How to Protect Plywood Kayaks from the Rocks
Although the marine plywood and fiberglass used in stitch-and-glue kayak construction results in a strong boat, hitting rocks can still cause damage. Once the damage penetrates the outer layer of fiberglass, the plywood can rot. Most damage from rocks on a plywood kayak occurs on the front and rear portions of the keel, which meets at an angle. When the kayak is floating, the keel is the lowest point in the water. Protect the kayak from rocks by adding a fiberglass keel strip.
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Things You'll Need
- Sandpaper
- Rag
- Acetone
- Masking tape
- Epoxy
- 1-inch fiberglass tape
- Paintbrush
- Plastic 5-inch squeegee
Instructions
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1
Sand the keel with 80-grit sandpaper. If there's any varnish on the boat, remove it completely, because fiberglass and epoxy won't stick to it. You're going to apply a 1-inch piece of fiberglass tape, so you only need to sand a half-inch on either side of the center. After sanding, clean the keel with a rag and acetone.
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2
Run a piece of 1-inch masking tape down the keel. Center it evenly on the boat. It's easier to get the tape even on the keel with two people helping. One person holds the masking tape and the other sticks it to the boat.
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3
Run a piece of 2-inch masking tape on each side of the first piece. Avoid any overlap. Remove the piece of 1-inch masking tape after you finish placing both 2-inch pieces.
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4
Mix epoxy according to the epoxy's instructions. Paint the keel -- between the 2 inches of tape -- with a thin layer of epoxy.
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5
Lay 1-inch of fiberglass tape onto the epoxy. Paint the fiberglass tape with epoxy until the fiberglass wets completely. Wait 30 to 45 minutes until the epoxy starts to gel.
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6
Use a squeegee to remove excess epoxy and any bubbles from the tape. When using the squeegee, press the tape down onto the keel. Adjust the tape from side-to-side to make it even. Let the epoxy dry overnight.
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7
Add layers of epoxy until the fiberglass weave is full and it appears smooth. Let the epoxy dry overnight before removing the masking tape.
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8
Wait for the epoxy to cure completely. Depending on the epoxy and temperature, this could take a week. Follow the epoxy's instructions.
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Sand the fiberglass keel strip with 80-grit to even out the cured epoxy. Then sand it with 120-grit, followed by 220-grit to smooth the surface.
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10
Varnish or paint the keel as desired.
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Tips & Warnings
For more protection, use 2-inch fiberglass tape instead of 1-inch.
References
- Photo Credit kayak image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
