Hello all, I just joined and already have need for some help. I'm searching for my first touring kayak for use mostly on the Great Lakes and some of Michigan's other most excellent waterways. The first (and only) used boat I've demo-ed has been a Cape Charles 17, a pretty boat with nice lines and stability I feel I'm quickly adapting to. I'm considering making an offer, but there's some work I'd like to do immediately to improve performance. The exterior of the hull is fiberglassed (with the exception of the deck). Unfortunately the work is less than Bristol fashion and I can see and feel the "weave" of the glass through the paint. Can you say drag? Is it possible to make this hull smooth? How might it be done? Alternately ... anyone have a good boat they'd like to part with? Gary *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
If the boat is painted you want to remove as much of the paint as practical. Sanding will work pretty well but it will not remove paint from the low points of the weave and you do not want to sand so much that you remove the low points because you don't want to sand into the glass itself. Sand until you see the fiberglass showing. It will show up as a light spot in the middle of the sanded epoxy. Try to remove the remaining paint with a wire brush. This probably won't be too effective, but do what you can. Then paint on some epoxy to fill the low spots (and cover the remaining paint). Let the epoxy cure and sand again to smooth and fair the surface. If there are still dimples from the weave, fill and sand again. Sand to remove any shiny spots. Now you can repaint. Nick At 1:25 PM -0500 11/27/98, Gary Tabor wrote: > Hello all, I just joined and already have need for some help. I'm >searching for my first touring kayak for use mostly on the Great Lakes >and some of Michigan's other most excellent waterways. The first >(and only) used boat I've demo-ed has been a Cape Charles 17, a pretty >boat with nice lines and stability I feel I'm quickly adapting to. >I'm considering making an offer, but there's some work I'd like to do >immediately to improve performance. The exterior of the hull is >fiberglassed (with the exception of the deck). Unfortunately the >work is less than Bristol fashion and I can see and feel the "weave" of >the glass through the paint. Can you say drag? Is it possible to >make this hull smooth? How might it be done? Alternately ... >anyone have a good boat they'd like to part with? Gary Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks 10 Ash Swamp Rd Glastonbury, CT 06033 (860) 659-8847 Schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ >>>>"It's not just Art, It's a Craft!"<<<< *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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