Hello, I'm new to paddlewise and this is my first attempt at getting some information from any of you fine people that can help me. I own two Eddyline kayaks. My older kayak has seen many rough landings involving rocks and the dreaded oyster shells. The result is some pretty substantial gouges in the bottom. Someone told me earlier this summer that the hull can be wet sanded. The informant got away before I could ask him details. Help anyone. What type sand paper? Wet sand with just water, oil, what? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Nancy - Assuming you're working with a fibreglass boat - If it's just superficial scratches in gelcoat, most of us wouldn't sand those out. After a short while, you won't see them yourself - and of course if you do sand them out, the gelcoat will be thinner after the sanding, and you'll get new scratches anyway. If the scratces are all the way through the gelcoat or almost that deep, there are several good ways to fix the problem. One way is to **very carefully** rout out the deeper scratches with a Dremel tool and apply new gelcoat to the scratch. That's not an easy thing to do, and it never looks "like new". Gelcoat can be obtained from Great River Outfitters and (I think) from West Marine in several different colors, and there are other sources as well. As you rout out the scratches, take extreme care not to damage the underlying glass fibers - you don't need to go that deep. Cover the Gelcoat with Saran wrap as it hardens, then wash off the waxy outer coating with vinegar or dish soap (vinegar works better) and rinse well, dry, before sanding. The gelcoat will need sanding and buffing with an automotive rubbing compound after it hardens (see below). A better way, in my opinion, if the scratches are very deep, is to rout them out as described in the paragraph above and then fill the scratches with epoxy which has been thickened with a mixture of Cabosil and silica microballoons, 1:3. Mix it up so it's the thickness of very soft butter, layer it into the cracks, cover it with Saran wrap or similar, and let it harden, then wash & rinse as described above. **Do not beathe in** the Cabosil or the microballoons. Wear a good HEPA filter mask, putting it on before you open the packages, be very gentle as you mix, and don't take off the mask until after the powders are all mixed into the epoxy. Pigment for the epoxy, in at least a few colors, can be obtained from West Marine, GRO, or System Three resins - and doubtless several other sources. If using gelcoat or epoxy, don't try very hard to complete the job in one coating. Two or three thin coats will do a much nicer job and will save time in the long run, because you'll need to do less sanding. Wash, rinse, dry between each coat. Finally, if you decide that sanding is all that you need, an auto-supply store is a good source of materials and advice. You want "wet-or-dry" sandpaper or emery paper in (about) 220, then 320, grits, and then finer grits. Wet the boat's surface and the sandpaper with water before you start, and re-wet it a few times as you sand. Sand br hand. After sanding, you will probably want to rent a buffing tool and use at least two different grades of buffing compound. Let the auto supply store guide you. If you keep changing your sandpaper so that it's always "sharp", this whole operation need not take very long. Most of us (including me) tend to be too cheap, try to make the sandpaper last too long. We end up taking way too much time and elbow grease, and getting a less-than-ideal job in the bargain. Good luck - Bill Hansen Ithaca NY Bill Hansen Ithaca NY *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> If it's just superficial scratches in gelcoat, most of us wouldn't sand > those out. After a short while, you won't see them yourself - and of course > if you do sand them out, the gelcoat will be thinner after the sanding, and > you'll get new scratches anyway. Agreed. The problem with glass boats isn't that they're fragile, it's that their owners tend to worry about scratches. Well, not _you_, of course, but go to a group event sometime where lots of private boats get loaded onto trailers. The owners of new glass boats hover around like mother hens, and test the tension of each rope to be sure it's not putting undue pressure on their babies. And, oh, wait, that cable is draped across my hull, let me stick a pad in there. BTW, if you're repairing an Eddyline, be sure it isn't a Carbonlite model. You'll sand a looong time before you hit the first fibers. Steve (just so I get to put the first scratch on) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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