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I purchased my Turquoise colored Scupper pro around the year of 1996, the memories of the many adventures are fantastic. I used to load up the two hatches and the deck with plenty of gear for three days and two nights camping exploration adventures to the tropical barrier islands of SW Florida. There was no GPS in those days, we used a paper map sealed in a map dry bag and would track to points from mangrove Island to island until we reached our destination , I remember paddling in a cold 40 knot head wind, never stopping so the wind wouldn't push us back and then haveing to re-paddle and make up the lost distance, the low profile of the Scupper pro cut through the wind and was fast if you didn't stop in the headwind, I think we were15 miles out when we finally seen the backside of the sanddunes along the bay side and hearing the surf crashing on the shoreline creating piles of seashells beyond your wildess dreams on Cape Romano, We were hungry and cold in the wind but we got the tent.set up pretty fast , the scupper pro is made for kayak camping and I looked forward to kayak camp at least 3 times a month for the next 15 years. As for surfing the waves I had another adventure going through the cut between upper and lower Captiva pass, the waves where at least 10 feet high in the channel, I had to make the turn with a full load of gear and on the top deck I had a storage container strapped on. I used to rest my back on that, as I was making that turn a huge wave came up on me and I leaded my body with paddle all the way into that wave and the wave curled and crashed over me without swamping me. I then gathered myself for the next wave and road it to the shoreline on the private Captiva Beach. People looked at me funny, but I needed a rest and then I went on my way. I have so many more fine adventure stories of my Scupper Pro. After all these years the beautful Turquoise color has not faded, the 1-12" straps are wearing out and the gasket seals could use changing, ill probally change all that to it to keep everything in fine condition and authentic , I am an artist and have created a decent painting of me and my scupper pro going up a large wave, I call it Chasing Hurricanes , okay that's my storyfor now.

I purchased my first scupper pro in 1996, it was Turquoise in color and had two hatches, I used to load that baby up with 3 days and 2 nights of gear and paddle out to the barrier islands of the SW Florida coast to walk the shorelines amongst the sanddunes and piles of seashells beyond your wildess dreams, we would set up camp and wait for the green flash at the setting of the sun across the horizon, the adventures to the barrier islands amongst the back bays of mangrove Island as we stayed low in the kayaks that tracked perfectly and cut through even 40 knot winds, never stopping or slowing down ultil we made it to our destinations, slowing down in the headwinds meant pushing you back over areas you already paddled, years have gone to the past and my Turquoise colored Scupper pro has held ite deep color, it is beautiful. I found a company and have ordered new hatch gaskets and the strap material, along with a few extra buckles just incase they get brittle and break, It is best to store these 25 year old kayak inside, at least in the shade off the ground, I use a product called 303 UV protectant, it seems to soak into the polyethylene and works very well and lasts longer than armor all. I had a Crack in a hatch that drove me crazy, so the best I did was the heat weld the Crack from the under side and then put that flexseal tape over to hide the repair and used the stuff on top, just to hide the stupid Crack, then i found another scupper pro for $250; just to switch out the hatch, which also have a small crack that is easilynhidden under the nose strap at the screw, i fixed that pretty good. I guess i.want to keep the old scupper pro as authentic as possible , it's like taking care of a fine guitar. .I learned another thing about the first Scupper pros by Ocean Kayak, the first ones have a signature cooked in as part of the mold, and it says Designed by Tim Niemier, the texture and finish of the early model is finer, and another cooked in to the mold says made in USA. Nicely, the ones now a days is too smooth and the colors fade faster, so if you find the ones signed designed by Tim Nieman you got the real deal, hold onto that one, it is a keeper, and excellent for kayak surfing the waves. Don't paddle alone and always have your life jacket easy ready. Thanks