I ran into that very same question about 2 years ago. I had worn the gelcoat clean off my keel line from the stern forward about 8 inches. Dragged her up one too many beaches, and bounced her off one too many rocks. Nothing structural, just wore the gelcoat off. I took Nick Schade’s advice, and made something better: I took some West System epoxy, loaded it up with colloidal silica until it was almost unworkable, and then added gelcoat pigment and hardener, and made a thick goo that was just thin enough to flow. I prepped the surface, and painted it on. 2 seasons, and it barely shows any wear. I also used it to re-repair the tip of my stern, where I had damaged it doing a stupid human trick (Got pitchpoled) when the boat was new. I’m very pleased with the results of the repairs, and they’re easy to re-do when needed. If you don’t mind contrasting colors, loading the epoxy up with graphite powder and silica works even better so I’m told, as the graphite cuts down any friction. If I ever finish the boat I’m building, I think I’ll put that on the entire keel line. Wayne Keith Wrage <keith.wrage_at_charter.net> wrote:OK, this will once again ID me as being out in left field but.... I know several people who have had 2-part spray polyurethane coatings applied to truck beds and trailers. The stuff is unbelievably tough - nothing seems to phase it - chemical or physical. So of course, I wondered if this wouldn't make a great coating for the keel of a kayak. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wayne Smith wsmith16_at_snet.net Check out my website! http://pages.cthome.net/wsmith16/home.html *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Jun 06 2003 - 12:51:09 PDT
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