Zephyr from Esquif will be at GAF, not a prototype but

Wayner · Post by **Wayner** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:43 pm

I would but not sure how to post pics

thanks

Wayner

Post by **sbroam** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 3:01 pm

The Esquif site is now showing the picture.

http://www.esquif.com/index.php?mod=modeles&id=26

Here are the pix Wayne sent me :

http://home.sc.rr.com/thebroams/pix/zephyr1.JPG
http://home.sc.rr.com/thebroams/pix/zephyr2.JPG
http://home.sc.rr.com/thebroams/pix/zephyr3.JPG

That is a sharp looking boat... Too bad I can't make GAF this year... I'd love to get an up close look at one not to mention some time on the water.

Post by **PAC** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:27 pm

Come on Scott blow off the family time and head GAF... and the dog house! Tell the wife I said it was okay (like that gets you anything)! By the way how are things now with the growing family?

Nice pictures and it looks like the Z also makes for a nice bar when needed! Good to see a boat that can multi-task when the pressure is on!
Anyway looking for more pictures and maybe a review or two!
Help a old C1er "Open" up his paddling!
Thanks in advance!

padlcnu · Post by **padlcnu** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:10 pm

Does any one have pictures of the outfitting?
What kind of glue is required for the attachement points?

Larry Horne · Post by **Larry Horne** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:48 pm

Weight - the prototypes were "overbuilt" to stand up to the rigorous testing this winter (read Eli and Louie are going to pound on them, I'm only good for a few good boofs and rock spins ) so weigh in at 41 pounds. The production boats will be 10 pounds lighter.

i am curious about this.
i know nothing about anything but this would make me just a little bit nervous if i were about to spend that kind of dough...
10 lbs heavier to get through one winter? i know.. one winter for these guys equals 2 or 3 for most people, but still.. i know i can destroy a canoe in one year and i'm not a professional.
so why wouldn't the prototype be built like the production model?
10 lbs seems like a LOT of material.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:45 pm

I might not know nuthin about nuthin myself, but the only Zephyer I paddle was a prototype made out of glass, not the twin tex. I think they were more intrestred in twikin the design not testin the material. However you have got to remember that this was in Canada, and with all that beer and the relaxed pot law everything is kinda fuzzy. I did get in a twin tex one at GAF and it is a sweet boat for sure.

ChrisKelly · Post by **ChrisKelly** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 3:39 pm

I said some stuff below but as to the weight; I picked up the boat that was at the store and thought it was light. (David said it was 41 pounds.) I will be shocked if they can get 10 pounds off of that. IMHO, 6 would bring it to 35 pounds and how wonderful that would be!
I gotta agree that it is very strong stuff, and slippery. It is going to slide over and off stuff nicely, One guy was leaning a sheet of it againt the curb and jumping on it. People hit it with hammers. Nothing is perfect and I am sure that given some time on the Arkansas creeks tham boys will find a way to harm it but it'll take work. If I were to guess, maybe repeated bashings will eventually weaken or crack the glass cloth inside the plastic. It may really be a revolution in canoe material. We will have to see what happens in the next year but check it out. I don't thinkt think your average canoer will damage a Twintex boat in a lifetime of whitewater use. The bad boyz will break them eventually but it'll take longer.
I already want a Twinrex Spark.

Apparantly the problem with glues sticking to the surface arises from the plastic that is put on (in?) the glass cloth. When I asked David about this he told me that they think they have a way to modify the surface to allow common glues to adhere better. For me this is not an issue because you can just glass in attachment points but as one fellow shopper pointed out, working with glass is getting to be a lost art. When I say "glass" I really mean Kevlar. It is also not an issue if you like the big saddles of carved minicell with leg holes cut to your size. You can secure the saddle with the thwarts (as they did with the demo boats). Chris Kelly

billcanoes · Post by **billcanoes** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:57 pm

I've heard some other comments that not adding a vinyl layer would be preferred, so that the anchors could be glassed in.

Bill

dixie_boater · Post by **dixie_boater** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:08 pm

I searched the internet and found this MSDS on Twin Tex. The sheet states more than just the safety precautions for handling Twin-Tex in a manufacturing environment. It is made at a plant in Wichita Falls, TX by a non-US based company. It contains E-glass and polypropelene. A chemical engineer with adhesives experience may be able to suggest what can bond attachments (anchors for straps, airbags, etc.) to the hull. Since it contains the same plastics that kayaks are made of it may be a challenge to find a good adhesive.

http://www.sgva.com/pdf/sgvx_msds_twintexglass.pdf

The Twin Tex website explains about the manufacturing process and marine applications:

http://www.twintex.com/fabrication_proc ... ocess.html

I am eager to see a Zephyr firsthand and give it a spin on the river. I was not able to attend GAF this year as my two teenage daughters had activities which occupied my weekend. I will go to the NOC in the coming weeks to check it out. Glad to hear that they will have Zephyrs in their instructional fleet. They should be availabile for demos, if that is the case.

Randy Dodson · Post by **Randy Dodson** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:38 pm

In the interest of long term research, i'd be happy to subject one to Arkansas creeks day after day if someone would just send me a test model.

C-Forum

Zephyr from Esquif will be at GAF, not a prototype but

Ahhhh....

Zephyer Outfitting

I might be in the same boat.

Zypher material - thoughts

zephyr- not using the vinyl

Some info on Twin-Tex