New Issue with my Swift portage yoke

[Jim Dodd]

My Portage yokes double as a Back rest.

 

[M Clemens]

Spoke to swift. Ordered a couple replacements. They just rip them out then repair the gunwales. I’m thinking about a deep hole saw or a thin hack saw blade to get under the flange.

Not sure drilling them out would work. They might spin, and I’d give up the threads to use for upward pressure.

Well, your FB post turned up a couple of more folks that experienced the problem, so there's that. If you want to remove, repair and reinstall, I get it. One thing about the PlusNut and similar crimp-type fasteners is that they work best when installed in a flat geometry to get the optimum bite, and the Swift carbon/kevlar gunnels have a bit of radius; not sure it was the best choice for the application. I don't know if suggestions to flood the area around the insert with epoxy would help much. I would have liked to see an aluminum plate installed in the gunnels during fabrication, much like Wenonah does for mounting foot-bars, and an insert anchored to that.

I am working on a yoke for my Kee 14 that would grip each gunnel horizontally, since the inwale is angled.

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

My Portage yokes double as a Back rest.

Jim, I always liked that set up of yours. Very clever.

I do have to ask, why is your fishing reel in a zip lock bag?

Bob

 

[Black_Fly]

Simple fix to re-expand the wings of the insert. No ripping, tearing, Gflexing. She’s tight as before. Keeping that contraption unmounted ‘less she’s being carried. Top wrench keeps bolt still. Tighten bottom nut wrench 1/4 turn.

 

[Gamma1214]

Nice save.

 

[Black_Fly]

Nice save.

Well, I had ordered 2 inserts and paid double their cost in shipping, so I didn’t completely escape unscathed. Swift recommended I ship the boat back to them so they could “rip out” the inserts and repair the gunnels, replace the inserts. Combined with the difficulty involved with just replacing the seat, the necessity of replacing the hull identification plate, I can’t say I’m as exuberant about this brand as I once was. Hopefully, “normal” maintenance will now prevail and I can get back to bashing wet rocks with confidence.

 

[Alan Gage]

the necessity of replacing the hull identification plate,

What was wrong with the original plate?

Alan

 

[M Clemens]

Well, I had ordered 2 inserts and paid double their cost in shipping, so I didn’t completely escape unscathed. Swift recommended I ship the boat back to them so they could “rip out” the inserts and repair the gunnels, replace the inserts. Combined with the difficulty involved with just replacing the seat, the necessity of replacing the hull identification plate, I can’t say I’m as exuberant about this brand as I once was. Hopefully, “normal” maintenance will now prevail and I can get back to bashing wet rocks with confidence.

I think many of us (well me) thought you had pulled the inserts partially or completely out, so overthought the repair. Should have waited for the pics, I guess. Sorry you feel that way about Swift; though not perfect, I would say their customer satisfaction is quite high. Biggest complaint has always been the price, but the money fuels their innovation. Of all their on-line videos, the one about the fabrication and testing of their composite components was quite interesting.

 

[Black_Fly]

What was wrong with the original plate?

Alan

The number convention Swift used in 2019 is not compliant to the convention used in many states. Too many numbers, manufactured date not represented correctly in the HIN. Swift has changed now but many older boats must be reissued a plate to register in the states where registration is required. Simple fix. Swift sent the plate, old one popped off with a little goo gone and a putty knife.

Just one more tail to chase. After two applications were returned in the mail, the State sent me to a park for “inspection.” No rangers there, had to make an appointment. Took two more phone calls to ODNR to learn what was wrong with the application and a supervisor finally called me back to explain the number was too long and only the manufacturer would be able to fix it. I’ve got the plate on now, but I’m going to have it inspected just to insure the application doesn’t come back a third time.

 

[zekabl]

Yes it is quite the racket when you have to register a canoe both from in state and out of state boats. The OT camper I bought was a farm pond boat and never registered in Iowa. Had to have it inspected by the DNR and given more paperwork to fill out. Now a days a bill of sale has to accompany the boat registration slip too. I forgot to get one the last boat I purchased and had to contact the seller again. All this work for a $27/3yr sticker.

 

[gumpus]

I'm a Swift fan. One time I almost ordered some carbon fiber thwarts from their Parts activity, which is the actual factory. They were quick to point out that the carbon fiber thwarts were not as strong as wood. Nice to know. When I posted on another site I got a couple of comments around how difficult it can be to get relevant technical information (like um, is Expedition Kevlar suitable for an expedition? Surprise, the answer is maybe not...but you have to learn that from other paddlers). So one of my only complaints about Swift is that they seem so obsessed with Marketing (hard to argue since it's working). I don't like their videos in general because they don't talk about tradeoffs.

So maybe we should give them some slack because the yoke should not be attached during travel. But come on, they advertise a $700 carbon fiber yoke and brag about the simple/strong system but don't mention that you should not use it to lift the boat? Not even an asterisk with a link to some guidelines for proper usage? Come on!

Detachable Carbon Yoke - For Swift Canoe or Pack Boat

Our simple, strong, proprietary yoke system is quick and easy to take off and put on and will make portaging your boat a dream.

swiftcanoe.com

 

[Odyssey]

Should've replaced those CarbFibe rails with ash gunnels. lol