I have a unused blue hole sunburst
I believe it was made in 89
Never been in water
Trying to figure a value for it ?
Thank you
Btw
Did I mention its Kevlar ?
I don’t remember
Blue Hole making any canoes in kevlar. I could be wrong, but I thought everything was high quality royalex.
Yes kevlar
1987 Kevlar sunburst
Absolutely no doubt
Blue Hole canoes are royalex
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=1310300
Has it been stored inside or outside? Royalex does not get finer with old age. (except the new stuff)
You would be wrong…
– Last Updated: May-17-13 9:23 PM EST –
Hey davbart, I thought you were right...... before I investigated.
Source: Canoe magazine Buyer's Guide 1989
Bluehole LTE in wood trim, and kevlar layup (15'4")
Weight: 48 lbs.
Retail: $1.300.00
Sunburt II in royalex layup (14' 6")
Weight: 60 lbs.
Retail: $850.00
Sunburst II GT ??? in wood trim (14'6")
Weight:58 lbs
Retail: $925.00
So, obviously Bluehole made at least one model of canoe in kevlar. They call it the LTE; not Sunburst in Canoe mags Buyer's Guide?
I found that one because I was curious & searched; I quit looking when I got bored.
Don't really care one way or another; got no dog in this fight.
Bring it to me, and unload it in front of my garage. I'll give you $500.00 cash for it; play with it for a year, and then sell it, and try to get my money back.
When people start throwing out wild estimates of worth or "collectability" (as some do with Blackhawks); ask them when they're gonna show up with the cash & pay for it?
Good luck,
BOB
Inside
Thank Bob
Stored inside always
Hung in my vault ceiling to get out of the way
And it looked good so I left it there for 20 years
1 or 2 minor scratches from moving
But it’s never been in water
Tad dusty
I saw the proto stripper Sunburst raced
by Steve Scarborough, the designer, on the Nantahala.
In my race boat inspector role, I saw many Royalex Sunbursts.
But I did see a special production Kevlar Sunburst at the races.
I have no idea how available Kevlar Sunbursts were to the general public. I’m sceptical that Blue Hole tried to make serious money on them, and I suspect they were made by a skilled subcontractor somewhere.
Learned something today!
– Last Updated: May-18-13 8:46 AM EST –
But I wonder WHY some were made in kevlar. For the extremely skilled rock avoiders, or demos?
I was scared
I was scared to even put in water
It may get scratched
So what would a similar model go for
In today’s market ?
I’m never gonna put it in water and its doing
Nothing for me hung up in my garage
Love to see…
– Last Updated: May-18-13 10:25 AM EST –
Love to see a couple of photos.
Where are you?
Would love to visit & do test paddle in high class 2 boulder garden.
You could offer 5 dollar/half day test paddles; might make a few bucks.
In my dreams eh? :^)
BOB
My wife isn’t surprised 
Kayakmedic, I think the few Kevlar
Sunbursts were made for people who would use them for slalom racing. At that time, racerheads were not settled on what boats were best for racing (are they now??) and so a really light Sunburst was attractive for those who found its handing OK.
But it’s possible that a few were made and sold for the same reason that I got my Millbrook “Edsel” as an alternative to my MR Synergy— lightness. If one has to portage a canoe over a quarter mile to access a ww river, there’s a big difference between ~70# and ~50#.
Looking at what downriver racers
– Last Updated: May-18-13 6:59 PM EST –
use here locally, that makes sense.
I do know that the DragonFly was designed for downriver racing(I'm not familiar with all the classes) and was not ever made in Royalex. (It sure is quite a different boat than the deeper Sunburst in depth and width so design comparisons are not implied)
Perhaps at one time there was a demand for Kevlar downriver race boats.
As far as price goes, there is a post on cboats that a Kev Dragonfly was sitting in a shop for years with its original price tag of $1950. So it is safe to assume that price is too high.
For an old boat, even a virgin old boat, four figures is too high IMO.
KIM : Re :Dragonfly
– Last Updated: May-19-13 2:47 PM EST –
The "brand new" Dragonfly in question was purchased by ME; at significantly lower than asking price.
It is the same boat that was involved in the lost, while actually sitting on a loading dock for 2 days, 65 miles from my home, UPS fiasco.
UPS sucks!!!
The boat had been sitting in a canoe shop(on display)for years & years & years. It had a few, totally insignificant scratches, rec'd when moved from place to place inside the shop. It had never been paddled before I purchased it.
I sold it to a lady from the east coast; she drove to Missouri to transport it back home. Let us just say that she wanted it badly. Around the same time frame I sold my Swift Osprey, and my Hemlock SRT. The proceeds of those 3 sales purchased my 3rd motorcycle; I still own & ride that motorcycle.
I am unsure of how many canoes I have owned, and sold; over 50 I can think of offhand. The Dragonfly was the only one, which having been sold, caused me any regret. BUT, I knew it wouldn't get used enough by me to justify keeping it; kind of like my Chestnut Pal, Lotus Caper, and Blackhawk SS Special. They are not currently for sale; not yet anyway.
Hopefully, the Dragonfly is being paddled, and enjoyed by it's owner. It certainly was/is a beautiful canoe; about as pretty as I've ever seen. Nice handling canoe too. Couldn't ask for much more from any canoe.
If you would like to see photos of it; email me, and I'll make an effort to hunt them down for you.
BOB
P.S. I know where there is another one in storage. That's all I'll say about that.
I don’t have need for a DF
I have one and paddled it at Rendezvous but forget which one.
Mine is on Colden Canoes web home page.
I knew that Kim…
– Last Updated: May-19-13 11:08 PM EST –
But you've never offered me an opportunity to paddle the Colden version of the Dragonfly.
I think you at least owe me the opportunity for a test paddle at a future Rendezvous. Especially after the "kamikaze canoe attack" you made on me on the North Fork.
Admit it; I was gracious, even after the attack.
I was the first to locate your camera on the bottom of the river.
Ever consider getting a rising sun logo painted on your canoe?
You dried out yet?
Forgot to ask, "Did you damage the bow of your canoe, ramming my Whitesell "battle wagon"?
I don't think you even put a dent in the Piranha's hull......
;^/
BOB