Shellac vs. paint for boat bottom

[lowangle al]

I've been paddling my new 20' EM White by Island Falls for about 6 weeks and have come to the conclusion that a shellacked bottom is faster. My impression when I first slid the boat in the water was that there was a lot less friction and it moved noticeably easier on land. Sliding through the water it is not as easy to feel a difference since I don't have a similar boat with a painted bottom to compare it to. What I did notice was that it is my fastest boat. According to my gps I average about .3 mph faster than my 18' OT Guide, my previous fastest boat which also has a much lower profile. This is not conclusive because I'm comparing different hulls. The other thing that leads me to believe shellac is faster is the movement of the boat created by the movement of a passenger. I'm not talking about side to side rocking, rather for and aft movement. When I'm standing to paddle and my passenger moves forward it almost knocks me off my feet. I have paddled many boats while standing and have felt the movement of passengers in all of them but never to the extent of this boat.

So, from what I remember about physics it seems that this boat, being my heaviest, should be affected less not more than my other boats from a passengers movement.

Unfortunately I don't like the two color look that the shellac creates, but I do like the idea that the shellac is easily reapplied and it seems more durable than paint. I was out on Sunday and crossed 5 beaver dams, once going in and again coming out. I expected to see some scratches on the bottom but there were none. If shellac is more durable, easier to apply, and according to Jerry Stelmok it is lighter than paint why not just shellac the entire hull?

Anyone else feel this way about shellac and does anyone have another explanation of why a heavier boat would be more affected by passenger movement than a lighter one, other than the hull having less friction?

 

[Bob B.]

I had a canoe with a shellac bottom. it was plenty durable. I liked that it seemed to me ( subjective) to be more "slippery" when wet and was more easily slid over rocks or logs under the surface. Also, I liked the color on the bottom contrasting the main color of my canoe ... forest green. I think it is messy but more easily applied with alcohol and flakes - and just rubbed or brushed into the existing coat to "refresh". I do think it is lighter than paint ... but not enough so that it makes any real difference. Shellac is a bit of a mottled, streaky finish and can evaporate - and needs to be reapplied more often than paint. Paint adds different colors - even colors - and if not damaged will last nearly forever until it eventually cracks. Paint makes a canoe beautiful as well as functional. I think shellac makes a canoe functional only ... as an entire finish, I think that would not be attractive at all and require more a lot more yearly maintenance.

Al, don't know if I am correct, just my opinions. Interesting thread.

Bob.

 

[yellowcanoe]

3 mph faster? What's in that shellac? I love the look of shellac on EM Whites and associate that make as requiring a shellac bottom.

 

[lowangle al]

YC, that is 3 tenths of a mph, that boat tops out at a little over 3.5 mph for me solo. Shellac (and the lack of a keel) does make sense for a boat designed for moving water. I wish I loved the look but I don't, I also never liked the look of the sheer line on the White guides. The beauty of this boat to me is unblemished white cedar interior and more importantly the way it handles.

Yea Bob, the shellac is noticeably more slippery, If someone told me it was teflon I'd believe them. Doing the whole hull is probably overkill but could it hurt? I guess I shouldn't make a final determination on the shellac until I do a reapplication.

 

[ppine]

If you are lucky enough to paddle a 20 foot White, why not use shellac? You either believe in the tradition or you don't.

 

[yellowcanoe]

YC, that is 3 tenths of a mph, that boat tops out at a little over 3.5 mph for me solo. Shellac (and the lack of a keel) does make sense for a boat designed for moving water. I wish I loved the look but I don't, I also never liked the look of the sheer line on the White guides. The beauty of this boat to me is unblemished white cedar interior and more importantly the way it handles.

Yea Bob, the shellac is noticeably more slippery, If someone told me it was teflon I'd believe them. Doing the whole hull is probably overkill but could it hurt? I guess I shouldn't make a final determination on the shellac until I do a reapplication.

eeps I need readers