Hi, I have a Hurricane and have noticed that even though I close the rear "venthole", I still take on probably a couple of cups(at least) of water if I do a paddle in "rough" water. Does anyone else have this problem or is this normal? If not is there a way to seal it?
Submitted by oc-girl on Mon, 12/19/2005 - 1:27pm
Try pulling the plug and making sure it has adequate grease to prevent leaking. I use Vaseline, but you can also use any marine grease.
#1 Mon, 12/19/2005 - 2:18pm
Thank you. I have been pulling the plug out after almost every paddle just to drain it... :)
#2 Mon, 12/19/2005 - 6:12pm
I would also duct tape the entire vent for one practice and make sure that's where the water is coming from.
#3 Tue, 12/20/2005 - 6:28am
I would be careful if you're going to use ductape to cover the vent hole. If there's hot air in the hull and the air cools off while you have the hole covered, your hull can collapse when the hot air condenses. Well that's what happened to my canoe anyway.
#4 Thu, 12/22/2005 - 11:30pm
OC-Girl-
In Florida, we have quite a few Hurricanes (OC-1s!) and we noticed that the seams have a tendency to leak. We are unsure if it is a manufacturer defect or a by-product of strapping the boat too tight when transporting.
You may want to check the seam....we witnessed it on about 6 boats here from a late 2004/early 2005 shipment. One way to check would be checking for salt-crystals around the seam a day or two after use. The crystals would expose any potential cracks or fissures.
Cheers-
#5 Mon, 02/20/2006 - 7:55am
how about putting some some soapy water on the seams and quickly orally pressurize the boat from the venthole....stop it off with tape or plug and loook and listen to the seams
#6 Tue, 02/21/2006 - 8:37am
The only way to deal with the rear vent hole is to marine tex it closed. then drill a hole at the stern and put a cork in it.
#7 Wed, 02/22/2006 - 3:17pm
Do you mind if I ask where you purchased your Hurricane? I just moved to Virginia from Hawaii and brought my Viper with me but needless to say the move was NOT kind to it. I'm thinking of buying a new boat but don't even know where to begin to look for one out here.
Much mahalo,
Lisa
#8 Mon, 04/24/2006 - 1:52am
Hey Lisa,
Blake Conant imports them. He is located in Connecticut, but he usually has one or two available at Kent Island, in MD, and there is an ECORA race there May 20, '06. His e-mail is www.hawaiianoutriggers.com, and his number is (203) 877-4130
Tim Jones
MAPA
#9 Tue, 04/25/2006 - 5:30am
Thanks Tim! Freda put me in touch with Blake and I should have a pretty new purple Hurricane some time next month :-) Maybe I'll even have it in time for the Buckroe Splash!
#10 Wed, 04/26/2006 - 6:48am
Lisa from Kamamalahoe, is that you? ... Leah here, back on Oahu. Tell Bradah Blakey "Howzit?!" from me. Hope your new Hurricane works out. Also, if you ever run into Coralie Miller or Kathrine Reid tell them "Aloha" from me. Miss ya.
#11 Thu, 04/27/2006 - 11:56pm
The reason your new model Hurricane leaks is simple. The vent hole is too small. A couple of things happen as a result. Number one, salt gets in the plug and water leaks by the o ring. You need to pull it out, rinse, and then on occasion grease it with teflon grease or another type that won't degrade the o-ring. You also have to vent the boat when you put it on the water. The boat heats up, and when you put it in the water the air inside contracts as it cools and creates a vacuum. Water will get sucked right by the o-ring, since the hole is so small. Put the boat on the water, let it cool down a minute, then open the vent. You will hear the air getting sucked in. When this stops, close and go.
Here is the permanent solution. Cut a hole in the deck and put an old fashioned 3/4 '' plug with a straw in it. Seal the old tiny vent hole with marine goop or other such stuff. Your boat will never leak again, guarans ball barrans!
#12 Mon, 05/22/2006 - 10:56am
Where do you put the hole, behind the rudder access/venthole? It's kind of scary drilling a hole in my canoe...
I've been greasin it and draining it a couple of times a week. But I will try the letting it "breathe" now that it's starting to warm up here in SoCal.
:)
#13 Tue, 05/23/2006 - 6:33am
I put mine behind the venthole a few inches back, pretty much where the old Hurricanes had it. If you have someone that repairs your canoe for you you can have them do it.
#14 Tue, 05/23/2006 - 7:52am
I just wanted to let you know that I finally drilled a hole in my canoe and it's great, so much easier to drain it!
Thanks for the advice!
#15 Sun, 07/16/2006 - 6:59pm
Even though you may have fixed your leak...FYI Hurricane's unfortunately have a tendacy to leak along the seams. I have experienced this first hand. Luckily while still under warranty I contacted the manufacturer who stood by his product and paid to have my seams reinforced. For any Hurricane owners with newer boats I suggest you check your seams and contact the manufacturer. Aside from this defect they are outstanding racing canoes.
#16 Wed, 07/19/2006 - 9:17pm
When you refer to "leaky" how much water are you talking about? I recently purchased a Hurricane and have paddled it about a half-dozen times. Generally no water entered until this past Sunday when I paddled for approx 1 1/2 in very bumpy conditions. The boat took on about 4 or 5 cups of water. Is this normal or is this something that I should look into getting repaired as recommended above (seam repairs).
Raphael
#17 Tue, 08/08/2006 - 11:26am
Regarding how much water... much more than 4-5 cups. I was out in decent waves and the boat was heavy when I brought it in. My seam leak was very apparent and visible, but as I said the manufacturer stood by his product (thankfully!). Good luck!
