Blink

[Northwoodsbc]

Congratulations Wendy!

[Wendy]

Thanks. I am excited for all of us. His other boats are great, but I have wanted a shorter river running, creek boat. The pics look awesome. We still have enough water for the French Broad, Nanty to paddle. For years I have wanted a glass canoe, but needed it to be under 10 feet so I could carry it with my short stature. Yesterday while paddling the Shacho Bert had me be his Sherpa to emphasize how wonderful it is to carry a glass boat.

[rainfoot]

Congrats Wendy. Way cool. Down the road we all look forward to your review of how the Blink comps with the Ledge/Option/Ion/Sacho/85 and all the other boats you have paddled.

[carter1]

very cool Wendy! Can't wait to see it. FB 9 trip soon?!
c

[Wendy]

I'll get back as soon as I get to paddle the Blink.

[busterblue]

Looking forward to it.

[craig]

I saw it in person the other day, but could not paddle it. No outfitting yet and it had wet resin from some tie down loops. It is very light around 20 lb I'll bet around 30 lb outfitted with a bulkhead and bags. It has all the features of a quick and nimble boat. I was impressed by how much volume it has for a boat the size of a Zoom. But even then it won't be something to take on a creek with lots of barely wet slides and deliberate rock bashing unless you like to spend weekday evenings patching. Put a painter on it or carry a short length of rope to tie it up so it won't blow away while scouting :^)

[Northwoodsbc]

But even then it won't be something to take on a creek with lots of barely wet slides and deliberate rock bashing unless you like to spend weekday evenings patching. Put a painter on it or carry a short length of rope to tie it up so it won't blow away while scouting :^)

I would disagree with this statement. I built a composite Stinkeye, pre Kaz. I went back and looked at Facebook posts from when I was building. I have a picture posted with the hull, gunwales, and thwarts done. At that point I weighed the boat and it was 23 lbs. This is a similar weight to what Kaz is claiming for the Blink at the same stage of construction. Obviously Kaz knows how to build canoes more than me. I was guessing at layup schedules. But I'm pretty sure I guessed right.

My boat has been far tougher than I ever expected. I do attempt rockspins, I do slide barely wet rocks to skirt holes, I have crunched the stern HARD off small ledges. My boat has nothing but superficial scratches. I have managed to avoid slamming into any rocks broadside, this would probably be the most vulnerable situation because the fabric layers taper off above the waterline. I don't "baby" my boat at all but I also don't intentionally abuse it. The only repair I have done is to paint a layer of epoxy along the chines to seal up some glass that was starting to expose from low water summer runs. Is it a full on class V creeker? No, but if you're choosy about your 3's and 4's I think composites can handle it.

My paddling buddy, kayaker, bought a Pyranha Jed at the same time I finished my boat. We almost always paddle together so our boats have seen the same conditions and time on the water. His boat looks absolutely beat up compared to mine. Large gouges of plastic missing. Small chunks gone from the chines.

My point in saying this is that I think people are scared away from composites by statements like this. I believed them. I figured I would be repairing my boat all the time. Something I was totally willing to do for a lighter boat. Much to my surprise, I have had no repairs. Every time I hit a rock hard I cringe and expect to pull my boat out of the water and see a big split or crack. Every time, there is nothing there. That "cringe" and subsequent checking of the boat is a direct consequence of years of people saying how fragile they are. Don't believe the hype! Get a boat with a reinforced heavy layup and be blissfully happy.

These are my personal observations from paddling the last year in a composite boat with a heavy layup. I am out at least 3 days a week. My local run is 2-3 with a lot of small ledges and very sharp rocks. I also regularly paddle what I consider 3's and easy 4's just north of here in Canada. I have no affiliation with Kaz (Millbrook) other than meeting him at Nationals. This is not a Millbrook boat.

Marcus

[kaz]

Another photo for those of you afraid to look at Facebook. As you see it, 25 lbs.

[truckeeboater]

It's a thing of beauty, for sure. Wish I get the chance to take one for a spin someday!

[hammerhead]

Looks nice, probably paddles even better. Keep up the great work!

[craig]

@ northwoods, #1 I don't to want to start any controversy. 2, I have paddled a Kaz boat for over 15 yrs so I know how tough they are (VERY) and I just got another, a blue Sacho a fraternal twin to the blink 3, I don't want anyone to have expectations of it being indestructible, kevlar and all, especially with what people are expecting from their plastic boats and complaints of cracking etc, and you said it your self that you do not intentially abuse it. That said I want one because I can see that it has great potential...

[Northwoodsbc]

Craig,

I posted my experiences because of the constant criticism I hear about composite boats being fragile. They can obviously be built to be super light and fragile or heavier and really durable. I have probably received a half dozen PM's or FB messages about my boat and all of them have mentioned that they want one but are worried about how delicate or fragile they are. I always tell people to talk to Kaz and he can build it tougher.

If you do break your boat, just have some Sglass, Kevlar, peel ply, and epoxy around. It's quite simple.

If Royalex truly does disappear, I hope Kaz sees a big boost in business. Composite is the only thing out there right now that can give an 11-12' boat that people will be willing to carry. Maybe then, people will realize what they have been missing by avoiding composite.

I will own a Shacho some day. Just have some other priorities to take care of first.

Marcus

[Sir Adam]

Composite technology has come a long way in the past 30 years. So has plastic, for that matter (many of the early plastic C1's lasted only a few seasons).

Nice to see more folks willing to hop in a "glass" boat - you don't need to baby them, but you do have to be a bit more mindful at times. They WILL put up with A LOT of abuse. And are field-repairable (how many of you can carry a hot air or other plastic welder with you;) )!

Back to the BLINK - I look forward to seeing one at the armada hopefully!

[cheajack]

Probably the toughest boat I ever paddled was the composite Magnet that now sits in Sir Adam's collection. I think that composite boats are most vulnerable when heading down river full of water without a pilot on board.