I canoe a very rocky river and occasionally find myself in a spot where the water is not deep enough to paddle through and I must drag the canoe. (I can’t carry the canoe due to the weight so I drag it) I’ve been applying Turtle wax the night before I go on my trips and it seems to work ok, but it wears off in a hurry. Is there a better product to put on a royalex canoe hull to make it glide easier over rocks that might last longer than wax?
One more thing
I don’t care about slowing down the canoe in the water nor do I care about the appearance.
Try Wheels! (Just joking)
– Last Updated: Jun-21-05 8:03 AM EST –
OK, I may be just joking, but I never heard of any coating that will make a canoe easier to slide over the rocks!
I do have one suggestion, as I use this down the center line of my composite kayak to help eliminate gell coat chips from hitting stones along the keel line.
McMaster Carr is a mail order industrial supply house, and they sell two sizes of a hard rubber molding, with waterproof self stick tape on the back. The largest size is 7/16" wide, and it sticks up from the surface 7/32" high. It is available in 10', 25', and 50' lengths. The cost is 78 cents a foot. the catalog number is 1000A5, and their phone number is 732-329-3200. You could also see this on their web page.
This is a fairly hard rubber molding, with a smooth mylar surface. If you lay it in the sun for a couple minutes, it softens nicely, and will confirm to any surface. They make a smaller size, but I don't think that will help you. You could put several strips along the bottom of the hull, and this would slide over the rocks, and protect your hull some too.
As an added note, make sure the molding is put on reasonably straight running front to back, and paralell with the keel line. If you put several on, and make them real crooked, it could act like a keel, and make your canoe hard to keep going straight.
Good Luck!
Is this a troll?
Dragging a canoe that is too heavy to carry? Over rocks that cause enough drag to compel you to “slicken” your hull?
Is this a troll? Cause if it is, it’s pretty good… Got me grinning just imagining it.
Drug down the Peace
On a low water trip on the Peace river We spent more time dragging Our boats over rocks then paddling them. That’s when I started checking water levels before every trip.
Not a troll
Canoe weighs 250lbs+ when loaded and it is too heavy to carry and doesn’t make sense to unload and reload just to get by a couple of 20’ sections that aren’t navigable. We’ve been using wax and it does make it easier to drag over rocks, but I have to reapply before every trip and I was wondering if there was a product that would last longer.
303 will last a little longer. Wipe it
on and then buff. We deal with low, gravel/rock sections as well. Our boats are lighter.
One thing you might try is to keep the boat as level as possible and float it as much as you can. If you grab the bow and pick it up to drag the boat, the stern digs in. The boat slides easier when it’s level.
I drag my Royalex boat quite often and the hull doesn’t show much wear. It depends on how you do it. I also log crawl (teeter totter style) and the Royalex slides right over.
Obviously, avoid dragging when you can. NEVER drag someone else’s boat, even if you have seen them do it. One main reason for having a Royalex boat is that there are times that I need to drag over rocks and logs and the Royalex is forgiving. It scratches, but it doesn’t break. The 303 helps make the scratches less apparent and provides UV protection.
First you start with a poly canoe
… then you make a REALLY BIG FIRE inside it. Make sure you do this on a big rock above the water so it can run down.
Just don’t get any on the ducks though 
My Ignorance.
Thanks.
I’d be inclined to think a cart with balloon wheels like for sand. Large diameter for rolling over rocks?
I have been using stuff in a
bright green squirt bottle called Formula 2000. I think Turtle Wax markets it. Auto Parts stores or the dreaded Wal Mart have it in stock.
My MR Guide is so slick it won’t sit on a flat gravel bar. Says it has UV protection and is good for vinyl. The boat is still looking good and glides over the Ozark rocks I don’t miss. The canoe is 5 years old and no sign of UV damage but is always garaged when not on the water, which is often. I apply before most outings, takes only a few minutes. I expect much grief fom 303 types.
spray silicone
a friedn sprays the bottom of his boats with silicone. Says they practically squirt over rocks and logs.
Teflon strips
– Last Updated: Jun-22-05 9:18 AM EST –
I use Teflon strips to repair office equipment. They are strong and thick enough as not to puncture and snag on sharp rocks. They don't come off and Teflon is very slippery, especially when wet.
I don't know where you could get large strips, but it would be worth the trouble to find out.
Suntan
Try adding graphite to marine paint
– Last Updated: Jun-22-05 4:25 PM EST –
There are some small sailboats called Pelicans that have a drop down centerboard. They simply pull up the centerboard and run them right up on the beach. They added graphite (powdered) to the marine paint on the bottom of the hull to help them slide further when landing. A word of warning, graphite can add quite a few pounds per gallon of paint.
Bob
I’ve heard nose grease works well.
– Last Updated: Jun-23-05 5:42 AM EST –
the next time you are at a canoe race look around. Watch carefully. Those guys aren't just picking their noses before the race. They try not to make it obvious so you have to watch carefully. It's a strategy that all the top paddlers use to go faster in the shallows. Some of them will even try to help their fellow competitors by smearing any extra nose grease they have on their buddies boats. It's true. I've seen it happen. Those canoeist are always looking out for each other.
Usually the nose grease and slobber
starts at about the eight mile mark and continues until the finish.
At least in my case that is the way it works.
I was going to suggest using the bacon grease after breaking camp in the morning.
That will not only make the canoe slide easy, it will probably attract a trout or two.
Cheers,
JackL