-- Last Updated: Mar-18-12 5:12 PM EST --
http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg556/Pike-Icer/
On Royalex Camper
Flower box
It’s spring.
Inside? How big?
Looks like it either got dropped onto something or something heavy fell onto it when the boat was frozen. I’d be concerned that the outside layers are also compromised.
I suppose it’s “fixable”, but why bother? I’d take a pass. Another one will be along presently.
Par for the course
I have a 30 year old tripper that is covered with cracks like that all over the inside. They get brittle over time I expect. In one area that is particularly bad I put on a thin layer of fiberglass cloth with epoxy resin about 10 year ago and its still good. It is what it is.
weird …
… if that is suppose to be the interior vinyl layer of a Rx boat , it’s a weird thing to happen in my knowledge .
1st thoughts are a mfg. defect during that run of the Rx sheets . Somehow the Rx vinyl has been tempered and it cracked like that , should not happen , bad canoe .
What do you want a Camper for anyway ??
Yeah - it’s a Camper anyway…pass.
I can tell you from experience you won’t want to paddle it with your wife and three kids.
I don’t even know what you would have to do to get that kind of damage on a rx canoe.
Not Camper…Tripper
– Last Updated: Mar-18-12 9:06 PM EST –
sorry about that........ its a Tripper..... I had a bunch of windows open.
Plus, I found out it about 30 years old.
Never saw that on my Tripper or on
my Mad River Royalex canoes.
I have known some vinyl plastic items to get brittle with time, but not the vinyl outer layers on Royalex. Age may have been a factor. Very sharp, sudden impact and cold conditions might make that pattern more likely.
UV damage
Just talked to a rep at OLD TOWN and he said the spider cracks are from UV damage. 30 years old too…so it must have gotten some sun during that time…
So much for vinyl standing up to UV.,
And that’s in Maine? I wonder how those Florida boats are holding up. I guess I’m glad my Rx boat is under cover 99% of the time.
I’m dubious
I have seen many Royalex canoes subjected to prolonged UV exposure and I have never seen those types of cracks on a Roylex boat.
Polyethylene, sure.
I am, too.
A sharp blow at extreme low temp is still my best guess, but I’ve been wrong - maybe even twice - before.
Time for retirement
I’ve seen boats go after 4 fours of sun once you get south of Miami they go really fast!
You crack me up!
What are 4 fours?
No way - consider the source -
– Last Updated: Mar-19-12 7:54 PM EST –
"Just talked to a rep at OLD TOWN and he said the spider cracks are from UV damage. 30 years old too....so it must have gotten some sun during that time......."
All I can do is report my experience. I am not an old town rep and one has to wonder whether there is a marketing motive for this comment. I have a 30 year old canoe that has been stored in a closed garage ALL its life. The only exposure to UV it has had is on long trips and even then it is flipped on shore and loaded while paddling. Of course there is some exposure. But not a lot. It is LOADED with these spider cracks. My boat became brittle with age. Sure it has taken some hard hits over the years and my sense is that as the hull aged the hits had more impact. Understand I love these canoes and I have bought several and will buy more. Great boats.
G-flex
Most paddling shops use this stuff by the gallon for repairs. Its easy to apply and gets the job done.
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2272&deptid=1032
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a5RlcP-4JE