How can I re-coat nylon pack-cloth spray skirt?

I use nylon in summer cause it leaks , cooler. Then use neoprene after in the cooler months since it’s warmer and water proof.

Willowleaf, two questions?
1). Is it worth the effort? “Yes” = DIY-away! “No” see #2
2). Is it the equivalent to a Seals 1.2, 1.4 or 1.7?

See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
845-228-0595 main
845-242-4731 mobile
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
Store: www.the-river-connection.us
Facebook: fb.me/theriverconnection

If anyone knows of a perfect way to recoat nylon skirts, they should contact Seals and let them know. I tried brushing on polyurethane, but it comes off even quicker than the original coating.

Now that I’m thinking about it, one of my nylon skirts is a Seattle Sports and it doesn’t seem to have any coating at all–at least nothing visible like on Seals skirts. I haven’t used the Seattle Sports skirt as much as the Seals, but it still sheds water after many years. It’s probably made in China, so maybe they have some secret stuff.

Sounds like best fix is round file it. Never be right.

Marshall, I do have a very similar Seals 1.7 which fits the Wisper pretty well but I don’t like the tunnel fit and suspenders as much as those of the Feathercraft skirt. The FC skirt also fits my skin on frame and my Venture Easky 15LV – sometimes I am paddling with friends using my boats and need skirts for all 3. The Feathercraft skirt has always fit more snugly onto the bentwood coaming on the SOF than any of my other skirts. Since I always use a GP with that boat, I need a taut and very waterproof skirt on it.

I get your point about “how much work is this and is it worth it?” At one time I would have answered “no” but now I’m retired. And I do get a lot of satisfaction from salvaging and repairing things. But then again, if the deck is leaking so badly, the tunnel’s coating will be near the point of failure too. I could use the pieces for a template to rebuild a new one. But it does begin to approach a case of diminishing returns. Maybe I will just swap the suspenders onto the Seals.

Seals will make you what ever you want. Copy your present skirt.

Nice that they offer to do that for folks but I could do that myself.

If you can construct a new one, more power to you. I sew with a desk stapler. Tailoring is not my talent.

If you get fed up, I do have some Seals Coastal Tour skirts hanging on the wall, that aren’t getting any love compared to the Stretch Nylon and now the Odyssey Skirts. They’re looking for homes.

See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
845-228-0595 main
845-242-4731 mobile
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
Store: www.the-river-connection.us
Facebook: fb.me/theriverconnection

Those Odysseys look good – I’m tempted. Sorry to say I’ve got skirts like the Coastal and don’t really care for the pocket and zipper on such styles nor the tensioning bar – never seems to work to shed drippage collection as one would think. I prefer a flat-decked skirt where I can raise a knee and quickly dump any accumulated pooling.

The Odyssey looks like something made by Reed but a lot tougher. I completely understand, liking the taut deck for drainage.

See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
845-228-0595 main
845-242-4731 mobile
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
Store: www.the-river-connection.us
Facebook: fb.me/theriverconnection

How snug is the fit on the coaming with the Odyssey? I see from the specs it’s a bungee attachment. I don’t have a good skirt for rolling practice at the moment and wonder if that might be a good one. Couldn’t find it on your store site – do you stock it?

@Marshall said:
The Odyssey looks like something made by Reed but a lot tougher. I completely understand, liking the taut deck for drainage.
I’ll take a look, as Reed seems to be the only ‘maker’ of this type of sprayskirt. I worry what I would go to if they ever go out of business.

I’ve been sold on Reed Aquatherm since started using them (in '09).
(note: live in FL, don’t deal with cold conditions)
They do wear out faster. (I use the ‘worn out’ ones on calm days).

Odyssey Skirt Improv Video. Honest, no script.
https://www.facebook.com/theriverconnection/videos/1145253348908473/

See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
9 W. Market St.
Hyde Park, NY
845-228-0595 main
845-242-4731 mobile
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
Store: www.the-river-connection.us
Facebook: fb.me/theriverconnection

@willowleaf said:
How snug is the fit on the coaming with the Odyssey? I see from the specs it’s a bungee attachment.

It’s very snug over my 31.5" x 16.5" keyhole cockpit. Ordered from Marshall in late September because my Seals stretch nylon skirt let in too much water during roll-up practice with a paddle float. Odyssey keeps my cockpit dry.

Rookie, is that a 1.4 size that you use?

@willowleaf said:
Rookie, is that a 1.4 size that you use?

1.4 is the correct Seals size for a 31.5" x 16.5" keyhole and that’s what Marshall sent. However, Eddyline cockpit rims have a one-inch overhang and I could barely get the skirt over it, let alone off. Been there and done that with my Seals nylon stretch skirt when I had to resort to an “El cheapo” skirt until the bungee was replaced. Maybe I need to lift heavier weights.

So I returned the 1.4 and Marshall replaced it with a 1.7, which I can manage although I haven’t done a wet exit with it yet. Saving that for the pool when I’ll have a spotter around. The cockpits on both my boats are the same size and since I have one sitting in the living room, here’s a couple of photos showing the fit of the 1.7 Odyssey sans a person. It’s snug and smooth when I’m in the cockpit.

One note relating to the thread on big stores versus small businesses: Marshall initially offered to send both a 1.4 and 1.7, knowing my experience with the stretch skirt (also purchased from The River Connection and he was instrumental in getting it resolved). I passed on his offer, thinking the 1.4 would be fine. He was right, I was wrong. I’ll stick with an outfitter who has my safety interests in mind versus anonymously pushing a button for an online order.


Thanks, appreciate the shots and your experience. That does look like a nice clean skirt design.

But I think Seals sizing can often be out of line with reality. I bought a used kayak a few years back that came with a Seals neo deck skirt, marked size 1.7. At that time their sizing chart said that both my Venture Easky 15LV and my Feathercraft Wisper took a 1.7 Seals. The Wisper cockpit is 29.5" x 16" and the Easky is 34.5" x 19.5".

And now the Seals sizing lists the Wisper as a 2.2 even though it has the EXACT same coaming as a standard FC Kahuna (I had one of those before the Wisper) which they list as taking a 1.7.

I wish that, like Harmony and Snapdragon do, Seals would list the actual length and width dimensions for each sizing step.

To add to the confusion, Seals specs a 1.7 for my Pygmy Arctic Tern (17 X 33 cockpit). And that is with the rather wide plywood rim. That said, my cockpit cover is a Seals 1.7 & it fits pretty well.

Had to go back to my prior post and correct typo on the Easky coaming dimensions: it’s 34.5" x 19.5" – bottom line significantly larger than the Wisper so why does Seals spec a larger size for the Feathercraft than the Venture? Guess the best thing to do would be to order both sizes from Marshall and try them out.

Call Seals or make a pattern of combing