hhhmmmm
With a warranty like QCC’s and lots of testimonials for their service, I don’t think the seller would have bothered to cover up an issue unless, like you mentioned, he may have done something silly that he assumed wouldn’t be covered.
Good post though.
I’m The Seller - FU!
I am the seller of this QCC700. It was my third QCC700 and I never had a serious problem with any of them. This boat was mint, I only used it 4 or 5 times before getting my surfski. I never hit rocks. I never run my boats onto the shore. I never set it down on a harsh surface. To me this is part of having excellent seamanship, that many paddlers sould get better at. As far as i knew, the boat was perfect, when I sold it. In fact I threw in some free extras including a nice paddle. I sell boats for a living and am completely honest about the condition of every boat I sell. So FU for implying that I might have known there was an issue and tried to pawn it off.
Speaking of the issue, I saw pictures and offered to call QCC and let them know the very short history of the boat. I was sure QCC would take care of it. Turns out I never had to call QCC because the new owner’s first call provided a solution that was better than expected. By the way, I could not even see the seperation. It was less than hairline. It was not until he slipped a piece of paper through the separation that it was noticeable in the pictures. If it was me I would have simply bonded it with Plexus. Plexus is awesome stuff and creates a joint stronger than the surrounding area. It’s the same stuff Boston Whaler and many other boat manufacturers have used for years to make permanent bonds of their composite componets. Its the Plexus that allows QCC to warranty their hull/deck joints for life. For whatever reason this small area did not achieve the correct Plexus bond. I personally would not hesitate to buy this boat off of QCC’s demo model page after they repair it.
Every QCC fan knows there are plenty of people out there ready to tear you down. Its a bit like being Obama I guess. Give them a little opening and they will pounce on it and turn it into something much bigger than it really is. Well, I react to personal attacks in a manner far less eloquently than Obama. The QCC bunch are a proud loyal group. This is not just because of QCC’s excellent quality and customer service, but also because their kayaks are faster, handle rough water better, and allow a paddler to advance to a higher lever quicker than many of the more traditional seakayaks out there. Many newbies in their QCC will be faster than the experienced traditional paddlers from day one. This just does not go over well with these guys.
During my first and only paddling lesson the British instructor with his British boat challenged me to a short race. Here is a guy that teaches paddling for a living challenging a guy that is paddling for maybe the 6th time. I smoked him. You shoulda heard the excuses as he tried to save face in front of the ladies. “Well your boat won’t be as good here or there or in such and such a condition.” Many years later I can tell you he was wrong. My QCC’s served me better in all the ocean has ever thrown at me. I seek out rough surfing conditions whenever possible. I’m heading out when the other guys with a deck full of safety gear are looking for sheltered water.
I don’t expect to convert the QCC haters out there. They are stuck in their old ways (500 years old). The paddling world is a changing. People are discovering the fun and excitement of paddling fast and efiiciently. People are starting to realize that 2.5 - 3.5 mph is not an acceptable average cruising speed. Full time rudders, even wing paddles are being mastered by the weekend warriors. Surfskis are growing in popularity even in colder climates. I’m not sure we will reach the tipping point in my lifetime since there are too many powerful forces resisiting it. However, there are a lot of smart, serious paddlers that approach paddling like other serious sports and want the most modern equipment that meets their goals. The QCC line represents this movement and therfore is the target of meritless attacks.
I agree the GT Lakes are big water
but the paddler’s profile didn’t give any indication of paddling in Superior.
Sorry if I offended
– Last Updated: Apr-18-08 2:11 PM EST –
So - it was one of those things that would be easily missed and, as I posited, may have taken some moving around to show up anyway. I amended my post, but to mention it's not like no one has ever sold a boat with issues, often unknowingly because it hadn't shown up in their own use.
As to the vehemence - I guess it's pretty disorienting when a Brit boat snob comes out defending QCC boats.
For the record
Near perfect means just that. Agree or disagree with his paddling philosophy, this sellers reputation is impeccable. I felt very comfortable taking his word on the condition of the boat before I ever saw it and traveled a fair distance, cash in hand, to purchase it. This boat literally did not have a scratch on the hull. I went over this boat with a fine tooth comb if only to familiarize myself with it and would have noticed this previously described “very clean” separation. It serves no further purpose to speculate why this occurred. Suffice it to say that no man (or woman) could have asked for a “used” boat in better condition (not to mention the 25oz carbon paddle he threw in).
Context is all
– Last Updated: Apr-18-08 4:28 PM EST –
Obviously I didn't notice the "from an active pnetter" part of the OP - I am clumsy but not suicidal. So I said what I would have in a conversation unbounded by that. Part of it was clearly wrong and that's a good way to be proven wrong.
This actually begs a different discussion, but not one I am going to start.
when first I saw post
– Last Updated: Apr-18-08 4:58 PM EST –
from across the pond encouraging me to purchase a “real” kayak, my mouse finger quivered.
