Boat Building Forum

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Scratches on our beautiful boats
By:Jay Babina
Date: 10/4/2011, 9:08 am
In Response To: Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats (Josh Blumberg)

Most kayak scratches get caused by rocks. I don't think the hardness difference between a graphite / epoxy coating vs. a coating of varnish will make a difference. The varnish coating is for esthetics and UV protection. It's not meant to take bottom scratches. I don't think the graphite one will do any better. I don't skimp on the fill coat on the bottom of my boats for obvious reasons., Plus I always have two layers of cloth too. I don't do seal landings or launches and use reasonable care, but like Nick stated, I do rock gardens and never baby the boats when I'm using them. But I don't abuse them either.

Lets face it, glass kayaks get scratched too, but because they're white you don't see the small scratches. Thats the unfortunate reality of a beautiful wood boat. If I get a deep scratch on the bottom, I paint in some epoxy with an artist brush, sand it smooth and put some varnish over it. I usually varnish them every two years and do some of those things as needed unless it's a really deep scratch that I know about.

Messages In This Thread

Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
dave mckinney -- 10/3/2011, 4:01 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Josh Blumberg -- 10/3/2011, 4:14 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
ancient kayaker -- 10/3/2011, 5:32 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Bill Hamm -- 10/4/2011, 2:17 am
Scratches on our beautiful boats
Jay Babina -- 10/4/2011, 9:08 am
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Etienne Muller -- 10/3/2011, 6:15 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Sean Dawe -- 10/3/2011, 6:21 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Bryan Kapteyn -- 10/4/2011, 4:34 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Etienne Muller -- 10/4/2011, 4:37 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 10/3/2011, 6:45 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Eric M. -- 10/3/2011, 7:02 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats *PIC*
Kurt Maurer -- 10/3/2011, 7:09 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Glen Smith -- 10/3/2011, 7:13 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Kurt Maurer -- 10/3/2011, 7:28 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Glen Smith -- 10/3/2011, 7:55 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Bill Hamm -- 10/4/2011, 2:22 am
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Rob Macks / Laughing Loon CC&K -- 10/5/2011, 2:44 pm
I rarely get scratches in a SOF . . . just sayin *NM*
Dave Gentry -- 10/3/2011, 7:20 pm
Re: I rarely get scratches in a SOF . . . just say
Noel Bennett -- 10/4/2011, 11:42 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Les Cheeseman -- 10/4/2011, 4:14 am
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats *PIC*
Yostwerks -- 10/4/2011, 12:32 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
ancient kayaker -- 10/5/2011, 12:02 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
StephenHJ -- 10/5/2011, 2:10 pm
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Kirk Fredericks - Farback Carpentry and Automation -- 10/5/2011, 6:52 am
Re: Other: scratches on our beautiful boats
Bryan Hansel -- 10/8/2011, 11:36 am