Ben,

I've had the same problem on my Arctic Tern, but I just broke each one once. Mine where construction problems, not design flaws. I didn't fillet and glass them well enough, small fillets and just glassing one side poorly. Mine have broken when the kayak was fully loaded with camping gear.

Congrats on starting a Walrus. How far along are you? Is it for you or someone else? I've got lots of ideas and helpful hints for the Walrus. I'm currently working on my fourth Walrus-based kayak.

Are you planning on going on the Deception Pass trip on Saturday?

Mike

: Popped the left cheek plate loose again yesterday during roll practice. The
: first time I had only fiberglassed the inside where it attaches to the
: coaming and epoxyed the face. I glassed the outside face to repair it that
: time but it still had some flex and I think it gradually wore out the
: joint.

: This break was more of a twisting tear and it pulled the glass off where
: attached to the coaming.

: Now I'm going to get serious with it and attach it to the hull near the
: bottom so there won't be as much leverage on that one joint. This should
: fix it and as a bonus will allow me a place to lock the boat to the roof
: rack as someone else (Shawn?) pointed out a while back.

: On my next boat I think I will wait to install the cheek plates until after
: the deck and hull are mated, reinforce the hull where the cheek plate will
: sit with multiple layers of fiberglass and make them full length running
: from the coaming down and attaching to the hull.

: Make that on my 3rd boat...since I just started a Walrus Hey, everyone
: else is doing it!!!