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How much do you baby your composite boat on shore? (susceptibility to scratches?)

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Over the years I've had aluminum, royalex, and plastic boats, but I'm finally breaking down and getting composite, in particular a Northstar in blacklite layup, for weight savings. How susceptible to scratches are these boats really? I know about wet-foot entry/exit and plan to do so, but what about between the car top and launch? Do you set them down (gently) on, for example, a concrete or gravel boat launch, while you're getting your gear organized? Do you use a mat or something to protect from scratches when doing so?

When loading a tripping pack, do you float the boat in ankle deep water first? With my royalex I usually have the canoe barely on land and mostly floating as I load, then lift the end to get it fully floating before hopping it. How much more careful do I need to be with a composite? Thanks!
 

susceptibility to scratches?

The short answer is: very. I do what I can while loading and unloading but submerged rocks you can't see will do a number on your boat over time. I doctor the deeper gouges with epoxy and try to ignore the superficial scratches. Scratches are the price you pay for being out there. That's a bargain, if you think about it.
 
Placid Boats RapidFire since 2006. It has seen no babying. I put it down on whatever. I try not to throw it though.. Some people that have tried to " help" me by picking it up and showing how strong they are have accidentally thrown themselves and the boat backward. So its seen some drops. The boat is 23 lbs. The throwees think it weighs close to what they know ( 80 lbs) It has met countless oyster bars.. ( in the water , not a restaurant)

My tripping boats are all composite.. They have been dropped.. one went 25 feet down a cliff landing on rocks when I fell.
However only my DragonFly ( composite) was built for whitewater as it is a fairly beefy boat at 38 lbs with multiple layers of Kevlar carbon and glass
How much and what and where the fabric is applied matters as much as what type of fabric.

The older I get and less sure of balance I find myself sometimes mostly on concrete boat launches and partly grounded. I push off anyway. The boat may be scratched but it is fine.. It does have a clear gel coat. Skin coats are more fragile.
 
Thanks @Sweetfancymoses and @yellowcanoe. I believe the hype on the structural toughness, and agree with the opinion that what happens on the water happens (I don't buy a boat just to look at it). I also believe in treating gear nicely (within reason) to make it last longer with less maintenance. I don't abuse gear just cause I can.

I know my royalex can take a lot, and have gouged it plenty on the water. But, I don't drag it around on land if I can avoid it. I have developed a habit of dry-foot launches tho, which I'll have to break.

Jusy wondering what's worth doing to minimize scratches at the put-in, or if folks don't worry about it.
 
I’ve tried to be careful and gentle with my kevlar Rendezvous. On a recent trip I paddled several rivers that were shallow and rocky. I grated my teeth every I heard the rocks grinding away beneath me, which was about half the time on a couple rivers. back home, looking at the bottom, I can’t tell if the boat is anymore scratched than it was (It’s a ‘97, so it already had some scratches on it).

My conclusion was that the boat is a lot tougher than I expected. So sure, be cautious and try to limit damages. But, it’s a canoe, it’s made to be used, and it will paddle just fine with scratches on the bottom. Congratulations on the new boat, enjoy it, and don’t worry too much about scratches.
 
I TRY and be gentle with all my hulls.
I use the wet entry method as much as possible !
My rivers are scummy, so I even wear boots in the Summer !
Rocks and the river, are my worst enemy.

Just keep on paddling, and repair as needed.

Jim
 
I only buy used boats. My kevlar boat is painted. I don't drag it around but scratches are part of using it.
 
I have a Northstar Trillium pack boat in Blacklite and unfortunately this year I have encountered a few submerged rocks and it does show scratches. I found that if the scratches are superficial I use a Sharpie fine point permanent marker in slate grey and they disappear.
The same for my wife’s Placid Boat Oseetah, a purple Sharpie covers up an occasional scratch.
I bought the Sharpies at Arlene’s Art Supplies on Fuller road in Albany, NY., any good artists supply store should have a good selection.
 
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I have a black gold bell and gel coat Hemlock. I don’t drag them around on land and if setting down on a hard surface I try to be light handed. If you paddle it it will get scratches. I hit rocks/logs all the time on rivers. Who cares? Most of those scratches can’t be seen when paddling, which is all that matters. Paddle the heck out of it and touch up at the end of season if there’s something more than superficial. If your gear always looks brand new you’re not using it to its potential and then what’s the point?

