Hi, (p.s. You can now see the pictures below that I posted after this first post when I attempted to describe the issue. I also have now checked it further for leaks by taking it apart and filled it with water up to the first strap from the stern and it leaks at a rate of 20 onces or 600 ml per hour. This leak is, at least, from the extremity of the stern, as it seems to get out of the beginning of the permanent plastic part covering the end of the stern where the rudder attached. It does not seem to leak further away from the stern but I am still investigating that).
I am about to take my K1 on a kayaking trip abroad and something looks wrong about it.
If you know what is going on, I would appreciate your advice.
I can't attach pictures to show you how it looks as the files are too big. However, I will try to describe it as best as possible and I could send pictures to you by private e-mail if you want.
Basically, I see a green line now between the deck and the hull parts of the skin starting from the stern and ending about 3 feet from it. It is half an inch at first (next to the stern) and diminishing to nothing at the end (toward the cockpit). This green line is the material of the deck part which used to be covered under the fabric where the loops and straps are attached to. It happened in my basement as I put it together dry to double check the kayak before the trip.
It is a 2000 model when the deck and hull fabric were both changed to urethane, allowing the deck and hull to be welded together to create water-tight seal know as the Sealskin Technology.
From the 2nd last picture at the bottom of that page
http://feathercraft.com/welding/, it seems that the welded seal is not affected but only the gluing of the upper part of the seal over the deck part of the skin. In fact, this picture looks a lot like my kayak now where the green line will be on the vertical part just above the horizontal fabric where the loop is attached to.
However, I am worrying that the seal is going to unseal next. It may be safer to take my 1998 K1 with the older technology.
Thanks a lot for your attention and I would welcome your views.
Stéphane Roberge from Ottawa