Hello there, looking to get my first kayak and am looking for some second opinions on some discounted defective new kayaks ive seen for sale.
The defect is described as - ‘This boat is a second quality boat,due to a blemish caused in the flaming part of the manufacturing process.( this where a gloss is created on the plastic with heat)Some sections of the hull have been missed ,therefore there are some sections which are matt finish rather than gloss but this is purely cosmetic’
Anyone know if this is accurate?. I would not mind a mismtach colour scheme for a large discount.
Thanks for any help!.
maker
Who is the manufacturer of the boat?
re
– Last Updated: Nov-01-11 11:09 AM EST –
Hi, its a Wilderness Systems Tarpon
From whats been elaborated to me when the moulded body is finished its fired to melt the outer surface to gloss it, in this case the firing has been incomplete so some parts are glossed some parts are raw plastic out of the mold.
probably fine
If the information you provided comes from Wilderness Systems I think the boat would be perfectly sound.
Most makers do not offer warranties on boats sold as “blems” however.
Inspect carefully for thin spots
If the finishing process was faulty, I would question whether the rest of the process was sound. If the factory was having a bad day, there could be structural flaws as well.
Rotomolding is not an exact process; poly grains are poured into a mold, which is then heated & rotated slowly to melt & spread the plastic throughout the mold. Temperature and amount of time are factors which have to be strictly controlled during this process, and as a dealer I had to deal with thin spots in some of our sit-on-tops (not WS).
Also, once the rotomolding process is finished, the boat has to anneal, a slow cooling-down process that must be temperature controlled, otherwise the plastic will be brittle and crack with use & time.
So there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and I would inspect that boat very carefully before buying, especially if, as Paul said, there is no warranty.
Stick your head inside the boat through the hatch openings and look for thin spots. This works best in strong light, like outside on a sunny day. If this isn’t possible, have a friend shine a strong light on the outside part of the boat you’re inspecting.
IF the factory did their job, the
spots were checked for thickness with ultrasound. Do you have access to the boat? Just pushing on the spots should tell the story.
New Tarpons are thick -hulled beasts.
Blem or DEFECTIVE?
Make sure it’s only a blem. String’s suggestion is a good one, but check for other things while you’re at it. Is hardware mounted correctly? Footpeg rails opposite each other, not offset? All equipment installed the way it should be–not backwards? Easy to move levers or other things with multiple positions? Look for gouge damage (holes), especially at places like where the rudder is mounted (if there is one).
I had good luck when I bought my (former) WS kayak. But many companies have turned out turds, and I bought one from another maker before that.
Discount should be
very large. The resale value will take a big hit. You can get these WS boats 20% off in perfect new condition a the end of year sales. Might be looking for 40% or more for the boat you describe.
Treat it as a used boat…
…and price accordingly?