I have not paddled fiberglass kayaks in whitewater but I have paddled composite canoes in whitewater many times. In the early days of whitewater kayaking, fiberglass and folding kayaks was pretty much all there was. Clubs built a mold and club members built their boats in their back yards or garages. Yes, those boats did crack. Sometimes it was a matter of paddling on Saturday and fixing the boat on Sunday.
But it really all depends on the layup. Composites in which fiberglass is mixed with some other synthetic are typically much less brittle and they can be made quite strong if enough fabric is used. Composites also tend to hold up to long-term abrasion better than plastics and are pretty easily repaired. Of course, ultralight layups are not going to take the abuse that heavier layups can.
It depends on the river but I would agree that on many Class II runs, hitting rocks is probably going to occur. I have tried to paddle the 7 mile length of the Class II-III Nantahala many times without hitting a single rock, and I have paddled it enough times to know where most of the sneaky ones are. I have come close but never done it yet. I always hit one or two.
And yes, a composite boat will sometimes make an absolutely horrible noise hitting or going over a rock yet sustain little or no visible damage.
When I get into the oysters it takes longer for me to heal up than patch my wood composite kayak even though it also banged into the bridge column. The column contact was a back breaking bang crunch, crunch. No holes. Just scratches in the boat. They are tougher than you think.
I remember when we called fiberglass boats plastic.
The damage to my wood core laminate which was a standard build layup. Damage photo and repair photo. Field repair was mushing the particles back in with aqua seal and duck taping.
I was paddling A.I. a few years ago and it was rough. I landed lee of the wind/waves for my campsite and they had placed “please don’t trample the sea grass” signs up. So I lined the boat around the point and trudged along shore in about 2 - 3 footers. There was one old tree stump that the boat got swung around in and it punched the hole like it was a pinata.
I would recommend avoid rapids unless the glass is an extremely thick layup.
Whitewater boats that I have seen (plastic) always look like have been dragged down the highway after a few seasons. They take an @$$ whippin.
And I’ll walk on the grass from now on and pray forgiveness from the grass gods.
The damage to my wood core laminate which was a standard build layup. Damage photo and repair photo. Field repair was mushing the particles back in with aqua seal and duck taping.
I was paddling A.I. a few years ago and it was rough. I landed lee of the wind/waves for my campsite and they had placed “please don’t trample the sea grass” signs up. So I lined the boat around the point and trudged along shore in about 2 - 3 footers. There was one old tree stump that the boat got swung around in and it punched the hole like it was a pinata.
I would recommend avoid rapids unless the glass is an extremely thick layup.
Whitewater boats that I have seen (plastic) always look like have been dragged down the highway after a few seasons. They take an @$$ whippin.
And I’ll walk on the grass from now on and pray forgiveness from the grass gods.
