Have read some reviews on the full plastic Corona and it might work but read little about the Aramid Fiber composite model.
Right now have a SOT and ready for something more “kayaky.” Long ago I paddle quite a bit, mostly white water play boats, now I’m older, and arguably wiser, and need something for flat lake water for now, mostly day trips and never more than 2 nights. I’m 5’7" and 150.
There is a composite up for sale close that I can look at on the weekend that might, or might not, be overpriced at $700. I like the wieght is about 40 pounds. My SOT is too heavey to just throw around. I can get it on the rack but it’s a pain. What I may not like is the stability of the Corona after reading some reviews. I’m sure I could get past that though.
What about the kevlar though? Anyone paddle a composite boat? Would like input on how careful I would need to be and the upkeep. I tend to care for my stuff very well and do not mind a little extra effort.
Alternative right now is a Perception Expression 11.5 that might fit as a rec boat but I really don’t like the high seat.
There are MANY posts regarding composite materials. Kevlar is very tough and light compared to plastic and fiberglass. All composites can be damaged if left in the sun for a long time like months.
I don’t have a composite Corona, but I have a plastic one that I bought in 2001. I really haven’t paddled it in many years, but it is a great boat. I bought it after I bought a Carolina ( my first kayak) and wanted to grow the fleet. It was very tippy at first, but soon enough was very stable…just don’t look up at Medivac helicopters. I did have to modify the cockpit a lot to get it fit me really well. I did move on to Valley kayaks, an Avocet with the same round bottom shape and an Aquanaut for camping. When I bought it, it was the best outfitted yak that I saw…meaning it had perimeter lines, and good 2 level hatch covers, neoprene and hard plastic shells in a 14 or so foot yak
I don’t know about the Corona. I have a 2004 Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 Pro in Kevlar construction. It weighs about 51.5 lbs which is perhaps toward the heavy side for a 17 footer in Kevlar, but it seems like a fairly heavy, durable layup. It feels no more fragile than an all fiberglass construction. If the Corona is of a similar vintage, perhaps it’s also a heavy layup like my Tempest.
In contrast, I also have a 2000 Eddyline Falcon 18 in Kevlar (before Eddyline switched to ABS plastic). It’s 18 feet but only weighs 43.5 lbs. The hull feels a lot thinner and more fragile than the Tempest.
So, a lot depends on the Kevlar layup. If the Corona is truly just 40 lbs., it might be on the more fragile side. Do you know that it really weighs just 40 lbs. or is that just what the seller claims?
That weight is interesting. It shows fiberglass at 53 lbs. and aramid at 40 lbs. You typically only see a difference of a few lbs. between Kevlar and fiberglass. So, either their aramid build is super-light (and delicate?), or the 40 lbs. is incorrect. If you look at the kayak you might want to bring a scale to weigh it.
Had a Corona for many years. Good hull for maneuvering and exploring marshes and tracks fairly well on open water. Just got tired of squeezing in and out of kayaks and the lack of storage so switched to lighter solo canoes.
I have a 38# kayak and it is anything but delicate. I had mine in my pickup bed and backed it into the brick wall of my garage . Crumbled a little gelcoat. My feelings were more hurt than the boat.
Not sure I understand "delicate ".
I think Perception quit making composites when the sold out to Confluence several years ago.
That means that you should take a good, close look before laying your money down. Look for black spots in the interior and any cracking of the gel coat.
Black spot is often a sign of delamination between cloth layer in either FG or Aramid
If it has been properly stored and cared for $700 isn’t a bad price. The Corona was a pretty good all around boat.
Composites are very good. Must remember damage easily when driven over sand, gravel, etc. I always take off and land sideways to shore and hope for a suitable spot.
Thanks all for the good advice. The seller and I had planned a meet for Saturday but informed me today he sold it to someone that “really” wanted it. The pleasure of doing business on marketplace.
Carbon fiber is the lightest and most expensive. Pure carbon fiber vs carbon/Kevlar is rather brittle. You can break it or put a hole in it if you drop it or hit something. Carbon fiber repair takes a fair amount of skill and can be expensive.
Kevlar is a bit heavier than carbon or carbon/Kevlar and a bit cheaper. Boats with Kevlar are very strong. While you can severely damage the gelcoat, you are very unlikely to put a hole in it. I’ve seen a couple of Kevlar boats that were bent into a 90° angle when a strap got caught in a front tire, but when straightened out it still looked relatively fine from a distance and were still watertight. Unfortunately they were considered as totaled. I’ve also seen some Kevlar boats that had run into rocks in whitewater that had a fair amount of gelcoat damage, but were still watertight.
Kevlar is also difficult to repair if you actually manage to damage the fabric. It tends to fuzz up if sanded and is very difficult to cut. Some boat yards will not work on carbon fiber, carbon/Kevlar, or Kevlar kayaks. They feel the labor and material costs make it not worth it for something as relatively inexpensive a a kayak (compared to larger boats).
Fiberglass in the heaviest of commonly available composite boats, and also the least expensive. Although you can break or put a hole in a fiberglass kayak, fiberglass repair is not that difficult to do yourself. It will take some time and skill, but a damaged fiberglass kayak can often be brough back to looking like new. Color matching is a skill as well. If not doing it yourself, any boat yard or autobody shop will have extensive practice in fiberglass repairs.
My Kevlar boat is almost 24 years old, has been paddled for thousands of miles, been dropped, run into submerged rocks, been in rough landings on rocky shores and concrete boat ramps, and all I’ve had to do is some minor gelcoat repair every few years (aside from having to reinforce the inside where my heels were wearing through the epoxy).
