I have been a die hard kayaker for years but am getting into canoeing. I have been many times but have never owned a boat. I bought an Old Town Guide 147 and was wondering if I needed to put Skid plates on it. I read a lot about people puting them on once the canoe is damaged. Would it be a good idea to have them on a new boat for added protection?
Thoughts? Any help would be great - thanks.
You’re unlikely to damage the stems.
Usually all that happens with use is that the ends of the boat get scraped and worn.
Kevlar felt skid plates do add a bit of resistance to the boat’s progress. They are also leaf catchers. It seems a shame to put them on if you don’t know if the wear on your boat will ever justify it.
Kevlar felt skid plates are a convenience product. The Kevlar fibers hold together well as you maneuver the soppy wet felt piece into position on the hull.
Actually, though, Kevlar does not make the best skid plate. Some of us use several layers of S-glass, which has better compression strength than Kevlar, is very hard, and wears smooth. This kind of skid plate is thinner and interferes less with hull motion.
But as I said, you may not want to do anything for the time being. It is as easy to put a skid plate on a worn hull as it is to put it on a new hull.
I Believe That Boat is Polyethylene
Most skid plate kits are for composite and royalex boats. You’re going to find they won’t stick to the polyethylene. No need to put skid plates on polyethylene boat IMHO and only after wear through on others. WW
I would never put skid plates on a
canoe that doesn’t need them and if you take care of your canoe you will probably never need them.
Cheers,
JackL
old town guide
is not a design for water that causes damage. Flatwater boats don’t need skid plates.
Question Answered
Great - thank you all. I’ll stick with it as is now. Fortunately I got a good deal on the boat and by the time I damage it I’ll probably want a much better one and won’t want to fix it.
Thanks again.
Not so fast…
I think it depends on where and how you will be using your canoe. Sandy beaches and flat water don’t merit them. Running rapids and lakes with rocky shorelines are a different story. Also, if you’re using your boat in low water streams with butt dragging potential, they help, and the longer felt ones are best because the rear keel line is protected to a higher degree. I have skid plates on all my Royalex river boats and one lake boat, but my layup big water boats don’t have them.
no
You do not need skid plates. Your boat is durable. Skid plates add weight, decrease efficiency, and make your boat ugly. You will not live long enough to wear out your boat. If your boat is exposed to extremely abrasive conditions then you can add skid plates as the hull (stems) start to show significant wear.
yeah right
Then you never saw my kid land a canoe.