Would anybody know if UV rays will deteriorate a Kevlar boat if there is no gel coat and the resin has just been tinted? I know there are UV protection additives for resin, but if you vacuum bag you'll have a higher mat to resin ratio and I don't know if the additive will have enough protection. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The issue is not the Kevlar. It's the epoxy resin. Sunlight degrades it. Probably true for polyurthane also. One of the reasons for Gel-coat. Richard Smith *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Would anybody know if UV rays will deteriorate a Kevlar boat if there is > no gel coat and the resin has just been tinted? I know there are UV > protection additives for resin, but if you vacuum bag you'll have a > higher mat to resin ratio and I don't know if the additive will have > enough protection. > Yes, there would be UV degradation - of the Kevlar cloth *and* the resin. UV radiation degrades just about every man-made thing. UV-absorbing additives aren't a magic bullet to prevent UV degradation forever and ever, they just slow it down. Not sure where you're heading with the question, but to maximize the life of the boat it would be good to store it in the garage or somewhere out of the sunshine. And if you really want to be a fanatic about it, get a boat cover made for the boat when it's being transported. Erik Sprenne *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
You may know better Richard, but I have heard that kevlar will break down with UV exposure. You are right about the epoxy resin. I have also heard that tinting the coating IS very beneficial for protection from UV, and going opaque is best. I would be most generous with 303 application. All of the above information was gleaned from the boatbuilding newsgroup and not from personal experience, so take it as that. Christine Allison wrote: > > The issue is not the Kevlar. It's the epoxy resin. Sunlight degrades it. > Probably true for polyurthane also. One of the reasons for Gel-coat. > -- Gabriel L Romeu http://studiofurniture.com İİİİİ furniture from the workshop http://studiofurniture.com/diary İİİİİ life as a tourist, daily journal http://studiofurniture.com/paint İİİİİ paintings, photographs, etchings, objects *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> The issue is not the Kevlar. It's the epoxy resin. Sunlight degrades it. > Probably true for polyurthane also. One of the reasons for Gel-coat. I only have to add, you got the choise between epoxy and polyester Gelcoat. A racing boat producer here uses the better epoxy Gelcoat. Because its stronger and could be more heatetd, but after 2-3 years the colours lost there qualtiy. Another producer uses the cheaper polyester Gelcoat and his colours are great, even after years. But the kayak don´t like to be heated and there might be other problems as well. bye Jochen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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