keel strip
best way fwd. - having keel strip (kevlar) installed at time of production…you can go clear or colored gel coat.
i think the bed liner is an awesome “alternative” - and i’m sure there are different textures you could use. i’m currently looking at spraying the the interior of my jeep (floors, etc) - the stuff is pretty versatile.
jim@ P&H
hey jim
By Jeep, do you mean Wrangler? If so, how far along are you into exploring this option? We have a wrangler and had the same idea but hadn’t looked into it yet. I’m wondering about cost and prep.
samurai
the little jeep -
guessing around $500 for interior - if i strip all the stuff out…etc. etc.
the best of glass & rotomold, combined!
keel strip
Carl put this keel strip on my husband’s Tempest165 in the fall. It not only is durable but it also looks nice. I’m probably going to have him put one on my RomanyLV and Vela. The color won’t match – as far as I know there’s just one shade: black – but it’s better than holing the keel in a rock garden or two.
I agree – Carl and his wife Sam are great. Part of the reason I can even remotely paddle in rocks (let alone roll) is due to their instruction.
question
is it smooth or textured?
All the ones I’ve seen were textured
Of course, they’re textured for application as a truck bedliner so gear doesn’t slide around as much. Might be doable in a smooth surface.
Another downside would be weight. The stuff is heavy.
Cost?
How much would this cost? Kevlar kits are getting expensive these days, I didn’t know the price of this material. Does it come in strips? Or does it paint on?
Great Idea…
I think that is a great idea! I may consider this myself. I don’t think that the texture would be a problem in terms of sliding over rocks, etc. My only concern would be with creating extra drag in the water. Of course the effect would be minimal, but if you are the kind that really likes to paddle fast then perhaps this would be a factor–not sure. What do you think?
Matt
bed liner keel
check locally - pricing may range - i think garth gets his done @ $114 - your local shop may vary - i’d encourage you to tape it off and clean the surface - this would save $$ -
jim@P&H
Smooth Bedliner
Most paint-on bedliner products come textured with rubber granules in the polyurethane mixture to produce a non-slip surface. However, Durabak offers a smooth option for their bedliner which would be a better choice for canoes. I’m considering painting several coats on the ends of my worn canoe rather than installing the typical fiberglass/kevlar grunge pad. It is tough stuff and should make a good renewable, sacraficial coating for high wear areas. I’ve had good experience with this stuff on a multitude of surfaces, but haven’t tried it on my canoe yet. Expensive per gallon, but a little would go a long way if you applied it judiciously. Pour any remainder you have into a smaller airtight container since the stuff hardens if there’s too much air in the can.
good stuff, here’s a link:
– Last Updated: Feb-15-07 9:21 AM EST –
http://www.durabakcompany.com/smooth-durabak.htm
Thanks paddlehb
Durabak
Thank you for the link. You can get quart size at eBay. Is Durabak comparable in strength to Armorthane, Rhino linings,…?
they also sell a marine product
Would this be better for a keel strip than the truck liner? Does anyone know if the marine stuff offers the same level of abrasion protection or is it simply a non-skid. I’ll call the company tomorrow if no one knows offhand.
Also, to the person who thought it comes in black only, there are actually many colors available.
Lyn
Same stuff
There is no difference between marine and truck bed products as far as I can tell. The smooth stuff might not offer as much protection as the textured stuff. The difference is in coating thickness after the same number of coatings.
Reviving thread…
So has anyone used the Durabek smooth as a keel strip for their boats? Looks pretty cool, and not too hard to do. Would probably just end up coating the whole bottom.
How hard would it be to prep my own boat and roll it myself? Just clean it and tape it, or is it more involved than that?
Can be ordered by the quart as well…
How do you take it off when its time to refinish the hull? Or do you just work around it? It looks like it weighs 3 LBS per quart!! I wonder how much it takes to put it on a 17 foot kayak? What about using http://www.keeleazy.com/ instead? You can remove it with a heat gun.
Have any of you heard of Keeleazy ( http://www.keeleazy.com )? It’s a 2" PVC strip backed with a strong adhesive that installs in minutes and can be removed with a heat gun. Comes in variety of colors and a 17 foot strip has a mass of 10 ounces. Been using it for years with no complaints. Cost around $80 but well worth the cost. Can also be purchased in 3" and 4" widths.
Gorilla duct tape, low cost, works some, easy to replace. Add multiple layers for additional protection. Don’t knock it unless you tried it.
@Doug Gilliland said:
Have any of you heard of Keeleazy ( http://www.keeleazy.com )? It’s a 2" PVC strip backed with a strong adhesive that installs in minutes and can be removed with a heat gun. Comes in variety of colors and a 17 foot strip has a mass of 10 ounces. Been using it for years with no complaints. Cost around $80 but well worth the cost. Can also be purchased in 3" and 4" widths.
You can buy KE strips in different lengths. 4’ takes care of a boat for me.
I use it to primarily protect the bow and stern.
It takes a lot of abuse and is easily replaced.