No Spam wrote:
Big snip---

Hey Tom, have you seen the Yost boats in person? I found his web site
very
intriguing. I have been wanting to do a stitch and glue from One
Ocean but
have not started yet and the idea of a boat that I could easily take
on a
family vacation has me thinking about trying that one first. I just
would
like to have an opinion from someone that has eyeballed or better yet
paddled one of these boats. If I remember correctly you have a
folding boat
from one of the manufacturers right? Do you find that it is capable
of
taking the abuse of hitting bottom now and again? Do you use float
bags or a
sea sock?

Ken

I'm in favor of that darkside metamorphosis, Yost being a neighbor
of
mine here in Denver, and him making some dandy boats. Though I
don't
know whether riverman is inclined to the hobby craftsmen aspect of
building your own, besides having the time between now and going
to, is
it HK. TnT


I have corresponded with him, about getting together, but have yet to
do so. He is real approachable and glad to talk boats. He was going to
take a look at my older 1973 Folbot Super which is a double. I got it
used, and though the PVC hull is waterproof, there are a few thin spots
where it got pinched against the frame. Yost has alot of experience
working with the PVC, since that is what he uses on his boats. He does
so because it is cheaper to manufacture, and maintain yourself, once
you get the hang of it. Which by the time you get done building one of
his, you should have no problem.

Most of the Bagboaters put sacrificial strips on the hull along the
longerons to take the abuse. I recently found some special PVC tape
that I am going to try using. It comes with some very sticky waterproof
adhesive, is UV resistant, and is solid 10 mil thick. Most packing tape
is 1 or 2 mil, so gives you an idea, and there is not cloth backing
like duct tape. Some of the guys have used the duct tape which is good
for about a season, and then you replace it.

Most of the newer boats use a Hypalon hull which is probably tougher,
but is also a little more involved to work on. Most of the guys seem to
be really happy with it, and say it should last 30-40 years.

You do want to use lots of flotation, since there are no bulkheads and
hatches. However my Super is 17.5 ft, and can handle 700 lbs. Some
folks consider it more of a decked canoe, though there are spray skirts
that you can put on it. There is a lot of Tumble down, with a 36" beam,
makes for a very stable boat, and not likely to roll. Some use the
seasock, but mostly just to keep spray out, and that is in heavy seas.

Some of the newer Folbots, are comparable to Hard shell, and the
Feathercraft I've heard, actually will out perform some of the high end
sea kayaks. I don't know that any of the folders are recommended for
anything over class 2 WW. But it is not the hull that determines the
limit, as much as the frame. However some of the newer frames would
appear to be almost unbreakable, such as Yost with the HDP, and heavy
aluminum tubes. The structural strength may be more than a poly boat,
and then it gets back to penetration issues and they are getting the
hull to be almost ballistic. Well maybe not ballistic, but then hard
shell aren't either.

There is a Yahoo group for Bagboaters where they talk about all this
stuff. They tend to be orientated to trying all kinds of modifications
since the platform is very flexible and frindly to us Tinkers! TnT