Repairing A Sawyer DY Special

My father-in-law has a DY Special in Goldenglass that I would like to fix up. The weave is just starting to show in a few places. I have only patched one canoe in my life and although it didn’t look pretty it didn’t leak. Any advice on fixing this? Are there any specific patching kits or products designed for the Goldenglass? Any websites I can check out? I really want to do a nice job on this and fix it up right. Any further info would be greatly appreciated.



Thanks in advance!

gel coat repair
I don’t have specific knowledge of that boat. I assume Goldenglass is a fiberglass/Kevlar mix, with gel coat on the outside to protect the fibers from sun and abrasion. And I assume that when you say the fibers are starting to show, you mean that the gel coat has been scraped or chunked away, possibly with little spider-web cracks radiating out from the most damaged area.



If I’m right about that: You need to make sure that the fabric itself isn’t damaged (the resin and fibers are what make the canoe strong; the gel coat adds very little structural strength). See if there are any cracks, tears, or soft spots in the structural layer. If so, I will defer to more knowledgeable people on this board, because I haven’t done much structural repair.



If you just need to fix the cosmetic/protective gel coat layer, you can buy gel-coat repair kits in a variety of colors from canoe manufacturers, or you can use Marine-Tex repair putty, or you can use auto-body putty with auto-body paint to match your color. It’s important to cover up the fabric; it’s not hugely important that you use the same substance the manufacturer used. I’ve tried all three options and not noticed much difference in the results (though I’ve only done this on white or off-white hulls, so maybe matching colors is a problem).



– Mark

more please
Describe in detail the area that needs to be repaired

Will this be a structural repair or a cosmetic repair?



Typically strands may begin to show where feet or heels rub while seated. If that is the case just clean, sand clean with lacquer thinner and coat with resin or epoxy to resurface the area. Some epoxies will need UV protection.

Pretty easy
If on the outside; regell, sand out, spray paint to match color.



If inside scuffs, clean w/ acetone, paint w/ VE resin if Kevlar is showing, gray gel if that is the finish. Again, spray paint to match.



email charliewilson610@adelphia.net for detailed instructions.



You’ve a neat old boat.



cew