Taureau Seam issue

[Mikey B]

For those interested in the older Taureau's (Marshall), and worried about the seam issue, I have some info that should interest you.
Some of the earlier boats did have problems show up, maybe 30%, but Esquif will stand behind the boats 100%. If one was worried they could as Louie suggested, bolt or rivet the boat, to be positive it wouldn't be an issue under hard use.
They have tweaked the forms, but according to Mark Scriver (and Jaques) it still might not be totally resolved on the next production run. But I think it's not such a big issue in order to have a hot plastic OC-1. Too bad we're such a small market that it's not cost effective to rotomold them, but hey, I'll take it like it is.
I don't see any reason to feel bad about purchasing an older Taureau...I'm going to I know.
Hope this helps.
Mike

[Louie]

I can show you how I've done my three boat if anyone is intrestred.

[Wendy]

Louie- I paddle class II-III, rare IV. The seams on mine appear strong, but the boat hasn't taken any hard hits. Do you think I should go ahead and use your technique? When did you have a split? Was it hitting a rock? Thanks for feedback.

[Louie]

On the earlier model when they trimmed the flange d joind where they were welded they cut too close to the hull and cut out most of the weldded area my second and third ones were not trimmed near as much and might have been fine, but I was takin no chances.

[billcanoes]

I though PACs welding method sounded good, and maybe should be considered by Esquif- welding in surgical steel mesh- I would think it would hold the boat escpecially if it were done on the outside and inside

just my .02

Bill

[fez]

Hello,
I´m thinking about eventually purchasing a Taureau to Germany. so I´m having a few questions about it:

- What is this seam problem about - is there a crack between the upper and lower half of the hull ? Do you know if this problem is solved meanwhile ? I someone could send me pictures of it it would be appreciated.

- What can you tell me about the quality of the plastic in general because most of the time I slip around on rocky little creeks around here...

- Isn`t it a problem that the boat has no grabs as far as I see ?

Thanks for your answers & greetings Frank

[Louie]

are you talkin about grab loops on bow and stern ? If you are, all but the protype I had do have grab loops. Good ones. When a bunch of Canadians caused me to let mine good off of a 25 foot drop upside down and full ot water on to a rock the grab loops made a perfect pull to where after I heated the dent area up and pulled on the loop the dent came out very easy and the plastic has good memory cause it went back to its original shape. As far as runnin it on steep rocky run, remember that was what it was made for and if you have ever paddled in the hill of Tennessee you'd know they don't come any rockier than ours.

[fez]

yes , I meant grab loops - I only saw pictures of your prototype then...

How about the speed of the boat compared to the Zoom ?
Do you have a picture of thenon-prototype boat ?
(if you have it would be nice if you would post them to: fez at singletrailz.de

Thanks for all!

[Louie]

cause it is a lot shorter, but it is the fastest short boat out there well maybe it is tied with the skeeter. Like the skeeter and Zoom it is so much more stable than either the small speed different made up by the stability

[boatbuster]

If someone purchases a brand new boat, they should not have to worry about it breaking in two, nor should they have to fix it themselves with unsightly rivets or anything else. The manufacturer needs to get on top of this issue and resolve it.

[billcanoes]

Esquif is not selling any new Taureaus to dealers until the issue is resolved- Mine has been on back order.

Bill

[Louie]

To each his own but to have a new boat as good as this one. I'm more than happy to do a little work to it while the factory works out this issue. The fact that Esquife is even makin new boats for a market as small as our means a hellva lot to me and considering what rivers my " friends" drag we on to I need the best boat I can get with or with out after factory mods. No one in the world is better proof than me that it is better to be lucky than good, but I still want to have every advanage I can get, and havein the best creek boat on the market, well at least bein made is a big advantage.

[Mikey B]

I know I thought long and hard (and pestered many folks from Esquif) before getting mine. I was waiting for the "new" boats to come out, but with it looking like it might be quite a few months or longer before seeing them, and finding about the one at Appomattox River Supply, I opted to get it while I could, and I'm happy that I did. I'm still undecided whether to do a pre-emptive reinforcement or wait and see if anything develops. From my understanding, it's the ends that seperate, and the boats remain paddleable and not going to fall apart while running a river, and they are open-boats so if a little water got in, nothing unusual
It is hard to get a new boat that might have issues and usually I'd opt for waiting until issues are resolved, but this way I'm enjoying mine immensely and Esquif said they'd stand behind it 100%, so I'm happy to be one of the few getting to paddle one.
Mike

[Louie]

but on the last couple with the bigger flange and different weldin I have only been goin a foot and a half dow each side from the bow and stern. I have never seen one split except at the very ends and then only after I've done something stupid, but becasue I do tend to do that a lot I have bolted then anyway,

[fez]

By the way, is "T-Form Elite" the plastic of the Taureau,
PE (like they sa on their homepage) or PP like thy say it here:http://www.sportfocus.com/newspub/story.cfm?ID=15344

Greetings Frank