Skid plate for a Royalex canoe

[flyingbison]

I've got a Royalex canoe that has some wear on the underside of both the bow and stern, and could probably use skid plates. In the few years that I've had it, I just keep using gorilla tape on it to prevent further abrasion and for UV protection.

It's not a good or expensive canoe, and I will probably sell it this summer, but I figured it would be easier to sell with nice new skid plates, rather than duct tape. I suppose I could just touch up the spots with paint, but that might look just as bad as the duct tape. Plus, I've never done skid plates before, and I thought it might be good to practice on cheaper boat.

Kevlar kits seems to be ubiquitous, but they are expensive, thick, and heavy. I've read some favorable comments here about using Dynel. I also found a website for a product called KeelEazy which seems to be something like expensive duct tape applied with a heat gun.

I don't want to spend much money on this, but I'd like to get some practice doing something useful. Is Dynel my best bet? What type of epoxy do I need for a Royalex hull?

 

[Alan Gage]

Dynel is probably the best. S-glass 2nd and regular E-glass 3rd.
S-glass and E-glass are the easiest to work with and E-glass is the easiest to source.

I use any of the above depending on how I think the canoe will be used. Light use in non-rocky areas I'm good with a few layers of e-glass. For the rough stuff I go with dynel. S-glass for in between.

I'd use Raka for resin because it's what I have on hand. Others swear by G-flex from West Systems. I've never used it so can't comment on the differences. I don't have a ton of experience working with Royalex canoes.

I did have one in the shop a couple weeks ago that I was fixing up with new gunwales and cleaning all the trim. Someone had put those big kevlar skid plates on it. They were chipped and broken off around the edges as well as one big chunk missing in the middle. I've see the same thing on other canoes that had them installed as well. They seem to be fine for abrasion for not so good at impacts. I'd steer clear.

I bought a canoe once that had KeelEazy strips installed. For light usage it would probably do fine. Mine had some gouges in it from sharp rocks. I didn't keep the boat long enough to give it a real test.

Alan

 

[Canotrouge]

I would go the same route as Alan, stay away from the kevlar felt, I don't even know why everybody and there dogs use that!! If you think of seeing the canoe, KeelEazy might be your best bet!!

 

[flyingbison]

If I do go with Dynel or fiberglass, about how much epoxy would I need for 2 skid plates?

 

[Alan Gage]

If I do go with Dynel or fiberglass, about how much epoxy would I need for 2 skid plates?

Depends on size, number of layers, and how much unused 'extra' gets mixed up with each batch but you'd probably be covered with 8 ounces.

Alan

 

[flyingbison]

Depends on size, number of layers, and how much unused 'extra' gets mixed up with each batch but you'd probably be covered with 8 ounces.

Alan

Thanks. I suppose I should probably just order a larger amount to keep on hand for other projects.

 

[Alan Gage]

Thanks. I suppose I should probably just order a larger amount to keep on hand for other projects.

Definitely. Buy some release treated peel ply too. Almost a necessity with dynel and even with fiberglass it will help feather the edge into the hull and save you time and hassle. If you bring the skid plate around the curve of the stem the peel ply won't want to conform and will pucker. Start cutting those puckers with a scissors to get it to lay flat.

Alan

 

[Canotrouge]

Keep all peel ply un folded. on a roll is best. I have a bunch that was sent to me folded and now it is unusable since it won't lay flat on the work and create bubbles and air pockets!

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I figured it would be easier to sell with nice new skid plates, rather than duct tape. I suppose I could just touch up the spots with paint, but that might look just as bad as the duct tape.

Glass skid plates will be transparent and the hull damage will still be visible unless you paint the glass. I'm not sure about Dynel, but I think it's at least translucent if not transparent. I'm not sure a painted composite skid plate would look particularly different to a buyer than just painting the hull itself in a patch of the same shape.

In general, I think skid plates are worse than useless. I put Kevlar felt skid plates on my Royalex Explorer 37 years ago and never again on any of my canoes. The skid plates are ugly and heavy and began to crack after several years.

There's no reason for a rockered canoe to get worn on the ends if you take care of it. Enter and exit the canoe while it's in the water, don't ram it up on shore, and don't drag it along parking lots. My most abused Royalex whitewater canoes wear under the center not on the ends. I used to brush on some cheap epoxy occasionally. I once painted a hull, but that was sort of useless because the paint wore off within one season.

I've never had hull abrasion damage on a composite flat water canoe, because I treat them the way I recommend above.

This won't convince you to forgo skid plates. Canoeists are naturally curious and experimenters, and mostly learn by trial and error. I'll be interested in your opinion 37 years from now.

 

[flyingbison]

This won't convince you to forgo skid plates. Canoeists are naturally curious and experimenters, and mostly learn by trial and error. I'll be interested in your opinion 37 years from now.

Well, I'll likely be dead in 37 years!

I always try to wet foot in and out, but this canoe already had the abrasion wear when I bought it a few years ago.

I might be convinced not to do skid plates (though I do like the idea of learning how to do them), mostly because I don't want to invest much time into the project. Right now it's on my list of things that might be fun to do, but there is an ever-growing list of have-to-do things.

 

[memaquay]

I used Keel easy on four royalex canoes, and I gotta say, it's holding up well. The secret is in the application. If you're one of those fiddly people that can cut the exact angles to make it lay flat on the curves, it will probably last a long time. Perhaps because of the flex in the royalex, the keel easy is in good shape. The composite boat I treated with it has several gouges in the KE already. No give upon impact I guess.

 

[flyingbison]

Decided to go the easy route, and just put some KeelEazy strips on each end. No idea how it will hold up over time, but I am hoping to sell the canoe this summer. Very easy to apply. The hardest part was removing the adhesive from the Gorilla Tape I had on there.

 

[boatstall]

A proper looking repair. I need to look into the KeelEasy strips. Thanks

 

[flyingbison]

Decided to go the easy route, and just put some KeelEazy strips on each end. No idea how it will hold up over time, but I am hoping to sell the canoe this summer.

Posted it yesterday on craigslist. Sold it today for $100 more than I paid for it!