My wife’s Current Designs Cypress has good size patches of the gel coat delaminating from the Kevlar. We’ve talked to local boat and body shops, no one will touch it locally. I presume it’s difficult to sand down the gel coat without fuzzing the Kevlar.
We are about to tackle the job ourselves and are looking for experienced advice. We have done small repairs to the gel coat with epoxy, but wish to do a larger area.
Can I learn from your experience?
Thanks,
Tom
Not an expert but I have sanded areas then reseal it with a thicken epoxy like west systems and sand it again and you will get fuzzy to lay down. You may have to do it a few times. Then gel coat it. Post a picture. How many and how big are the areas?
Don’t sand it, use a carbide scraper to bevel the edges and remove any excess material. A sharp scraper will not cause fuzzing. You can find carbide scrapers in the paint department of hardware stores and home centers for around $20.
I would contact Current Designs and see what they have to say about it. Depending on what caused the delamination, they might give you some help with it.
Gel coat, being a polyester material, may not cure reliably over epoxy even after the epoxy is fully cured. If it doesn’t, you will have a real mess.
I second the suggestion to contact Current Designs. I called them with questions about mine several times last summer and they were very helpful on the phone. If nothing else, they can verify your plans are the best option. (“measure twice, cut once” sort of idea…)
I would also contact Current Designs/Wenonah. They have always been super helpful on the phone and via email to me.
(507) 454-5430
If you are the original owner.
_All Current Designs Kayaks are handcrafted from the finest materials and proven technologies available. Every kayak we manufacture undergoes strict quality control before leaving our factories. We take pride in every kayak we manufacture knowing it will deliver a lifetime of enjoyment. Kayaks are warranted to the original owner against manufacturers’ defects in materials and workmanship for life. If you ever experience a product failure due to a manufacturing or materials defect, we will repair or replace it without charge at our option. Damages due to negligence, improper use or accident, where the manufacturer is not at fault, will be repaired at a reasonable charge. Shipping costs will be assessed to the product owner at the discretion of the manufacturer. A copy of the original purchase receipt is required for all warranty claims.
_
They also sell a repair video for 10 bucks.
If you have a good hand a diamond wheel may be good also.