303 aerospace protectant ...

-- Last Updated: Oct-04-13 12:22 AM EST --

..... want to put some on an older Roylex canoe (exterior only I guess) .

Have never used the stuff so don't know what size to get ... is 8 oz. enough or would the 16 oz. be better (17' canoe) ??

The canoe's skin is in very good condition , if there is such a thing I'd guess just normal oxidizing for 30 years .

What do you think about using the 303 cleaner product for before the protectant application ... should I ??

Couldn’t hurt. Any vinyl cleaner would
also make the Royalex look a bit better. I’d get the 16 ounce because you’ll be using it at least twice a year, maybe more often if the boat travels in the sun. As the 303 folks say, 303 and other UV protectants don’t work by reflection, they work by the UV destroying the 303 rather than the hull.



I’ve used 303 on the backs of my hands when I’ve forgotten sunscreen. Works great.

Ya gotta love any product

– Last Updated: Oct-04-13 5:49 AM EST –

that instructs you to apply, then remove as much as possible.

My Experience with 303 on Rx is that it's not too bad as far as work to apply, the boat looks great when you're done (makes things a bit slippery especially on gunwales) the cosmetic effect is pretty much gone after some rain and/or a few trips on the car.

There used to be a guy on here - an outfitter, I think - that recommended buffing it in with a wool bonnet on and orbital polisher for longer-lasting cosmetic results. I'm sure that would work if you kept the RPMs low enough.

I've yet to see convincing evidence that it really does anything at all... or not, so I put it on there twice a season anyway. Hey, they've already suckered me into buying a big bottle and, like g2d said, it couldn't hurt, right?

Exterior only for sure
Because it will make the interior extremely slippery. Made that mistake once many years ago and won’t do it again!

vey good , thank you …

– Last Updated: Oct-04-13 10:16 AM EST –

...... 16 oz. it is then .

Between g2d and his sunscreen ... tktoo's "difference or not ?? , but 2x's a year anyway" ... and stevet's ice skating interior hull ... I'm sold and had a good chuckle , lol

thanks guys ...

Think of it this way.

– Last Updated: Oct-04-13 11:04 AM EST –

The vinyl skin is nearly immune to UV damage and it's really only there to protect the ABS. Yes, it chalks a little over time depending on exposure and 303 probably helps to keep that condition from developing over time to some degree, but on a 30 yr-old boat the effect is gonna be mostly cosmetic. Using it is not going to reverse or cure anything. If you've got exposed ABS, it's probably better to cover it with paint.

Paint
It’s an older royalex canoe, like mine… I agree with a couple of the above statements. I don’t know if 303 really does much good. Why not just put a thin spray of Krylon paint on the hull? It provides UV protection, doesn’t have to be reapplied until it scratches off. doesn’t weigh anything and you might even get a close match on the color…certainly close enough for an older canoe.

Good Product
If you decide to buy some go directly to the 303 website. Much better deal. Tim

I do use spray paint where vinyl has
been scratched off, but on my 15 year old MR Synergy, all the vinyl on the bottom is pretty thin. Right under the solo seat it got so worn that I skimmed off the vinyl and put on a 2 layer S-glass patch which has worn like iron for a few years now.

An environmental concern…
… I prefer not to use it unless it’s really really necessary. When you put the boat in the water after treatment look behind you and you will see a nice oily trail where as it washes off the hull. Doesn’t seem to last too long and I’m not sure the trade-off is worth it when you figure you’re leaving a fair amount of it in the water.

Do you wipe off the excess with a dry
cloth after application?



If you do that, there shouldn’t be any free material on the surface to end up in the water.

I don’t know about environmental
concerns, but I’m with stevet on the iridescent slick. I try my darnedest to buff off all the product that I possibly can with clean, dry cotton rags and I get the rainbow in my wake every time, too. It doesn’t matter how long I let it sit after application, either. Doesn’t take long for the residue to rinse off, though. It seems to stop after only a short while.



Maybe the skin of my 23 yr-old OT holds onto more for some reason? I never put anything on it for the first 16 years because it was mostly stored under cover.

It’s just omega-3 fatty acid. Helps fish
to have healthy hearts and arteries.

Agreed
Good point.

Who cares about hearts
when the backs of your hands are smooth as a baby’s bottom?