Cracked Coaming Santee 116

Advice
#61

I get it. I feel the same way about thermoformed kayaks, especially with a nice carbon paddle.

#62

You already did. ā€œConversationā€ is a good word.

#63

You mentioned the hull flex on your current boat, which is rather, umā€¦pear-shaped. A narrower boat with two or three bulkheads made from the same material will be significantly more rigid.

1 Like
#64

What do you think of the Bents?

#65

Once again Buffalo is right on target. Donā€™t mess with the Buffalo.

#66

Well, that is the boat I have, so that is the flex the bottom of the boat is going to have. It is unbelievable. You can put your palm midway on the boats bottom between the two bulkheads and deflect the bottom a number of inches, it is scary. The material just flexes.

1 Like
#68

OK, there is good flex because the material is pliable and bad flex because the material is thin. ā€œA number of inchesā€ indicates thin material and, as High Desert mentioned, a lack of bulkheads supporting the plastic. This is the main reason I keep harping on Delta vs Hurricane for you.

By the way, would you care to share your height and weight so we donā€™t recommend the wrong kayak for you?

#69

Like a Geek God.

1 Like
#70

I can speak as an owner. My coaming was cracked when I bought it. I can assure you the 1st owner did not roll the boat. He entered the boat by placing both hands on the side coaming and slid in. He weighed about 220 and he felt it cracked. It cracked about 120 degrees around the coaming. I bought it to repair and use but repaired and sold. The factory is not that far from where I live in NC and wanted to hear their version but the boat was 8 yrs old so no justification. I am primarily a canoeist and would opt for a tougher heavier rotomolded for my use. Definitely a no for me on Hurricane.

2 Likes
#71

I know one person who thinks she has to go round other peopleā€™s cars and crank down on the straps with all her considerable weight to make they are tightened to her specifications. If i didnā€™t have a nice paddle that I donā€™t want to break I would hit her with it. Infuriating. Fortunately she has never got near my kevlar kayak. Most people know know better.

#72

That has to be what happened to mine. Getting in and especially getting out of the boat you naturally put your hands on the Coaming, you didnā€™t even think about it. Just like you said, cracked significantly around the Cockpit, in my case about 240 degrees around. I mean I donā€™t know what was holding it on.

I did not understand one sentence though, ā€œ The factory is not far from where I live in North Carolina, and wanted to hear their version but the boat was 8 years old so no justification.ā€ Does that mean you went to them to hear their version? What was said?

Thanks
mjac

#73

That woman is living vicariously, she is going to pull the wrong strap one day, like mine. It is stressed by manufacturers including Hurricane not to over tighten straps and specifically recommend against Ratchet Straps because of their potential to over tighten. I ignore this I like them, a lot, very positive action. Kevlar, wrong strapping, you do not want to go there.

#74

mjac. the factory is about 50 miles from my house and no I didnā€™t go. I am pretty sure even if I had warranty they would send me back to the dealer. factory is in Warsaw, NC. I have seen two more Hurricanes with broken coamings broken behind the seat back. I previously had a rotomolded 14ā€™ boat that was just more boat than I neededā€¦

#75

Oh you meant you would have like to hear their version but since the boat was only 8 years old it didnā€™t matter because there is no justification for that extensive a failure. I misunderstood at first. They have to be aware of this, I am hearing more and more people talk about it, maybe it is on older boats and it has been corrected. But right now my Coaming, older boat, how old I do not know, serial # gone, is being held on by 3M Extreme Hold Duct Tape. Looking for another boat, a guy here told me about the Delta 12.1 and Delta 12S, really extraordinary boats, check them out. Kind of small cockpit though if you are big.

#76

Oh Will, what did you do to repair it, I am interested in those kinds of things.

Thanks
mjac

#77

I used Gflex. Nothing fancy and sold it for next to nothing with honest description. I do not care for the small cockpits. I am too dang old, had a Loosha 14, narrow boat with small cockpit. I couldnt move once in the boat and it was a narrow quick boat but always on the edge for me. The eddylines have nice cockpits

#78

Whoa, you consider the cockpit of a regular Santee 116 (Not the Sport) too small? I am looking at a Delta 12.1 to replace the Santee 116 and itā€™s cockpit is 31/2ā€ narrower and 11ā€ shorter then the 116ā€™s, I ainā€™t never going to fit in there.

Edit: Yeah, GFlex is the best, you paid all that money?

Thanks
mjac

#79

I had a Looksha 14, older model. TINY cockpit. i am 5ā€™7" and 185. Santee had plenty of room. i had everything already. old sailboat guy

#80

Oh, from the wording I thought you were saying the Santee 116 Cockpit was too small. I think it is decently roomy.

Thanks
mjac

#81

Remember that Hurricaneā€™s published cockpit dimensions are exterior, including the coaming, while Deltaā€™s are interior demensions.