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Re: I'm wondering why you are asking this.
By:LeeG
Date: 2/23/2003, 8:23 am
In Response To: Re: I'm wondering why you are asking this. (John Caldeira)

John, the shape of the hull will have a lot to do with a particular lamintates ability to withstand X impact or stress. There honestly are too many variables for it to be economically worthwhile for any manufacturer or individual to test theirs and other boats. That is why you will get generalities and personal experience as well as loose data bits from 3-point bending tests. I found that if you use more wood or more glass it's stronger, if you use less it's less strong. Rigidity comes at a cost in some impacts. If you can find Charles Walbridges Kayak book it will be worth it.

Will the test be a 4mm s&g laminate on a 16'x21" hull with 6oz e-glass in 3' dumping waves and a 150lb paddler or being pierced by the bow of a friends sit on top or 1/2" wide bow of their s&g hull. Or a 18'x24" glass hull with a more oval hull structure that will concentrate stress at the footbrace holes when a large wave dumps on it? Or how about a strip boat with wood x and glass y but one of the strips is a weaker wood at a stress riser?

I haven't seen a lot of damage but I've seen abrasion/impacts in gel coat that went through the gel coat and into the glass that wouldn't in an epoxy/glass with 4 fill coats. A couple of glass boats that developed stress fractures that a s&g boat wouldn't get. Cosmetic water damage in wood boats that a glass one didn't get.
For example my Mariner Express got a 1' crack in the gel coat on the aft deck sheer because the inside seam tape was put on so that it ended right in the middle of the curve of the shear and not further up. During a self-rescue it cracked there. I've seen a couple glass AND s&g hulls that had 1/4" holes from being rammed by another kayak.

Messages In This Thread

Strip: Are strip kayaks stronger? *LINK*
John Caldeira -- 2/21/2003, 12:18 pm
I'm wondering why you are asking this.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/21/2003, 9:44 pm
Re: I'm wondering why you are asking this.
John Caldeira -- 2/21/2003, 11:08 pm
Re: I'm wondering why you are asking this.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/22/2003, 1:21 am
Re: I'm wondering why you are asking this.
John Caldeira -- 2/22/2003, 7:24 am
OK, I think I see why you are asking this.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/24/2003, 2:24 am
Re: I'm wondering why you are asking this.
LeeG -- 2/23/2003, 8:23 am
Re: Strip: Are strip kayaks stronger?
Sam McFadden -- 2/21/2003, 5:47 pm
Re: Strip: Are strip kayaks stronger?
srchr/gerald -- 2/21/2003, 5:30 pm
Re: Strip: Are strip kayaks stronger?
LeeG -- 2/21/2003, 3:46 pm
Re: Strip: Are strip kayaks stronger?
Shawn Baker -- 2/21/2003, 12:49 pm