The Lite Choices.
Fiberglass, Composite, Kevlar, Carbon

There are many choices when deciding on a Lincoln Canoe or Kayak. Once you’ve decided on what model, then have a choice of construction materials. Our boats are some of the lightest and stiffest designs in the world. The materials you choose will determine just how light.

Myth!
“Fiberglass and Kevlar boats are less durable than plastic boats.”

Myth Busted!!
Here at Lincoln, we hear this false statement all the time.
This is an idea introduced by plastic boat manufactures to help their sales.
The Truth is fiberglass, Kevlar or composite boats are MORE DURABLE than plastic boats.
Our boats are stiffer, hold their shape, resist deep scratches and are completely repairable. The only advantage of plastic is high impact resistance. Unless you’re paddling heavy white water with lots of rock impacts, this is not an issue. Plastic is a soft material and every scratch will leave a deep gouge in the surface of the boat. These scratches will have rough edges and burrs that create a very inefficient surface to glide on. These scratches accumulate over time and there is no way to repair them or improve performance.

A fiberglass, Kevlar or composite boat will scratch when you paddle over a rock. The resulting scratch is usually no more than a thumbnail deep and does very little to affect the efficiency and speed of the boat. You can slide over as many rocks as you like and still have the same high performance 20 years down the road. If you’ve worn through the protective gel coat finish in a particular area, you can easily fix the spot and bring the boat back to new.

The one advantage a plastic boat will have is high impact resistance. Dropping a plastic boat on the pavement will do very little damage. Dropping a fiberglass, Kevlar or composite boat on pavement may result in a crack in the gel coat. This is a very easy repair.

To actually damage the interior structure of a fiberglass, Kevlar or composite boat you have to work very hard. In fact, 95% of all major boat repairs have nothing to do with paddling. We rarely see a boat that has a major structural repair as a result from paddling. The most common reason for structural damage is accidents involving cars, snowplows, falling ice and snow or even a falling bowling ball (true story).  These are all rare and usually avoidable events.

So, when you weigh the pro’s and con’s of owning a plastic vs. a Lincoln boat, keep the weight in mind. A typical plastic 12’ kayak weights 50+ lbs. (depending on manufacturer) Our 12’ 6” Kevlar Quoddy Lite kayak weighs 25 lbs.!!

Our boats are made to be paddled. They are durable, light and extremely efficient on the water and will remain so for many many years of paddling fun.