How about…
"…crossed ~50 of beaver dams in a day. But I would not think to take my own $2500 boat there."
That’s why I pretty much stick to “pre-own” (or should I say “pre-scratched”? ;-] ) glass boats costing around $1500 instead…
preowned
Actually, I am leaning towards the opposite side, i.e. a new boat. I want a boat I know the history of, just like with climbing equipment. There’s just too much at stake. If a used ski fails in a wilderness I can still make it out safely, if I have enough food and warm clothing. But with a failed boat… I am not sure.
But it was a plastic coated hammer -
no abrasion.
Absolutely right !
Back a few years ago we were launching at a concrete ramp in Telegraph Cove on Vancover Island, and there was a kayak rental outfit right at the ramp.
I was amazed when I saw that all their boats were fibreglass, and when I noted a renter dragging one on the ramp, I asked the lady who ran the shop why she didn’t use tupperware.
Her reply was because on the concrete the plastic wore out in less than a season With the fiberglass they wore out about the same, but were repairable right there in the shop and she could get much longer use out of each boat.
In my estimation any one who drags any material boat over an abrasive surface is lacking a few brain cells.
Cheers,
JackL
go new
then you know what you have, can get what you want.
If you want something get exactly what you want or you will tend to regret it, simply by not having what you want. Thats why I haul my custom built kayak to my privately owned lake on my gold plated Cadillac.
Just kidding, I don’t actually own a lake.
Like…
…someone who never buy an aluminum or carbon bike because they fear there’s a non-zero chance of catastrafic failure.
And then, there’re those of us who will gladly get on a plane of 20 years old, with a pilot we’ve never met, knowing full well the chance of the plane falling from sky is much less than a brake failure of the rental car we got at the very airport!
beaver dams
are mostly wet wood and mud. Much easier on the boat than rocks.
Glass vs kevlar
I have a Kevlar boat boat, but if I had to repair it a lot I’d get a glass boat. I got the Kevlar boat used at a good price and so far I’ve only been scratching up the gel coat.
For real rock and log dragging in my local rivers I usually paddle a plastic boat. Even though Jack might thing I have fewer brain cells because of it, I think polyethylene slides over things much easier than any other boat material. Not having to get out for each log or rock is well wort the slight wear and tear in my book.
Th bad part is that poly boats are very hard to repair and the sun does eventually make them trash, but I still think they are the best bang for the buck in many cases.
QCC 600
First off you’re too heavy for the 600.
Bill H.
Frank, I didn’t mean over an occasional
log and wasn’t aiming my comment at you.
I was aiming at the idiots that drag their boats up and down concrete ramps and on roadways.
I am sure you have seen it.
Example: At the Chatachochee Race in Atlanta, at the start there is a paved road way that leads to the concrete ramp at the put in.
This year as every one was carrying their boats along the road way, a young strapping 20 year older came run ning by dragging his what looked like a new rec kayak behind him.
As he passed me I said “ouch” that sure hurts. He said “oh I do this all the time and it doesn’t hurt it”
When I caught up to him again where he had set his boat down, I asked him how old it was, and he said he had just got it the month before.
Note: I used the word “abrasive” in my upper post
Cheers,
JackL
used boat quality
OK, if I knew I a used boat came from our OP I would pass! Just funnin’
Other used boats that are on the market are very sound, well designed and well cared for. Some minty gems out there and some less so, but spectacularly capable, and isn’t that the main criterion?
A quality used boat yields nothing to a new one except for a few scrapes on the bottom and way fewer Benjamins to buy them.
Buying new is no guarantee of quality. A first boat is odds-on not the eventual best boat. The majority of folks here live and learn that… which is why the used boat market is so well supplied.
If the OP really wants a QCC 600 then this is kinda moot. He is in Alaska and it’s doubtful how many used QCC 600s are up that way.
I would not blame you
>OK, if I knew I a used boat came from our OP I would pass!
I wouldn’t blame ya. 
Actually I am in CA. The paddle in AK was on a week long trip I took to Juneau.
Looks like I am indeed to heavy for the QCC600. So if there are any used QCC700 come your way give me a ring.
you’re alright
even if you aren’t the brawny Alaskan Man I envisioned. Very cool tho - sense of humor.
Now I am curious: have you paddled QCCs before or it is the design that caught your eye? Are you open to trying other long fast seakayaks at this point -have you tried some others - or at this point are you zoned in on QCC? Cali is a big boomy market in seakayaks and there are a lot of great outfitters who hold demos and classes. At your stated size and weight you have lots of choices.
Where are you in CA? Where would you be paddling?There is a real strong contingent of west coast kayakers here who paddle an array of boats and know the local waters.
If you want more grist for the mill, holler hear, people love to make suggestions for other people’s money '-)
You can also contact QCC and ask them for contact info for 700 owners in your part of the state. Most QCC owners are very gracious about test drives… just be gentle.
Correct!!!
I worked in the rotomolding industry for 3 years before getting into the injection molding industry. Sharp corners are hard to fill. The plastic pellets are ground into a fine powder, and flow almost like a thick oil in the mold. The molds are made out of sheetmetal or cast AL. The mold rotates on two axi in a gas oven (Rotates on one and rocks back and forth on the other in the case of a long skinny mold, like a kayak) and the powder coats the mold. Sharp points collect powder, and do not cure properly. Also, objects with sharp corners are hard to remove from the mold without damage.
Q700
I like the QCC idea b/c their prices are about 1K lower than the prices for other mainstream boats. And the Q700 was praised as one of the fastest boats in the touring sea kayaking class. I also looked into Epic kayaks , but people seem to be complaining about cracks in the plastic, and the prices were way higher for the same material. My local kayaking store in Oakland carries sea kayaks of several mainstream brands, none of the fiberglass ones are priced below $3000, actually, not many are even below $3500. Add CA 9+% tax on top of that. The fiberglass QCC700 is priced around $2,500, free shipping.
if your talking CC&K
they have an annual sale in october for both new and used boats. Not trying to dissuade from the QCC, just sayin’.
More over
I’d personally discuss the boat choice with the shop over those on the internet.
The 'net might be great source of information for someone stuck in the middle of dry land with no easy access to a good kayak shop. But with CCK in your backyard, the owner pratically wrote the books for recreation kayaking, I’d take their advice over any others.
The reason CCK stock the kind of kayak is because those were the good kayak types work that well in non-flat water. So unless you’re planning to paddle somewhere else instead, think twice about going against the “local norm”.
Wow Jack Concrete is the worst
I didn’t know folks were dragging their empty boat for no reason.
I am doing a good job of scratching my new to me boat up though. It now has twice as many scratches as it had a month ago when I got it. The funny thing is that I set it completely in the water before I get in it. I’m not sure how I’m scratching it but there are a lot of rocks here.
May they are old scratches that are showing up better as the gel coat absorbs the mud and tannins from the river. Yeah that might be it!.