Hello and question about a Dagger Encore

[Louie]

I HAVE A PINK ENCORE SET UP FOR TANDEM. Untill the Ocoee came out the Encore was the best boat Dagger ever made. if you want to trade that boat for some solo boat give me a call.

Giga sell bags with a life time warenty, Dick has had real good luck with his.

[mattm]

geez, missed this post
my son and I have Encores
http://family.webshots.com/photo/206521 ... 6337dYaFnT

you got good advice above, i'll just add a bit. I use abs/acetone slurry to cover the worn areas, and learned to just leave it unpainted after wearing off Krylon Fusion a few times. I tore a hole in the front of mine running a ledge onto a signpost (urban river warfare), and filled the gap with gorilla glue, abs/acetone slurry over that, then Krylon Fusion. It's held up pretty well, a little duct tape to hold the vinyl in place while the glue cures. I found Red Krylon clogs easily, thus all my canoes get greener every year.
I did the gorilla glue under abs slurry treatment to repair a hole in my Whitesell as well, and it's pretty decent.

[SkeeterGuy86]

I HAVE A PINK ENCORE SET UP FOR TANDEM.

that is the most fun i have had paddling a Tandem boat in a long time

the Encore is a great Tandem

[jmdriscoll]

Wow, been a while since I looked at this thread. It's good to hear that some think so highly of this boat. It brews added encouragement toward the project! Ordering gunwales this week!

[pyc1]

The Encore and XL-13 are comparable, but you probably got the better deal. It's an especially good boat for big water like the New River Gorge or Lower Gauley, and an excellent beginner boat.

Ash gunwales do break, I've been on a trip where it happened to someone, and they're expensive to replace. But they look great, and are noticeably lighter than vinyl.

[SamS]

I paddle an Encore. I've recently started paddling some more difficult class IV, V- stuff, and it handles everything wonderfully. I don't see any reason to use it just as a beginner boat. It goes through holes very well, and stays quite dry (and is very maneuverable)

[jmdriscoll]

Ok, so I finally got the thing re-gunwaled and added new thwarts. Phase 1 complete! I added a modified deckplate to accomodate the vinyl gunwales. After taking the wood gunwales off I did find a handful of small cold cracks at some of the screwholes from where the wood gunwhales were installed. I ended up drilling the bottom of the cracks, cutting down the crack, beveling to expose ABS, and g-flexing the joints back together. All in all, I feel pretty good about it so far. Here are some progress pics "3 before pictures and 3 after pictures":

http://sports.webshots.com/album/578319831oRXnfV

I might hit it with a little pink krylon fusion, but not even sure that I am going to do that. Now I just need to save for some airbags and get the saddle outfitting set up and I will be straight.

In regards to paddle sizing, I have read that I measure from my nose to the floor while sitting in the boat, then add 20 inches to that number to get my approximate paddle length. Is this somewhere around correct? Thanks for all the help and opinions.

-Mike

[milkman]

Nice job! Practically looks like a new Encore. How did you make the bow and stern plates--or more precisely how did you get them to mold over the gunwales like that?

[dwd58]

That is a classic boat...with some work it will be like new again. I dont think I would paint it. Go with the Mohawk airbags. I own two mohawk boats , one over 7 years old, and I have never had an airbag leak.

[jmdriscoll]

Mlkman, those are actually deck plates for an appalachian with vinyl gunwales. They had to be cut because only the first 12 inches or so lined up with the shape of the encores bow and stern.

-Mike

[chriscanoe]

Jim, I think that you should get a Mary Kay Cosmetics sticker and put on that boat! I can make fun because I paddeled a pink Encore for 3 years back in the 90's an caught unrelenting hades about it. That being said, you have a great boat for a beginner to intermediate paddeling, heck even advanced river runnig. Not the best play boat, but it will style you down the river. Check out www.edscanoe.com for gunnels, or you could contact Mohawk canoe, I bet they would sell you some of there plastic gunnels(super easy to install). I have Mohawk bags in a viper 11, and they seem to be holding up fine. Remember, it takes a real man to paddle a pink boat!