#18 Thu, 08/24/2006 - 12:36pm
I have 2 relatively new Canes both made in China. Both have been great for the better part of a year but almost simataneously both started leaking like sieves. We have found the seams are split on both boats. Neither boat has ever been strapped on car racks and the boats have not been mistreated in any way. They are not taking on 4 or 5 cups of water they are taking on 4 or 5 gallons of water! I am in the market for another boat and this is turning me off the Hurricane. Another issue is the webbing attachment. On both boats this has nicely peeled right off!
#19 Wed, 08/30/2006 - 7:49pm
Another place where water enters carbon fiber canoes is through an area where the paint has been damaged. On a hurricane the 2 pack polyurathane outer coat is basically the water proofing to seal the carbon epoxy skins. This is common to any lightweight double carbon canoe not just the hurricane. The Vacuum bagging process allows manufacturers to reduce the weight of the canoes by allowing a very lean epoxy to carbon content, thus the resulting carbon sandwich is so devoid of epoxy that it is porous without gelcoat or polyuethane coating. This lean construction does not effect the strength of the canoe, it actuaaly enhances it. So if you have small paint damage fix it straight away.
I know this to be the case because i have pressurized the canoe with a small fish tank air pump and tested the unpainted areas with soapy water solution. They bubble. You can also test for leaky seams this way. Make sure that you have your breather part open when doing this and only use a tiny air pump or have a friend blow in the breather if you don't want to use a pump.
Cheers Rambo
#20 Thu, 08/31/2006 - 2:04am
Didn't realise the outer layer was just paint. So do you use two pack and spray over the repair or gelcoat it. What ever happened to spraying a thin gel coat?
Inland Outrigger
Echuca, Victoria, Australia.
#21 Sat, 09/09/2006 - 1:21pm
Clarkie, Gelcoat is twice as heavy as 2 pack and much more porous and fades badly. Hurricane is painted ofter it is released from the mould.
Cheers Rambo
#22 Sun, 09/10/2006 - 10:19am
I have a 2 yr old hurricane and have had no problems .......knock on wood . I have been told that the reason they tend to leak at the seams around the seats is because if the way some through them up on there shoulders to carry them .The hurricane is a fragile oc compared to most and its sensitive at the seams to weight .
I baby mine while carrying it and never let it come down hard on my shoulder ,I have seen other paddlers drop them down on their rudders as well and when I ask them if they have the leak problem most of them say yes. Judging by the way they take care of the kanu they are their own worst enemy . Like i said so far I have no had a prablem because I look after the way I handle it
#23 Fri, 10/13/2006 - 7:32pm
Anyone got advice on how to properly repair seams on a hurricane for a do-it-yourselfer?
Thanks
#24 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 5:31am
Seal it with 2-comp. PU-paint
#25 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 6:05am
Rambo, use all of them autoclave and prepreg?
#26 Mon, 02/19/2007 - 8:38am
The least noticable way of fixing this problem is done by an experienced professional.I have seen them remove the black matting behind the seat and cut a small hole under it and seal the seams of the boat from the inside and then close it back up and re-install the matting covering the area and you can't even tell anything has been done
#27 Wed, 02/21/2007 - 10:50am
the easiest way to check for leaks is to open the vent, stick a flex tube (the tube from a camel bak is perfect) in the hole. Blow into the hull and pinch off the tube. (poopoo keep your comments clean) spray the hull with soapy water, the area leaking will bubble up. pay specific attention to the seams, Iako holes, rudder/ vent assmbly. Or anywhere things are fastened.
many times it may be a small pin hole leak, when boats are put together the seam may have a small area where the goop that glues the two halves together has a smal void, allowing the boat to take on water, in most casses this does not compromise the integrity of the seam, Think of the seam as a shoe box, The lid has an overlap. if you wanted to glue it together and placed glue in the lip, It would be glued shut however there may be a chance of it not being air tight.
To repair a small pin hole, mix up a small amount of 5 min epoxy, nail polish, crazy glue, anything that wil harden in the hole. (easy poopoo don't get excited) You are not trying to add strength, just pluging a small hole.
Now if the seam is split fixing is a bit more work but not much, I have fixed several hurricanes that had split seams (isolated problem to a specific batch and not a recurring problem) open the seam with chop stcks, tounge depressors or s screw driver. clean with acetone, note that acetone will take off the black seam paint, not the canoe paint, wear gloves, acetone is bad stuff for the body, it gets absorbed into your skin and gies right to to the organs) It is not a bad idea to tape off the seam and cover that black stripe. Next mix up some west systems epoxy, add the 404 m icro filler. This lightens it up and makes it thicker. make it the consistancy of runny peanut butter, push and spread the epoxy into the seam you should be able to see what you are doing, the inside has about a 1.5 inch overlap. spread on both sides, (top and bottom) pull out your chop sticks, screw driver etc. allow the two sides to seal, generally this happens on it's own, If not a little tape or weights. do what you need to each time I have done it I have to improvise.
This should do the trick, as an added bit of safety add your favorite sticker over the seam, Although Eyecatcher Sunglasses is no longer in business they have great stickers for this, about 3 inches wide and 20 inches long. If you know Todd call him and get the stickers.
At all cost avoid cutting into the hull, And never ever use duct tape for repairs, one time use only for pft or Gu during a race. The stuff rots in about two days in sunlight. A huge pain to clean the adhesive off the boats. Hope this helps.
#28 Sun, 03/04/2007 - 7:26pm