Is this old North Shore kayak the same as an Atlantic LV?

I saw this Craigslist ad for an older boat and wondered. Thanks.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/boa/d/milton-top-quality-north-shore/6928638473.html

Looks like it’s an old North Shore Shoreline, the predecessor to the Atlantic LV.
https://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=89369

Thanks!

At least very close. They may have slightly modified the hull or deck but not likely in a way you would notice.

A great deal! I would buy it for my wife in a heart beat. I own a 1997 North Shore Buccaneer. It is hard chine and high volume 17.3 feet and 21.5 inches wide. Really like the boat. Paddle it most of the time when kayaking. Very responsive and fairly light at 52 pounds. I suspect that boat would be in the high 40s at most being over a foot shorter and a bit narrower.

Really? Do you think it’d fit 5’6” 135? I was thinking it would be too big for me, and I also thought it would be very heavy. More thoughts? Thanks.

To clarify: I paddle an Avocet RM. My spouse (155) paddles an Easky 15 LV. He feels the Easky is a bit large for him and I feel the Avocet is a bit large for me, though we can certainly both paddle the boats just fine. I would eventually, however, like to get myself a smaller boat and let him use the Avocet, which he feels very comfortable in. Also the Avocet is hard for me to load, I think it weighs around 56 lbs. So I keep an eye on CL for possibilities. I should’ve said above: do you think this boat will feel snugger than an Avocet RM? And weigh only 52lbs?

My wife is 5’ 6” and the same weight as you. She paddles my Buccaneer when we paddle kayaks. I am 5’ 10” and 185. It is big for her, but she likes it.

I assumed the Shoreline you posted was composite like my Buc, but if RM then I think it would weight more. The ad doesn’t say. Composite North Shore boats I believe are lighter than composite Valley’s. It will certainly be lighter than a RM. I would be surprised if it weights over 50 if it is composite. My Buc is 52 pounds with large fiberglass hatches. I don’t know what the rubber hatches would weight, but they are small. It was made years before Valley bought North Shore. I have no experience with the Avocet or Easky.

If it isn’t far from you, and you are looking for another kayak, and like this one, then I would contact the seller and ask some questions. If composite I would consider the drive, and sit in it to check the fit, and also confirm the weight. The price is very good so it may be RM, but I payed 650 for my composite Buc and a fiberglass paddle.

Thanks, that’s very helpful. It’s not near me, but I happen to be traveling that way soon. (Yes, I check local Craigslist for kayaks when I travel.) So I will contact the seller. It is composite - & he shows pics of the scratched bottom. While I’m asking, does that look too scratched? I have only ever owned plastic boats so I don’t know how to judge.

Yes lots of scratches, but think of gelcoat as sacrificial. If the scratch doesn’t reach the glass fabric it has done its job. I don’t know the cost but the bottom can be regelcoated to look like new. or individual scratches filled cheaply. The bottom of my boat looks similar as much of my coastal paddling is in areas with oyster beds. The deepest scratches I periodically fill. You will have to decide if it is acceptable to you, but composite kayaks are easier to repair than RM. If doing it yourself seems daunting there are marinas with people for hire to do so. I am not bothered by the scratches on mine, and find it simple to fill a scratch if needed.

Do they need to be filled or will it need to be re-gelled for any functional reason, or is it just aesthetics? And are there other age-related things to be wary of in a composite boat? The boat is 25 years old! Thanks again, I really appreciate it!

I think you’d have to closely inspect the hull to see if those are just scratches or if there are cracks involved. At least it’s dirty and they can be seen easily. Look closely at the bow and stern for cracks. I didn’t notice the cracks in the bow of my 17’ kevlar boat until I got it home and started cleaning up the hull. Used crazy glue as a temporary fix but plan to regelcoat later this summer, as well as fill in a few gouges in the hull (boat was a demo).

Thanks. I have no familiarity with composite boats so I guess I’d better do some research so I know how to examine.

I have a 1984 Curtis Kevlar and S-glass canoe that should last 35 more years. I also have a Wayfarer sailboat made In 1971 before the USCG required a Hull indentification number. Some of the first fiberglass boat made are still afloat. The gelcoat protects the epoxy from UV damage. Many sailboat manufacturers have gone out of business because of the cost to make today’s boats, and the competition from the vast number of much less expensive used boats on the market.

Thank you. I’m going to try to go look at it. I’m also going to try to take a look at an Impex Montauk, also composite.

(I’ve been trolling Craigslist very patiently for months for good smaller sea kayaks, have come up with nothing in my price range, and now TWO!)

I have no idea how to compare these two boats and I’m not sure I’m going to be able to paddle either. If anyone has any thoughts on the comparison please share. Thanks.

(Maybe I should make a new post…)

Gel coat is fairly easy to add. To make it really nice includes some sanding, the part where I generally lose patience. But if there are no cracks underneath all any gel coat flaws in the fiberglass, likely could see that from inside the boat, it’s a fairly easy fix.
You do want to make sure that no fiber is left uncovered. Over the course of a paddle it can get wet and become an entry point for water into the kayak. I was in a rock surfing session with someone who misgauged a tricky spot and ended up stuck on a ledge where they kept getting hit by waves for probably five minutes before they found a way out. On the way home the the couple of places where the boat had taken a whack down to the fiber layer started seeping in water.

Thanks, Celia.

But I just realized, this boat has an ocean cockpit, and I’m worried it’s going to be too advanced for me. I have only gotten into one once, with people helping me. The whole sit-on-the-deck thing seems like it would be very challenging for me in any but the easiest situation.

What do you think? I’m a beginner. I’m enthusiastic but I want to be able to feel comfortable and I’m worried the small cockpit will require too much of me at my stage.

this is a shorline

That’s a nice-looking boat! Coincidentally, though I did not buy that Shoreline, I did buy an Impex Montauk, which is said to be the same design as the Shoreline. And, I like it a lot. :slight_smile:

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@Doggy_Paddler that is a pic that Mike Nelson sent me because i have a shoreline fuego and have been in contact with him to gain some info on them as Valley kayaks are not the most communative :frowning:

this is my fuego with the old decklines. i will do a separate post with more pics