Almost a day and several deep breathes later, I would encourage those who reason from the specific to the general, to lighten up a bit.
Paddlers are passionate about their rides; but that doesn’t mean that if my boat is “good” that your boat has to be “bad”, or for that matter virtual. I love my Teutonic plastic Prijon Kodiak no less than my boutique composite QCC 700X. They are two different boats with two different designs from two different great companies.
As regards Aussies and Brit boats: last time I called an Aussie a Brit was in Viet-Nam. First he knocked me down, then he picked me up, and finally that very nice forward air controller put a very large bottle of excellent beer in my hand.
Yanoer, for the record: that beer was not Old Style, nor was it contained in an old style Nagelene bottle.
ITW Plexus
Is an excellent methacrylate adhesive. That seam is a lapped, bonded seam if I recall correctly.
Several possibilities:
Release left on part(s) before bonding-
Inadequate prep.
Dated adhesive.
Squeeze out in that section reulting in poor bond.
Inadequate adhesive in that section.
Air void that captured water and froze.
I think these seams are excellent overall, but I’d also want to see them taped internally as a back-up.
Necky does a similar seam with a boxed, Plexus bond and a resin taped internal back-up.
Bottom Line: ALL boat manufacturers have an occassional issue. They are taking care of the customer…excellent!
So his favorite paddling place…
…is the Flambeau River. Does that mean he wouldn’t paddle on Lake Superior too? Seems odd that you’d make a comment specifically impying that there’s no reason for anyone in Wisconsin to own a sea kayak, and then say the comment was justified because one QCC owner (Durangoski) didn’t specifically mention the great lakes in his profile. Even if that explanation somehow made any sense, people still were only responding to what you actually wrote.
scratches easily in big water nfm
ALL boat manufacturers have an…
“ALL boat manufacturers have an occassional issue.” Thank you Salty. Most sea kayak manufacturers are small operations run by enthusiasts. There is a lot of hand work even in these very ‘modern’ boats.
This thread started by the originator as a testament to QCC’s fabulous customer service.
QCC has an excellent reputation for the quality of their build and for their customer support.
Everyone of whom I’ve had exchange who has any problem with a QCC boat, even minor, got a new boat from QCC. That’s fabulous service.
QCC partisans are passionate. That is not a bad thing - it is not like they are attempting to forcibly cleanse the world of elfin boats. (even though some do sound that way at times)
There is finally a local paddler I know who has a Q600X (he also has an Ellesmere and a beautiful canoe). I’m hoping this season to see if I can trade my Nordkapp LV with him for a paddle so I can feel what its like paddling one of these non-barge model QCCs. There is one other local paddler I’ve paddled with who has a Q700X, but I don’t think he would let anyone else paddle it.
While it is true that 7 of our 10 kayaks are British (including 2 of our whitewater boats), I’ve been curious to paddle a Q600 or 700.
I have paddled a couple of them
they have great customer service and a loyal following, which definitely says a lot about the quality.
They are good boats, but not my style.
I am going to bust Envyabulls chops a bit (sorry, but I am sure you can handle it). I am pretty sure kayaks in the traditional sense have been around much longer than 500 years. That may only mean people are stuck in an even older and outdated mindset. Also, you mentioned weekend warriors mastering ‘full time’ rudders. I am pretty sure ‘mastering’ the rudder is one of the easier aspects of kayaks, unless there is something I am missing.
Full time rudders, even wing paddles are
– Last Updated: Apr-19-08 8:44 AM EST –
"Full time rudders, even wing paddles are being mastered by the weekend warriors."
That is certainly one aspect of paddling. Just as drag racing is one aspect of auto racing. However I don't think liking paddling fast is any more indication of intelligence than driving fast is the realm of genius.
For my fun, my Romany and Nordkapp LV (not to mention my I3 and Diesel) are more to my liking than I suspect a boat best suited for "Full Time rudder and wing paddles" - not that there's anything wrong with that ;-)
No need to explain Eric…
I haven’t updated that profile in years. Big water… Lake Superior can be nasty. I like to play on that lake with my Gulfsteam when it’s nasty. It turns on a dime, but it’s covers leak and so do the bulk heads. I had to fiberglass the tube the skeg cable connection to the skeg box because it leaked to the point it would fill the rear compartment. It is a hard kayak to load with the small covers. I still like that kayak. The QCC is another breed. It doesn’t turn on a dime, but will handle big water. I would rather use this boat for expedition paddling than the Gulfstream. It is better suited to the task. I have paddled hundreds of miles on Lake Superior in all kinds of rough water.
One thing I failed to mention about QCC. When I purchased the kayak I went there to demo a boat. I was told they have the best demo period in the business. If you don’t like the kayak in the first 30 days, they’ll take it back.
My boat is scratched. It gets used. It broke on a shuttle, on an outfitters canoe trailer. It had some gear in it too. Lesson learned. No big deal. QCC added a layer of kevlar to the two areas the boat cracked and repaired the gelcoat.