Re: Luan is underated

Posted by LeeG on Oct 19, 2004

You hit it on the nose on a lot of points. Okoume is great stuff,,absolutely the best. Absorbant for epoxy, light, and flexible. There are some locations where NOT putting glass on both sides is wasting the fine capabilities of Okoume and exposing that nice absorbant wood to water by allowing it to flex where it receives regular stress.

The designs did start out as plywood structures with selective glass reinforcements. The Yare/Severn had to have two layers of tape at the seam and external glass. But it's not exactly a strong construction. The Cape Charles/Patuxents had two layers of tape on substantial interior fillets/seams with external hull glass recommended but the doubled tape on the interior chines was the core of the construction. The Chesapeakes had one layer of tape on the interior seams plus cockpit glass and hull glass standard but "deck glass not needed". Now the Chesapeakes have one layer of interior tape, cockpit glass and deck glass and substantial hatch rim reinforcements. It's not so much a hybrid as a work in progress. The aft compartment bottom panel is still vulnerable to stress cracks in normal use and for heavier paddlers the underside of the aft deck between the coaming and aft hatch could still use under deck glass for normal entries/exits/rescues on flat water. If given the option of a kayak made with Okoume with 4oz or 6oz on one side or Luan with 6oz on both sides I'm pretty sure the Luan with 6oz on both sides will not develop waterstaining cracks.

In Response to: Re: Luan is underated by Laszlo on Oct 19, 2004

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