on launching a canoe: part three

on launching a canoe

Fiberglass

Composites are in vogue.  The engineering, the modeling accuracy and manufacturing methodology and costs, is reliable in this day and age.  At the inception, entire companies sprang up specializing in a cost effective solution to the wooden boat (see glastron, mfg, etc).  And that is exactly what fiberglass composite is competing with.  For larger displacement boats, the fiberglass hull represents an approximation of natural composite.  The strength to weight ratio is comparable, the durability is in excess, and, most importantly, the margin is far and above beyond.  Like wood, though, fiber glass requires care.  This is a little known fact.  The perception is that fiberglass is durable; the look and feel of it gives one the confidence that you can drop the canoe from the roof of your honda minivan onto the tarmac and drag it one thousand feet across the two hundred degree sand beach.   And you can.  The abuse of the hull, though, leads to a degraded performance and longevity.  Longevity in this case is referring to seaworthyness. The aging of a damaged fiberglass hull tends towards waterlogging and softening.  Which of these faults is more problematic is up for debate.  From the perspective of the oarsman, waterlogging is the worst feature a boat can have. 

Kevlar (and other exotic materials)

Composites are variegated.  Some are expensive.  Kevlar is very expensive.  It is perhaps the ultimate material for it is extreme in durability.  The abrasion resistance of kevlar is second to none though it has a lower ultimate tensile strength than some other fibers, such as carbon or high strength glass.  That being said, a kevlar canoe still requires care.  The matrix is prone to damage and cracking can lead to waterlogging and softening.  But all of the high performance load bearing composite materials yield a low weight vessel to those who can afford the price.  Usually, the unladen weight is insignificant to the performance and laden weight.  

Think carefully about what you intend to be doing in the canoe.

Check your pocketbook, check your landing and draft requirements.

Look at yourself, at your friends, and at your family; will you have passengers of competence or will they be, as the french say, les encompetent.

Finally, what do you want your reputation to be?