Enjoy the new canoe….black gold layup is probably the best out there in my opinion.

Barry
 
As others have said, scratches are inevitable if you use your canoe, but I have always tried to be very careful on land. I wet foot enter and exit as much as possible. When loading gear, that may not be possible. So, I'll try to load with the canoe half in the water and then lift the other half in—rather than dragging it in—the water, and then try a wet foot entry.

I'll place the canoe on concrete ramps if necessary but try not to drag or move it when it is down. I'll always try to lift an empty canoe directly off the ground, carry it on my shoulder or head to my van, and lift it right onto the rack.

Never tried Sharpies, but applying and wiping off Flood Penetrol will optically hide scratches if applied twice a year or so. That's a trick Dave Curtis taught me years ago.
 
I try not to put any weight in my starlight Seliga when it is on the ground. I think it may have caused a chip on the bottom when I did it on some irregular sized smooth round rocks.

I was also surprised when falling acorns made little dimples in the hull. It didn't damage the surface, but looked like a car hood that got hit with hailstones.
 
Scratches add character. I don't baby my canoes but I don't abuse them either. If you're worried about scratches Bill Swift will tell you,

Two Tone Colour​

Because scratches on your boat always appear white, we offer a Champagne coloured bottom to keep your boat looking newer, longer and to offer a little extra protection. A popular option for good reason!
 
My main canoe is an ultralight Kevlar "working " boat, I used it for training hundreds of kids and adults how to paddle and camp in the woods, as well as for family and solo trips, it has so many scratches the bottom looks sandblasted, but that's why it has gelcoat- to protect the Kevlar underneath. Any major gouges or chips get some epoxy ribbon worked into them each night as needed, and an occasional waxing with Nufinish, and that's about it. My fleet of "training" boats were little different, a nightly inspection and all was good...
canoes are meant to be used, and sometimes show that use, it's all good- scratches show me the owner is a serious tripper that challenges themselves and their boat, older boats with no scratches shows me its a cottage boat...
 
I have only home built boats for myself, strippers and full composites.
They’re built to be used, I take some care on hard surfaces, but often load and launch while partially beached.
Many many beaver drags, rock gardens, ledges causes mostly superficial scratches. I’ve never breached a hull while paddling.
MDB has a beautiful two color Swift, that she reluctantly beat up this summer in a too shallow stream.
Coming off the water it looked terrible, but with a good washing at home, most of the scratches disappeared!
Having said all the that, I must mention that I’ve marked underwater hazards with some of my painted hulls. I consider it a courtesy to help others see the obstacles that I couldn’t.
 
This thread terminus me of the saying.
A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships were built for.
I scratched (not on purpose of course) the bottom of my new Hornbeck the first time I took it out. Glad I got that out of the way.
Jim
 
I'm not concerned about scratches. I'm more concerned with damage from impacts, like punctures and cracks. I feel less vulnerable in my w/c, stripper or my gel coated kevlar Malicite, for good reason I believe.
 
I was also surprised when falling acorns made little dimples in the hull. It didn't damage the surface, but looked like a car hood that got hit with hailstones.
Boy that reminds me of a Swift I once had; I always wondered if there was such a thing as a 'soft cure', it would dimple and crease, but not chip or spider-crack.
 
The force of water is enormous so what happens in the water is more important than what happens on land.. I have no expectations of my RapidFire going down a rocky rapid and getting pinned and emerging unscathed..

I did that accidentally with a kevlar Merlin II in Temagami.. went over a waterfall by accident.. Bent the boat badly.. However it did not leak and I was able to finish the trip.
 
I took a brand-new Hemlock SRT on a Wabakimi solo last summer. For the first several days I applied duct tape skid plates hoping to minimize damage. After several days and re-applications I gave up. I do try to baby my composite canoes (I also have a Swift Osprey), but I also recognize that sometimes it's going to get dinged up at rocky landings or in shallow rapids. My worst ding was getting swept sideways trying to ascend fast water on the Brightsand River. Before I could swing the canoe downstream I hit a rock sideways hard enough to split the gel-coat. Ouch. What a sickening crunch. Live and learn.
 
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