allow me to deviate slightly.

Something was mentioned in one of the responses about emergency hull repairs. I'd love to see an article on putting together an emergency repair kit that can be carried with you on outings.....matter of fact I started writing one myself about a month ago, but it's not completed. (I'm afraid I just don't have the personal experience to really back up anything I wrote other than repairing fiberglass canoes with epoxy paste in an emergency.) I tried to cover all hull material options, but I don't know of any other repair methods to plastic boats other than "plastic welding" or having to stick a big fiberglass "patch" over the crack/ split (or duct-tape!). The plastic welding option isn't really feasible in a true emergency because you need a heat gun(like a blow dryer) to melt the plastic welding rods. I assume that if you were to use a portable butane torch, like I suggest in my unfinished article, it could alter the molecular structure of the plastic and not bond very well or make the plastic too brittle. Plus, plastic can be tricky to weld in the first place since it melts at reletively low temperatures. If you're not experienced, you could end up putting an even BIGGER hole in the boat!!

Wes, I know you're busy with all you school stuff right now but if you'd like to perhaps "co-colaborate" on an article like this I could e-mail you what I've got written so far....just let me know. No rush, I was just curious. I'm also working on an article about putting together an emergency first aid kit that is suited for paddlers and entirely contained in a 32 oz. Nalgene bottle to keep it waterproof and able to float (just like the emergency repair kit).

Does this sound like something anyone would be interested in? It pretty much goes hand-in-hand with the other articles, "Enhancing Safety on the Water", and, "The Kayaker's Lifeline". ...Just a thought I had....
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"Do not go where the path may lead....Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."--Emerson

[editor]

Hi Fred,

I have been known to carry a small "repair" kit with me on solo expeditions, but I've never needed or used it, so I can't speak to how it works. Your idea about making this topic into an article is a good one. I've never thought of that. My one hesitation would be that since I've never needed to repair composite or plastic kayaks in the field, I am reluctant to offer advice about the best, easiest, or most proper way to accomplish that task.

My experience with repairing plastic kayaks does make me think, as you suggested, that it would be possible to accomplish a field repair with a small torch. Also, I've heard that some plastic canoe repair kits do not require heat at all (apparently, they work almost like an epoxy, except it's a chemical plastic substance which you smooth on to fix the crack), but I've never seen a kayak repair kit that didn't need heat, so heatless kits may or may not exist for kayaks (I've never researched it). I suspect the heat repairs would still be superior in strength and flexibility. One thing I have noted about plastic repairs is that the repaired materials may not flex as readily as the original plastic, making it more likely for damage to recur in the same location.

With composites, the major issue is establishing a proper bond, which would require at least a few different grits of sandpaper, a vial of epoxy, a separate vial of hardener, and a generous patch (probably 4" x 4" would be sufficient, but 6" x 6" would be better) which could be cut to fit (a small scissors would be handy in that regard too, or you could cut off the excess with a knife after the epoxy semi-cures). I have a little sewing scissors (the fold-up kind) in my kit, so the whole kit probably only weighs under a pound, maybe even under a half-pound. I have the epoxy and hardner in very small plastic camp-condiment bottles... not sure whether I have enough to saturate the cloth or not, but probably so. I've often wondered whether it would be better (probably) to carry two separate patches so that the repair could be done as a much stiffer and stronger two-layer lay-up. Regardless, in my kevlar boat, a crack is far more likely than a structural "hole," so I've never really worried either way.

I'd be happy to look over your article and to point out the few suggestions I could confidently make with my limited field-repair expertise. But I'm always hesitant to offer opinions that are untested. All of the opinions in the Choose the Right Kayak article were based on a lot of experience, and even then, you can see how easily it sets some folks off who claim to know better. With the repair kit issue, there may be safety and structural integrity concerns, too, though I suspect we could easily confirm the viability of our proposed repair kit by seeing what we can accomplish with the materials under test conditions. Maybe I'll get out my kit this winter and try to use it to patch over a 3" x 3" hole cut in a piece of wood (to simulate a structural puncture). If the saturated cloth can cover the hole and seal out water effectively, it should be a viable repair option. (I'm pretty confident it will work, but I can't say for sure since I've never tried it).

One thing I will say: Even with such a repair, I would add duct tape over the surface because a thin fiberglass patch would tear open like a zipper (even make that awful "zipping" noise) the moment it slid along something even remotely sharp. The duct tape would give it vastly superior abrasion resistance until you could get home to make a proper repair. Duct tape is the miracle repair material... never leave home without it!

Wes
_________________
Paddle smarter, not harder.

[doncee]

Amazing how negative rumors still go on long after something has proven itself otherwise. Reminds me of the stuff I've heard about composite bicycle frames; fragility and catastrophic failures. Despite hearing all that, I did get a composite road bike and logged over 7,000 miles, a lot of it hammertime, on it without a hitch. This was about 15 years ago so I don't know if the rumors still persist. I wonder really how many composite "failures" really happened when the owner backed up over the stern tie-down or drove into the garage?
Don

[Hydroman49]

Wes,

I have read your article and do not understand what Concerned Vetran Kayaker is talking about. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding in your description of plastic materials. You did use the word “cheap”. To some people, this may mean inferior quality instead of inexpensive. This is the only place were I could even remotely rationalize where someone may take offense. Your article seems to make sense to me. I’m a novice, have a plastic kayak, and am not put off by your article in any way. In fact, you make a good argument for the durability of plastics. Quite frankly, I am puzzled at Concerned Vetran Kayaker’s wording in his/her correspondence. It seems to be a bit hostile and provoking to me, too.

So, every cloud has a silver lining. Because of this thread, I learned about Renata Chlumska’s excursion around the United States via kayak and bicycle. It’s quite an interesting adventure that anyone can learn about here:

http://www.aroundamericaadventure.com/

Rick

[editor]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the kind sentiment/support. I'm not too terribly offended by Concerned Veteran Kayaker's letter (I suspect it was well-intentioned), though I was initially put off by his grandiose appeals to unlikely life-or-death scenarios. Several of his comments suggest that he has a personal gripe against "yuppies" and "gearheads" (his words) who own composite boats. So maybe he felt that my defense of their strength was elitist snobbery. But I'm pleased to hear that the rest of you don't interpret it that way.

I really have nothing but good things to say about plastic. My preference for composites owes a lot to the fact that, for many years in college, my kayaks had to be stored on top of the roof of my truck 24-7 throughout the summer... so plastic would not have been a good fit for me at all, and now I'm hooked on composites.

Thanks for posting that link, Rick. Makes me eager to start planning my next great adventure.
_________________
Paddle smarter, not harder.

[doncee]

Nice link; I enjoyed going through the photos. A good example of what people can do when they put their minds to it.
I just happened to to think about one safety issue concerning kayak materials: Broaching. If a kayak somehow got pinned against an immoveable object in moving water, I'd think that a 'glass boat would tear and a plastic boat would fold around the object. It'll do that in the cockpit area; not where you want to be when the boat folds in half. Again, it falls opon the paddlers' judgement to assess ability and conditions. And it probably doesn't happen enough to worry about.
My next boat will more than likely be plastic of one type or another.
Don