Used Swift Osprey???

Advice
#1

Anyone know of a used Swift Osprey for sale? I am thinking about picking up another one.



Also, can anyone tell me the difference between the guide fusion and kevlar fusion layups?



I know the kevlar fusion is lighter. Is the guide fusion stronger? Is it what used to be called the expedition kevlar?



thanks



Matt

#2

The guide fusion helps resist
impact…actually the gel coat takes the hit that otherwise would get through the skin coat on the lighter construction.



Strength to weight matters but it matters also the durability of the outer skin when you must drag it for whatever reason. Sometimes that might involove cliffs and rock faces…not your typical tripping in the States but it could be a factor in where you paddle.



I was quite grateful for a gel coat when I had to pulley my boat up a rock face on the Ontario Manitoba border.

#3

difference
I THINK is that the Guide Fusion is indeed comparable with the former Expedition lay-up but stronger because of the infusion lay-up. Also it is a bit heavier, possibly a little more flexible and painted on the inside so more durable than the Kevlar Fusion lay-up.

#4

If their current website info is
applicable, the Kevlar infusion version sounds like pure Kevlar, no glass, no gelcoat. The Guide infusion includes S-glass (excellent) and gelcoat (questionable). A canoe with S-glass as the outer layer will actually lose material to abrasion slower than gelcoat, because of the hardness of the S-glass.



So the Guide layup sounds like two steps forward (stiffer, harder) and one step back (gelcoat). But if you can tolerate the weight penalty of the gelcoat, I would go for that layup. Pure Kevlar boats, even with core, can be too flexible for their weight.

#5

don’t think so
I have a KevlarFusion and an Expedition Kevlar boat. The KevlarFusion does have a gelcoat but is not painted on the inside like the Expedition Kevlar/GuideFusion lay-up. The Carbon version is standard without a gelcoat. The KevlarFusion is supposed to have an S-glass outer layer. The CarbonFusion version is similar to a KevlarFusion but with a Carbon layer instead of an S-glass layer.

Compared to the Expedition Kevlar lay-up the KevlarFusion seems much better in term of stiffness and flexibility as far as I can tell. I like it very much, but on the long run I think I will (have to) paint the inside were my feets are ‘resting’.

#6

I’m only going by what’s on Swift’s
website. If they’re using S-glass on their clearcoat Kevlar layup, they’d be smart to say so.

#7

this is what Swift 'says’
http://www.swiftcanoe.com/downloads/CanoeTechnology.pdf

#8

hmmm…
If you read the description of the Guide vs Kevlar fusion they say exactly the same thing but in different words. Only diference I can pick up is that there is an interior layer of gel coat on the Guide and gel coat on exterior. Kevlar fusion has optional gel coat on exterior and no interior gel coat it appears.



Swift does not say which is stronger. Says K fusion has best strength / weight ratio but that does not mean it is stronger.



Maybe I just need to call swift and ask! Wish they would be a bit more explicit in their description.





Matt