Cracked Taureau

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"I believe the material is polypropylene based"
Nop. Taureau made from polyethylene. Twintex is based on polypropylene. ( OC-1 Zephyr)

Nop. Taureau is based on T-Form Elite. "T-Form Elite is a unqiue material and thermoforming process that Esquif has developed to produce a thermoformed, twin-sheet canoe. Although this process could use polyethylene alloy sheets similar to the material in rotomolded kayaks, our proprietory polypropylene based material has superior strength, weight stability and cosmetic properties. A thermoformed deck and hull of this unique material is fused to form the Taureau" (esquif.com)

[waterfall]

before Repair

Taureau 1.jpg (31.25 KiB) Viewed 5935 times

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after Repair

Taureau 2.jpg (33.81 KiB) Viewed 5935 times

welded with pieces of material cut out of the rim + several stainless steel wires placed

[JimW]

A thermoformed deck and hull of this unique material is fused to form the Taureau" (esquif.com)

That suggests to me that Esquif have some kind of welding procedure for the manufacture of these boats.....????

And then looking at your photos, it looks like it has failed at the welded seam, possibly adjacent to the actual weld material (not unusual in steel, although no-ne has ever mentioned HAZ in relation to plastics to me before)?

[Dave.E]

The seam splitting on a Taureau is really common. I wouldn't call it a crack....

If you are still concerned about it breaking put some small pop rivets along seam. I would even rivet to a small plastic plate on the inside as well.

Shouldnt take more than 20 minutes

Dave

[h2sk1]

The seam splitting on a Taureau is really common. I wouldn't call it a crack....

If you are still concerned about it breaking put some small pop rivets along seam. I would even rivet to a small plastic plate on the inside as well.

Dave

I had a Taureau from the first year they were made before they improved the seam shown in the picture. That seam separated quite quickly. I bolted the seam together, put a 'cap' over the bolts to save my fingers, and continued to paddle that boat for 7 years without another repair. It is now in the hands of another owner and to the best of my knowledge, still going strong.

That material is excellent - light, slides on rocks, bomber. The seam, no so much, but so easily repaired, I didn't feel it was an issue.

[Eli]

I have had a few Taureaus fail at that weld. The later versions were flared down and held better, but inevitably at some point that is where the boat will split. I have drilled holes and laced it back together. The pop rivet technique or tiny nuts and bolts also work well. If you use metal parts, I like Andrew Westwood's technique of cutting heater hose lengthwise and gluing it over your hardware.

Sorry you didn't get a reply from Esquif. Hope you get to have fun in the boat...

[pmp]

i'm pretty sure louie has welded taureaus. I bolted the seams on an early prototype, worked great. Definitely our favourite hull material for creeking, but i moved to the l'edge... no going back:)
note: I didn't put anything over the bolts and never hit my fingers, the bolts weren't in the middle area and were very small anyway.
paul