I’ve tried finding more info on EPI and so far have only found that they were based in Ohio and seem to have gone under (ha!) sometime in the last 10 years or so. This boat has a lake use sticker on it from 2001, so it’s at least 16 years old. But no hull number plate anywhere I can find. (When did they start doing that?)
Here are the two playboats. The seller (and maker!) of these said they were for flatwater fun and games like “kayak polo.” Which I can imagine being just crazy fun.
Hull ID Numbers (HINs) were mandated in 1972. Look at the stern of the boat. The HIN should be 11 or 12 characters and embossed or engraved on one side or the other.
I did find it. It’s etched with a vibro-engraver, very small but quite readable.
Made by Englehart Marine Products, Inc. of 4014 East 116th St., Cleveland, OH.
If I’ve got the hang of the number system, it was finished on August 6th, 1995.
I got two bow and two stern air bags, all marked EPI and sized to fit this boat. The stern bag that was still in it was still tightly holding air, though the plastic valves on on the bags crumbled immediately when I tried to turn them. I’ll grab some fittings and put caps on them and I’ll bet the’ll work just fine. The vinyl held up far better than the plastic.
Update, three out of the four bags hold air. One has a couple tiny leaks beside the seams.
I agree! It’s kind of ridiculous that so little is made like this anymore. Seems like every maker of kids or youth-sized boats has either gone out of business or stopped those models… Considering how many thousands (literally) of kayaks I see around here, surely there is a market.
I saw and old listing for these EPISea models that had them at $699, and I would have to say that might be part of the answer. That’s a LOT of cash for a young family(and would have been even more back in the ‘90s) , especially if several kids will need boats. But if Dick’s Sporting Goods can sell 10’ rec boats for $179 (we have two of those Pelicans), you’d think there’s be a way to meet the need.
Hey Sam, I’ve barely been following this discussion, but I’m all smiles right now upon reading how things finally turned out. What fantastic luck! And you are right - it’s peculiar how the variety in decent small kayaks disappeared. It doesn’t help that America suddenly became supersized in the last couple of decades and most adults won’t even fit into such boats. It might also have something to do with new markets being attractive to new builders with their own unique ideas, and once a few brands become dominant, the other builders can no longer make a go of it (that seems to be what has happened with many other products). Anyway, best of luck.
Share you trip photos with the boat seller too. I have always appreciated getting “in use” shots from people to whom I have sold boats over the years. Very gratifying to see people enjoying kayaks I’ve passed along.
Oh, yes. It did have them, but they were very old and the elastic had snapped inside. I just pulled them off while i was cleaning it this morning. The rear set is fresh.
One thing I haven’t found is what weight the Epi is “rated” to handle. I know that’s a very fuzzy line, but any guesses of what a realistic cut-off weight would be?
I’m FAR to big and heavy for it and would never try, but my 15 year old daughter might be close to the limit. Not sure what she weights exactly.
I think I’ll go ask her what she weighs so I can post it online. …She won’t speak to me for a month!
But all figures like this are very approximate. If your 8 year old is a little lighter than that the boat might float a little high in the water but it shouldn’t be a huge problem and he’ll grow into it.
Excellent! I have a small kids paddle from ONNO. 2 piece and adjustable length. Very light. Granddaughter is using it in the video I posted. Plan on ordering another.
The rear set is fresh.