I’m considering buying a used Royalex canoe that was stored exclusively outdoors, in NJ, for its entire 12-year life. I haven’t had a chance to see it yet, so I’m wondering: if it had UV damage, what would that look like? What should I look out for? The vinyl gunwales and wooden seats/thwarts are OK; I just want to make sure the hull hasn’t been killed by the sun…
I agree with Eric. UV can make the
vinyl skin look chalky, but will not damage the underlying boat structure unless the vinyl has been worn off the ABS on the stems, without protective measures being taken. The gunwales should be fine… they are very thick.
Anyone who has had to remove the vinyl skin from a Royalex boat will appreciate what a substantial protective coating it provides.