Can anyone comment about what the white gold layup is? Is it just kevlar with gel coat, or does it have a layer of fiberglass added? I think someone had said that to me once.
I know it is a good deal heavier than their current Kevlite layup and black gold. How does it compare in strength?
Matt
WhiteGold
I have a WhiteGold Merlin II. That layup, no longer offered by Bell was primarily fiberglass, I believe. The inside looks like Kevlar and it is gelcoated.
It is, of course, somewhat heavier the the KevLight and BlackGold layups. There were/are some who considered it to be the most practical of Bell’s layups. In my experience, it is very tough.
Bell White Gold
From my computer files, Bell’s White Gold was:
CCP Gel in mold
30" strip of 6oz S glass,
Blanket of 8oz E glass
Bottom strip of E glass
Blanket of 5.5oz Kevlar
Shaped center of Core Mat
Quarters and center diamond of 5.5 oz Kevlar
final Blanket of 5.5oz Kevlar.
[double stem pieces with each blanket]
It was a three blanket boat, like the Black Gold and almost as strong but heavier.
good layup
It is a good, solid layup - plenty tough and not really all that heavy. I think my wife’s MerlinII is under 40 lbs., which I think is pretty good. She is a smaller person and can handle it easily. I thought it was the best value for the money layup that Bell had and was quite disappointed when the new ownership decided to only go with the more expensive layups.
Looks pretty tough to me.
WG was pretty awesome
With Bell now, I am out of luck until I hit the lottery. I can’t paddle Kevlight cause I just weigh too much, I’ll shred it. I can’t afford Black Gold. White Gold hit my sweet spot, but it’s gone. It was affordable, durable, and attractive to boot (with the bi-colored weave inside). It is a good, solid glass/kev hybrid that IMHO was/is several steps ahead of Wenonah’s Kev Flex-core.
You can special order it.
I have been told you can stil special order it from bell. Not sure if it is still as affordable if special ordered.
Matt
can you do fiberlar?
and what about the rob roy deck?
i seem to see foam, E glass and maybe carbon? it’s too dark for kevlar, at least the kevlar used in my savage river C1.
it’s weird shining a flashlight through the deck.
and as always, you’re a gold mine, charlie.
oh, and why does bell set up a magic with a kneeling seat?
thanks again.
that looks perfect