: I've started a web page that describes some results for instrumented drop
: weight testing of lay-ups. I hope what is there will be of interest. I
: know absolutely nothing about constructing web pages, so please excuse the
: simple format.

: Thanks,
: Sam

I was surprised to see that the 5-oz Raka held out better as well. It appeared to flex better than the 6-oz before breaking, unless what I am seeing is a longer displacement for the 5-oz Raka due to the delayed breaking effects of delamination. The 6-oz appeared to break more suddenly, producing a much cleaner break than the 5-oz Raka did.

Unfortunately, if I was to go over another set of nasty rapids (hypothetically, of course ), I'm not sure I'd like the glass to delaminate around the break the way the 5-oz did. If that happened way out in the boonies and I could do a repair, a cleaner break would be easier to repair using simple S&G techniques. A messier break would reuire more work to reattach the delaminated glass before S&Ging.

Interestingly enough, when my kayak broke up last year, the breaks that occurred were as clean as your 6-oz test specimen. That type of breakage made the rebuild, using most of the pieces recovered, possible. I did not have to trim off much of the edges of the recycled pieces before using them. Had the kayak pieces sustained a lot more delamination during break-up, I would not have been able to use as much of the original as I did. That would have meant buying mahogany sheets to make replacement panels instead of using Donnies throw-aways (free).

Your data is of use to me. It shows me that the 6-oz glass I used is the best for my needs. It results in a heavier kayak but that is what I need for where I paddle. If I was to paddle on the ocean, most certainly I would be using the Raka 5-oz. I would not expect to encounter damaging gravel and rocks on teh ocean except in rare cases, which I am sure are almost always avoidable. Pound-for-pound, the Raka 5-oz offers more strength with less weight. I just don't like the way it breaks.

Thanks for kicking the tires, Sam, that was a great help. I'll use Raka 5-oz for my Night Heron. I won't use the Night Heron for anything agressive, so the 5-oz can help me keep it light yet strong.

Robert N Pruden