I’m keen to follow the progress of this project. I hope you will document and share it here.
You are a very good friend.
So far, so good. Topkayaker had neoprene covers for both hatches so I ordered both for under $80. They even had one made specifically for the Avatar! Pretty remarkable since that model was discontinued 12 years ago.
Now that I’ve got it sitting in the yard I notice that the paint has a scattered metal flake – pretty fancy! The hardware on the seat back ratchet buckles is a bit rusted so I’ve got some anti-corrosion lube dabbed on those.
My house has become Kerry’s Home for Wayward Boats!
3 Likes
Congrats on the boat! I had a plastic Avatar back in the day, and though I believe it was my first ‘sporty’ boat, I remember liking it quite a lot. My bet is that your friend will absolutely love it.
It might be a good excuse to learn airbrush if you haven’t already…
nice
Months to repair a kayak is by choice.
Race boats were done in a shop.
Saw horses are fine to repair a kayak if it’s secured.
Update on the Avatar rehab: the neoprene inner hatch covers that I ordered from Topkayaker came this afternoon and I was gobsmacked at them being exactly the right size for those odd-sized opening. Check out the photos – snug as a bug in a rug
! I never could have matched them without the painstaking detail TK has on their site catalog for tracking down vintage part replacements. Eagerly awaiting the replacement ratchet buckles (identical to those on the existing Immersion Research seat in the boat) so I can set up the seat to fit me and try this boat out on the water.
I got an orbital sander and will start prepping the gel coat cracks for recoating in the next few days. But I may just slap some Gorilla tape over the dings to give the boat a test run as soon as I can secure the seat.
4 Likes
1 Like
Looks like they do some really nice work!
1 Like
Congrats willowleaf! I had a glass boat one time and used it on a river whereby I bumped a couple of big boulders on the bottom and then when I had hubby put it on the car, he overtightened the straps and damaged it a bit more. Fortunately, when I called our ‘auto body guy’ and asked if he’d ever repaired a fiberglass boat, his answer was yes. Thus my sweet gal was saved from further stress as he did a great job. Needless to say, she never went on that river again, where I had risked her bottom. Lesson learned and I did end up selling her and now we have a dozen kayaks in my garage which have been accumulated over the past 27 years. BTW, I have never stored our yaks outside in the weather. Even when camping, they’re put under the camper to help alleviate ‘‘sun’’ damage. You all have a great week and paddle on.