I have a canoe that is getting a lot of cuts and scratches on the bottom. I would like for someone to tell me what product I can purchase to repair these cuts to make the bottom smoothe again. Also any instructions about how to use the product would be helpful. I have a Royalex ABS (Dagger Legend). I have not experienced any type of cracks from stress or from water damage during cold weather. Any suggestion or help anyone can give me would be appricated. Thanks EJS
There is no practical solution to
filling the scratches in the vinyl outside layer. If you get a really deep scratch, one that goes into the ABS underneath, then you can get some 3M two part structural adhesive, mix some up, and squeegee it into the scratch. This will help keep the sun from getting at the ABS. Ultraviolet radiation will weaken ABS, but it has little effect on vinyl, which is why they use vinyl on the outside and inside of the boat.
The Legend, and other ABS boats, are not made to remain looking “perfect.” ABS is a material for rough use. You do not need to worry about exterior scratches as long as the ABS layer is protected by the vinyl from the sun.
Scratches
I don’t worry too much about superficial scratches. Gouges that go through the vinyl skin and into the substrate I fill with JB Weld, sand smooth and then apply a coat of matching spray paint. I used to use Krylon Fusion paint, but found it doesn’t adhere to plastic any better than the cheaper stuff. Plan to repaint your repair spots 2-3 times a season, if you are into an asthetically pleasing boat. If you are like me you will find sitting around waiting for the paint to dry cuts into your paddling time. I learned to live with little white splotches here and there on my boat during the season and repaint during the off season.
History not Scratches
Those are history not scratches. Every time you look at a scratch you should be able to muse “I remember when. . . .” when your paddling buddies ask.
Stay safe on the water,
NC Cal
gives it character, like the wrinkles…
…on g2d’s face.
Scratches
don’t worry about them. Just shows it’s being used. Scratches are part of the life of a canoe!
Those are fault lines, continuous with
my ass.
Scratches are just memories
on a Royalex boat.
I call my favorite scratches on my boat “buffalo tracks.” That’s because I put them there while paddleing my favorite river – the Buffalo River in the Arkansas Ozarks.
Turtle wax makes some color
based waxes, and also includes a chip stick with the wax. It works on my green royalex canoe, and also on my red gel coat kevlar canoe to fill and help hide small scratches. If not available locally, you can order it online at the autobarn.com Goodluck, and remember, some scratches are like badges of experience, so learn to live and appreciate them as such. MickJetBlue
Royalex is a soft material
Well, technically, I’m talking about the outer coating of course. Most of us buy Royalex boats for the kind of environments where overall toughness is required, and bumps and scrapes are just gonna happen in those situations. Scratches are part of the package with Royalex because it’s soft, and it’s best to accept them, and just fix the deep ones as needed [and if it were me, I wouldn’t mess with trying to color-match the repairs, and for someone who’s basically a little bit fussy like me, that just speaks to the purpose of Royalex hulls].
But isn’t that…
…a lot like your face?
coming to Gauley Fest
I used a polyurethane
that I had left over from my last sailboat.Scratches on the bottom and sides were getting 2 layers deep and I found the old town royalex spray paint too thin. Let the paint dry a few days to harden up. Now I think the new “memories” are just into the paint.