Ultra vs Elite layup

I have been told that the Ultra layup has a tendency to "dent" relatively easily. There was a post on the forum a while back to the effect that the Elite layup, despite being lighter, may in fact be more robust.
Has anyone actual experience with both boats that they would care to comment on the difference. I'm not too worried about the weight difference, more usage and durability issues.

Hi MhojoNZ
I've had my UltraV12 for a year or more now and despite me being as careful as I can it has picked up a few v'small dents, mostly because I have to manoeuvre it through my my house every time it's used. I think if you can afford it get the slightly more resilient Elite version, but as with all light weight boats there will be a bit of a trade off between resillience/weight/price.
I dont think I would be happy useing my V12 in serious surf as I could not be sure it would survive if I bailed without picking up any damage.

Richard

Most light boats are vulnerable to damage. I treat my Fenn Mako Elite with kid gloves, try not to put it down on hard surfaces, etc.

But I did have an interesting experience a couple of weeks ago where I ended up stranded on top of a rock at the Roman Rock lighthouse in False Bay, Cape Town.

I was expecting some nasty dings in the bottom of the ski but apart from some shallow scratches, there was no other damage. Clearly there is some reinforcement under the cockpit.

I hate to admit it publicly but my V12ultra got blown off my car before I could strap it down after training over the winter. It had a 6inch diameter Y shaped crack and dent after contact with a kerb, fortunately the crack did not penetrate the inner skin as the damage was absorbed by the nomex foam.

The guy who repaired it commented on how well it was made (he repairs expensive yachts for a living).

He smoothed out the dent by drilling a small hole and injecting resin into the foam under the outer skin and along with some other techniques managed to repair the damage so that I could not find it no matter how hard I looked.

My point is that I know we have invested a lot of money in our boats and are worried about damaging them but I think maybe these boats are a little tougher than we give them credit for.

Richard

Sounds like I need:
A Performance construction boat for training, any river racing and general use; along with
An Elite construction for racing.

Now wouldn't that be nice!

Like everything there seem to be compromises - Ultra layup - prone to dents but has gelcoat so easier to repair and scratches don't show. Elite layup - don't tend to dent but the clear lacquer scratches, and of course more expensive.

Is it all worth it? As an intermediate paddler should I just stick with a Performance construction?

The answer may be in how long you intend to keep the ski. If you want to buy a ski and keep it for 5-10 yrs as your training and racing ski, then maybe opt for the Performance or Elite layup because they may be more impervious to bumps and dings. If you're on a new ski every one-two years, and paddle in areas where there are fewer obstacles, then the Ultra may be the sweet spot.

On the water, they're all pretty much the same. It's moving the ski from the home to and from the car and the water that might be the most accident prone time for some. For others, it's navigating the surf breaks or something else. I've got an ultra and am happy with the compromise of weight vs durability for where I paddle. The Think kevlar layup worked well for me as well.

ERik