RH340 Rockhopper?

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corgimas
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RH340 Rockhopper?

Post by corgimas »

I was jsut wondering how many people out there have them and use them?????
i love mine......
i did some modifications tho to the deck rigging.....
http://corgimas.blogspot.com/
pictures of a bunch more things...
http://picasaweb.google.com/corgimas/Modification
rob
Last edited by corgimas on Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
rockhopper
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Post by rockhopper »

Yeah, I have one (like you couldn't tell from the monika). First proper kayak I bought and whilst others have come and gone I intend to keep the Rockhopper.
Bought the Tourer rather than the Coastal which was probably a bit of a booboo, but since then I have put in a watertight bulkhead at the back and opened up the hatch, fitted extra rigging and fitted a fixed skeg.

Great boat, really stable, tough as the proverbial old boots, catches the surf, bounces off rocks but... a bit of a git to roll. Still, can't have everything!!
I think they look wicked too.
Teksport have also been very helpful when I have needed to buy the additional bits.

Rog.
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

i must admit that teksport was great dealing with me when i purchased mine....it is the first (that either the company or i) knows of in the US.....
the boat is a blast.....when i go surfing i will toss it and the pyranha s8 on the roof and decide when i get to the beach....
fun boats....glad i have it....
r
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Douglas Wilcox
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Post by Douglas Wilcox »

Yup, I still have mine and was last out in it last week at the Solway. I am lucky down there, I launch into a rockgarden so I do not have to paddle very far. The longer I have had it, the more I like it.

Douglas
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

hey Douglas
what fins do you have on yours????
i have the Stainless ones right now...but i am looking to get a set of the Mega fiberglass ones (they look MUCH cooler ;) )
rob
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Post by cj »

I bought mine off Mark R 2 years ago. It a great boat. You forget how limiting a full on sea kayak is when you just want to go out for a few hours, look around the caves and rocks. I have put a sealed rod holder in mine and go out spinning. I find it an easy boat to roll though, let it settle for a few seconds then roll it up with a basic screw roll.
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Douglas Wilcox
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Post by Douglas Wilcox »

Hi Rob, I have the Mega ones! They looked really cool when new but have now had a few battles with rocks and barnacles! Otherwise the only mod I have done is to seal the foot plate float and stick a couple of airbags up in front of it. I can now do a reenter and roll and pump it out with a waterbuster electric pump.
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Post by gary bb »

I bought mine off Harvey last year!
Mine has the Mega ones.Is it possible to fit bigger ones?
I was thinking of something to match size of the skeg,as I feel I need something bigger than the ones I have now.
My most used Kayak buy far.
How come Rockpool make such a good Kayak then stop?
How about a mark2 or some other inovation???
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

Douglas Wilcox wrote:Hi Rob, I have the Mega ones! They looked really cool when new but have now had a few battles with rocks and barnacles! Otherwise the only mod I have done is to seal the foot plate float and stick a couple of airbags up in front of it. I can now do a reenter and roll and pump it out with a waterbuster electric pump.
Douglas-sending email..........
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

gary bb wrote:I bought mine off Harvey last year!
Mine has the Mega ones.Is it possible to fit bigger ones?
I was thinking of something to match size of the skeg,as I feel I need something bigger than the ones I have now.
My most used Kayak buy far.
How come Rockpool make such a good Kayak then stop?
How about a mark2 or some other inovation???

Rockpool made this boat????was not aware of that....i know that Julian Patrick designed it.....and that there was a couple of composite prototypes around.....
this boats is stll being produced....

fins: the fins that i have are just two pieces of stainless steel...know anyone one welds????
http://picasaweb.google.com/corgimas/Gr ... 9629812610
http://picasaweb.google.com/corgimas/Gr ... 9759354770
the base section should be the same as the ones you have now.......

rob
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Post by rockhopper »

Rockpool made this boat????was not aware of that
That's because Rockpool didn't make the boat. It's made by Teksport and rotomolded by Rototek from a design by Bluesky kayaks.
http://www.playthesea.com/

Rockpool only make composite boats.
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

thanks...i was confused....
r
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Post by gary bb »

Don`t know what made me think of Rockpool.Hay ho.
I`m going to make some stainless fins but I don`t want to weld them.I`ll make them like my carbon Mega ones.M6 allen bolts holding the flat to the fin.This should provide a weak link just in case.I`d rather the bolts pull out or snap then rip a hole in the hull.
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

a number of guys in my neck of the woods have slapped long baord finboxes into Riot Boogies.....makes it very easy to switch out a fin or to take them on and off....
i am quite tempted by this idea as well...
shall see what the wintertime brings....
but for now i still would love a set of the Mega ones
r
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Post by Goldspoon »

Teksport can supply the stainless fins - they are very, very good!

I designed the boat but launched two businesses at the same time (an Internet business and Bluesky) - the Internet business took all my time (and still does) and I was unable to spend time on the RH340 and Bluesky. Hence I passed it across to Teksport. Interest in the boat has picked up a lot just recently as distributors in other countries have started to take an interest.

I didn't make life easy fior myself - designing something in an unproven niche market... but I still believe it to be a very interesting niche.

Julian Patrick
www.playthesea.co.uk
www.wackywebfun.com
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corgimas
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Post by corgimas »

Hey Julian
any interest besides myself from the states yet????
i have visited a few shops with it...there has been some raised eyebrows and "hmmmmmmm"s.....
rb
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Re: RH340 Rockhopper?

Post by RockySpieler »

Please can a RH340 owner measure their hatch cover.
I acquired an old Rockhopper, minus said hatch cover, and need a replacement.
The actual hatch measurements are close but don't match available Kajaksport oval hatches (a make that a couple reviews name check for the hatch cover).
Outer lip diameter 436mm x 315mm.
Thanks.
Managed to replace the skeg wire, 3mm 1/19 stiffer than orginal 1/7. Gas soldering iron and melting zip ties.
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Re: RH340 Rockhopper?

Post by mrcharly »

Reed do custom covers. The fabric ones are really quite cheap and I haven't had an issues with mine.
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Re: RH340 Rockhopper?

Post by corgimas »

I guess I needed to update this thread.....
I finally got a Rock Hopper shipped to the States. It is a lot of fun, still happy I got it

Mine has kajaksport hatch cover on the rear, I should be able to take a peek today for the sizing
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Re: RH340 Rockhopper?

Post by RockySpieler »

Image

Standard 17" Reed Chillcheater hatch cover seems to fit OK (arrived today - fast service).
I have to pull the bungee quite hard, the lip on the hatch cover rim is quite small.

Does anyone have experience with the Reed chillcheater hatch cover - how tight do you need to pull the bungee?
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Re: RH340 Rockhopper?

Post by mrcharly »

I haven't had any problems with mine leaking or collapsing under waves. I do pull it quite tight though.
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