got an old Royalex canoe that has a lot of white showing and one soft spot in particular. I was wondering what’s the best practice for fixing this? I’ve seen a lot of YouTube videos for patching of Kevlar and fibreglass canoes but nothing for royalex anymore
The white areas are where the outer layer of green vinyl has been completely abraded off the Royalex. White areas that are soft are due to the outer solid lamination of ABS being thinned out from abrasion. Left unattended these areas will erode into the foam core sooner of later, depending on usage.
Areas missing vinyl that still feel firm can be painted to protect the ABS from UV degradation. Thinned out areas are best reinforced by applying some type of fabric. G Flex epoxy, made by West Systems, has proved to provide durable bonds to both ABS and vinyl. You can use unthickened G Flex epoxy to bond fiberglass to the Royalex after the surface is properly cleaned and prepped. Instructions on surface preparation are included with the G Flex epoxy.
Krylon Fusion spray paint for a quick fix. ABS (weld wire cut into 1" lengths) mixed in acetone to form a slurry for a more permanent repair. Canning jar, let sit a few days while the acetone does it’s thing. Work fast applying this, and use a Gorilla Glue barrier coat if there’s any foam core showing. From your pix, thinking the Krylon will be fine. That looks like my old Dumoine, which was Royalite. You didn’t buy that last year in from some bearded guy in CT who was moving to TN by any chance, did you?