Hello,
I've had my Tsunami 145 for a couple of weeks now. I noticed that its hull is not smooth but is wavy. Most noticeably on one side, behind the rear foam divider behind the seat.
Please, let me know what you think - is this bad enough to affect paddling and should I go after a warranty replacement?
Note that these are not due to stress or handling or misuse - they were there from the beginning but I did not pay much attention to them at first. The middle line on the hull is straight - it is just the sides on the bottom that are bad. Some are clearly due to the foam pieces inside being larger than then should be (push out) but the others are concave, under/around the seat area.
The color changes are due to the light - not discoloration.
I got some photos uploaded here:
http://www.pbase.com/kocho/kayak
Specifically - look here for the "best" view: http://www.pbase.com/kocho/image/96185379.jpg
Thanks!
It’s a design consideration…
In RM boats as the hull and bulkheads are dissimilar materials with different flex characteristics that vary by load, temperature, sea conditions, age and even altitude.
If the hull didn’t have the ability to flex and slightly deform it would be too brittle and soon crack in conditions. So you see having a wavy hull is a good thing.
Can’t see losing any sleep over it
looks far better than most boats deformed by strapping down on roof racks in our southern Illinois heat in the summer!
It is a plastic. no sweat. paddle and
enjoy.
Sounds link normal, eh?
While I do not like it, I suppose it is not out of the ordinary based on the responses so far...
I doubt these would be a big factor for paddling this boat, more of a visual thing. Just I wanted to get an idea if these are considered "within the norm" for such a boat...
When carrying from the store it did indeed deform badly as we put it with the hatch up, so the bottom deformed where the roof rack bars supported it (despite thick foam pieces under). But it regained its shape quickly.
Storing and carrying it upside down it does not change shape pretty much at all, so that's how I'm doing it now.
This is just bent out of shape as it is - just sitting there...
I like the plastic - there are plenty of rocks I tend to hit underwater on the Potomac and I think it probably handles them better than some other sturdier materials...
Tsunami
Suggest you stop at a dealer that carries WS Tsumani and look at a few others. Even if others are like that there is no reason why the hull should be pushed out at the bulkheads.
I have a 145 and the hull is totally smooth and straight, even at the bulkheads.
Will do that
There was one more where I bought mine and there are a couple of other dealers in my area that might have them.
Mine has never been exposed to high temps, so this is due to some sort of internal pressure…
That’s a great idea …
… take a look at others in the shop. You’ll be able to see if yours is the same or not. That boat is duralite, right? That’s a thinner plastic I believe so it could reflect the bulkheads more than a heavier plastic boat would. Trade off between lighter weight …
Not Duralite as far as I know
This is the regular plastic, not Duralite… Still at 55lb listed, not too heavy and balances OK for carrying on my shoulder for a couple of hundred feet or so.
Last time I saw a question like this…
it came to light at the end of a very long thread that the boat was purchased as a blem. That wouldn’t be your situation, would it?
If not, I’d take it back and exchange it. You should not accept a visibly deformed boat if you bought it retail. Rotomolding is not exact and there can be thin spots which are manufacturing defects and may eventually fail.
Not a demo/blem - full retail
On sale, but still not a blemished, demo or whatever. I’ll stop by the retailer to see how the other boats look. If they are any better, I may go for exchange.
I like the boat enough plus I do not have many choices of other models with my size 15 feet - nothing else in their store that was narrower than 25" fits my feet, so I’ll have to stay with the Tsunami 145 for now -
could be the nature of the beast
I don’t think it’ll make a difference in paddling
They are all like that
Or at least the three I checked at the store today all had similar protrusions in the area where the foam dividers are glued to the hull.
I also made the mistake of sitting in the Tempest 170 and now the Tsunami feels like a bath tub compared to it -;). The Tempest also seems to have less of a problem with the hull being wavy (if any).
If I'm still into paddling next year, I'll probably go for the Tempest 170 or a similar, more streamlined boat with a skeg. That boat fits like a glove with no loseness and has good legroom.
I could not fit my size 15 feet in the 165 Tempest, but the 170 fits nicely, in a way probably more comfortably than the a bit more spacious (width-wise) Tsunami 145, but there is not much wiggle room to move my feet around (where in the Tsunami I can change positions quite a bit).
yr focusing on some minor things
it’s how it paddles that matters. How it ‘feels’ sitting on the showroom floor doesn’t matter.
If you get a chance check out a composite Manitou 14. There might be some non-gel coat ones at some dealers on sale.
Thanks for the suggestion
How it feels on the show room actually matters a lot to me. The Tempest 170 and the Tsunami 145 were the only two boats out of probably 15 different models that otherwise "fit" my weight and height but do not fit my feet... If I had to paddle each to just find out I can't even sit in them comfortably...
But you are right that paddling one is the way to find out for sure if it is the right boat. The Tsunami should be fine for me for some time, while I work on my paddling technique and figure out better what I want in my next boat, or if I even want one.
Being a new paddler, it takes me some time to figure things. But I am already beginning to find out what I like and don't like in it, so I should be able to make a more informed decision next time. Things like the lack of a skeg, wide-ish/slow-ish hull, too high cockpit, too stiff/too high back support, dry hatch size/position (no separate day hatch), etc. are all things I think the Tempest 170 has got a better design for than the Tsunami 145, from my prospective.
Agian - paddling one for a while is the way to go. I could not have found out of all of the above having not paddled the Tsunami for a couple of weeks now. Who knows what I'll think after paddling it for a couple more months -;)
I'll check out the Manitou you mention if I get a chance to see one.
Take it back
As far as I’m concerned, a first-quality boat new from the manufacturer with that amount of hull distortion is a piece of crap. Take it back, use your tax rebate and get a real kayak.
There are tons of high-deck, normal width kayaks out there that will accomodate your feet. Look for a high, rounded front deck. Boreal Alvik, Eddyline Fathom, Current Designs Gulfstream. P&H makes the Capella in plastic in several sizes.
If you’re going to be mostly on quiet water, consider a sit-on-top. With leg straps they can perform almost as well as a sit-in. Cobra Tourer is a great boat; we use them in our rental fleet.
That ain’t right
Those bumps may or may not make any real difference to the way the boat paddles.
But they ain’t right.
Take it back, get one that looks like the brochure. Put your own dents and scratches in it.
Sit on top
I got one - see the yellow Cobra Explorer in the back?
http://www.pbase.com/kocho/image/96185382.jpg
I like it a lot, except it is hard to carry around even though it is actually lighter than the Tsunami by a couple of pounds. Plus it tips very easy and catches currents with its hard edges. It gets me wet pretty much guaranteed so it is not very good in colder weather, plus I wanted to try something faster. The leg straps are a good idea and I’ve been thinking of getting a set for some time now.
Return it!
I bought a Tsunami 145 last summer and it doesn’t have the hull distortion that yours does…I would definitely take it back!
kocho
I appreciate how carefully you are checking this out. Read the post where you went back to the store and checked others of the same model which looked the same as yours.
That may just mean there was a bad run at the plant and the retailer bought a shipment of kayaks that were “born” about the same time.
I agree with mintjulep and trilliumlake that you should take that puppy back and avoid those of the same “litter”. Definitely try out the alternatives suggested. There are a lot more out there that will fit you and address some of the performance issues you yourself have already noted in the Tsunami. Sounds like you are already evolving beyond it.
Best wishes and let us know how it works out.