I have the opportunity to rescue a Current Designs Oracle GTS that has been abandoned by a previous tenant. It has been stored outside, upright and uncovered for approximately 2 years in the mid coast area of Maine. It is currently full of ice and the kayak cannot be lifted or moved until the ice melts.
I’m fairly certain that the composite bulkheads are compromised. There is thick ice in both the front and rear compartments with the hatch/covers in place. The ice in the cockpit is above the seat.
Is it worth salvaging this boat or should i let them cut it up and take it to the dump? What else should I be worried about having to repair or replace?
I spoke to Susan over at Current Designs and she gave me information regarding repairing the TCS composite material if needed. Now its just a waiting game for it to thaw out.
Take the hatch covers off and roll it over to eventually thaw and drain. No point in putting it through any more freeze/thaw cycles than necessary.
Repairing the bulkheads is usually easy. Just clean and dry everything and a bit of Lexel or epoxy, depending on the composition of the bulkheads, and you should be good to go. If the bulkheads are too damaged, I’m sure that CD can supply replacements.
The only other issue that you might face is a broken hull to deck seam. For this you might want to inspect closely, and maybe fill the boat with clean water and look for leaks in any unexpected places. I wouldn’t expect this to be the case, but if so a repair might be more involved. If filling with water be sure that it is well supported on a flat surface, as it will be extremely heavy. Newspapers or a heavy blanket on a smooth driveway would be perfect.
The exterior looks a lot better than my 23 year old boat. New, the Oracle was a $2,000-2,500 boat. If you don’t want to deal with it, assess the condition and sell it as is. Unless heavily damaged, you should be able to get $500-1,200 for it, depending. Used kayaks are still selling at a premium. It’s recommended for a small to medium size paddler.
