NuCanoe Frontier 12 is toast

[Gettin' Jiggy Wid It]

After 81 trips and 5 years, my NuCanoe sot kayak is full of cracks and takes on too much water. I can't patch it up with plastic welds anymore. It lived a short life, but I trolled over 1,000 miles with it using a Suzuki 2.5 hp outboard motor, pushing it around at 6 mph. That created so much strain on the hull and the stern.
Anyways...
What do you guys do with your sot kayaks after they are toast? I want to recycle it somehow, and I don't have space to keep it around the house since I will be replacing it ASAP.

Thanks for any advice!
GJWI

 

[C_Run]

I know that they can be recycled. You might call Alder Creek or Next Adventure in Portland and ask them.

 

[rogerdodger]

wow, that speaks poorly of their materials and construction. happy that I have stuck with Hobies...

 

[C_Run]

wow, that speaks poorly of their materials and construction. happy that I have stuck with Hobies...

I almost bought one of those before I got into a kayak some years back. I was wondering if you stored yours outdoors in the sun or indoors. I know the sunlight is bad for the plastic.

 

[Gettin' Jiggy Wid It]

The NuCanoe was stored indoors in my garage. It was fantastic for the first 4 years...then the leaks started coming. I really liked the freedom track system...I was able to outfit with multiple rod holders, fish finder, and even a downrigger for koke fishing. And super stable...i could stand up and fish while trolling, and it made it easier to net salmon while standing. It would have probably lasted 10 years if I hadn't put the gas powered motor on it. I was hammering stumps with it all the time with the throttle wide open and just the sheer strain on the plastic transom from the motor was too much. And I didn't do much still fishing with it...almost 100% trolling under power. But yes, I'm disappointed with it. Wanted to get at least 10 years out of it. But now I'm in a bind, because I have all these accessories for it that are worthless unless I buy another Frontier. Or maybe I could find another brand of kayak with some sort of freedom track and a transom to mount the outboard? A new Frontier will cost me $1100...that's a lot of money for hull that only lasts 5 years. But if I do buy another one, I will reinforce the transom with a metal plate. I noticed they are selling those now...so it must have been a problem for other folks, too.

 

[TimberTodd]

I would think any of the large recycle facilities would take it. As to the durability/construction of the product, I do not feel the manufacturer can be justly condemned for a poor product when Jiggy admits his had taken on numerous stump collisions while motoring along. I will admit to having some skin in the game. I brought home two 12' Frontiers last weekend. I looked at the Hobie Pro Angler, but I could not justify what they are asking for one. The Nucanoe will fit my fishing style just fine.

 

[Aervax]

No Title

I have a fiberglass Gheenoe knockoff I am thinking about selling that is sized right for the type of water and fishing you are talking about. I need to put a tape to it, but my recollection is that it's about 14 foot long and 38" wide. It is still unmodified and totally stock. If you look them up online guys are modifying them in all kinds of crazy ways with fishing platforms and bow mounted trolling motors and so on. It is stable enough to stand and cast from. It is light enough for one person to load it in the back of a pick up, or two people can load it on the roof. I would sell it for $800 without the trailer, or $1100 with the EZ Loader trailer. I will put it on the sell thread next week with pics and specs. The attached pic is not the actual boat, just an example.

 

[Gettin' Jiggy Wid It]

That's actually pretty slick. I went to the Gheenoe website, and the 13' with a 5hp motor would be just about perfect for how I'm fishing. I wonder how durable they are.

 

[Aervax]

I bought this one used a few years ago. I am guessing it is 10-15 years old. It is pretty light weight and made of fiberglass. Though it is not showing any wear and tear at this point, I would describe it as a light duty boat. The glass is thick enough to cruise around and troll, but I would not take it out in rough water.