Out of a black and white world
Past a shooting star
The beauty of speed
See the colors changing
- tori amos

When I took my ACA Coach Training a few years back, I remember walking to the set up area behind Rutabaga and seeing one lone kayak waiting.  It’s finish was gone. It was scratched, dinged, cracked and dull.  In fact, it was a message that whoever owned that poor thing was. . . a “real” kayaker. At least that was my perception at that time.  Being new to the sport I’d already built up the idea in my head that a “real” kayaker was someone who went everywhere and did everything, and their kayak would look like it had been to hell and back.  I had a perception that a “pretty” boat was just a toy. The kayak I saw on that lawn was not pretty, it was experienced and tough. It was owned by Sam Crowley.

Now of course I have my sparkling Rockpool.  Yeah, it’s a pretty boat.   Being someone who occasionally wants my cake too, I want pretty AND tough.  The Alaw Bach is certainly that, but making repairs are interesting. My little rocket has never been around Ireland or Iceland. Nor has it been dragged over the cobble stone beaches of the UK.  On the other hand, it has spent some time being dragged (or thrown) over volcanic shelves and withstood the sand blasting effects of hours of high winds on a very open sandy beach.  It’s been crushed under the weight of a loaded wayward kayak careening down the surf, and pushed by river currents into sentinel boulders waiting to smack it like Rocky Balboa.  It’s tolerated the rough treatment of baggage handlers and of course suffered the knife edge slices of winter ice.  Not to mention being tossed in the back of my Jeep, dropped, kicked and stepped on.  And now we have a whole new season to look forward to,  the poor thing needs some loving care.

I’ve not set to repairing my boat since I got back from Puerto Rico last fall.  It still sports various duct tape repairs I made along the way.  The black hull is zebra striped by hundreds of scratches both small and large, shallow and deep.  On the trip the tail section suffered a nice puncture and of course cracks fanned out from there.  The hull also lost chunks of gel coat on various corners and seams, especially around the recessed latches.  The repairs are nothing difficult, but with a black hull you do need to use clear gelcoat with a coloring agent.  It’s no problem going to the local marine store to get white gelcoat, but I’ve had to order clear gelcoat & black dye online.  The repairs will be fairly obvious.  The glittery deck will present even more of a challenge.  An area alongside the cockpit is nothing but bare fiber.  The bow section has deep long gashes from hours of sand and grit rubbing under secured kit. Again, chunks and chips of gelcoat are missing here and there. Mike at Rockpool has sent me the glitter and colored gel.  Of course I have a feeling that the postmen must have a boat like mine because the first shipment never arrived!  This time Mike has sent it so I have to sign for it.  Once I do sit down to finally repair the poor thing it will never look like new.  But at least the repairs will be a bit less noticeable than had I just used a plain color.

Of course the point of this long winded post is that there are reasons for a paddler to choose a simple white hull and single color deck.  A white hull will not show scratches all that much and is simply repaired. White gelcoat is everywhere.  A single color deck is again easy to repair with the least amount of work.  In fact the best choice may be just an all white boat.  Well, the best choice if maintenance is your first priority.  For my part, I don’t mind doing the work.  I love the black hull and sparkles. Water hides the scratches.  But in truth I don’t mind if my boat begins to take on that worn look that Sam’s boat had when I first saw it.  All the wear in the world can’t hide a kayak’s true beauty.  A beat boat can be an inspiration. It was to me anyway.

Related Posts:

1. Gelcoat, an idiot (like me) can do it
2. Return Of The Son Of Shut Up ‘N Fix Yer Kayak
3. Can’t Take A Punch?
4. rabbit hole
5. Repairs Continue