FIXING COSMETIC DINGS AND GOUGES IN ROYALEX AND R

One of the most popular email questions we get, here at Mohawk Canoes, is "How do I refinish my old fiberglass canoe?" Once it's been faded for a few years, the chances of bringing it back are slim. You can take it to a shop and have them spray it or you can paint your canoe with a one-part polyurethane marine paint that is available at most marine stores

Proper preparation is important and can be done to whatever extent you desire, which means you can try to patch all you can, or just make it one even color and not worry about minor imperfections. Read the steps below, but be sure to read any directions that come with the paint you use.

Step 1: This is filling any deep scratches or gouges, using a gelcoat repair kit, JB Weld or any product available at the marine store used for this purpose. Once all are filled and patched, sand them smooth.

Step 2:Remove any old stickers or decals with a heat gun. Then remove any adhesive with acetone or adhesive remover.

Step 3: If there are any traces of wax, a wax remover must be used. If the canoe is many years old and has not been waxed in years, you can go to step 4.

Step 4: Sand all exterior surfaces to be painted with 120 grit sandpaper, using masking tape, tape off the end caps and gunwales.

Step 5: For detailed instructions on the actual painting process refer to the instructions on the can of paint that you've purchased.

But the basics are: Use a tack cloth to remove the dust, wipe down the area to be painted with the brushing thinner, this will provide the final cleaning and degreasing of the area to be painted. To allow for a more even flow, but risking the possibility of needing more coats, you can thin the paint by 10% if you choose. Now, using a 4" roller, roll the paint on to a 2 ft. by 2 ft. area. Then, with a quality brush, smooth out the area you just rolled with just the tip of the brush, this is referred to as "tipping". Repeat this process until the canoe is done. Carefully use the brush to apply the paint to the areas you can't reach with the roller like around the gunwale and endcaps.

Step 6: After 24 hrs. have passed resand the canoe with 120 grit paper, wipe it down with a tack cloth, wipe it again with the thinner and apply a second coat.

Material list:

Epoxy resin ("West System" recommended)

Alcohol ( for cleaning)

Epoxy Putty ("JB Weld" is what we use, but others can be substituted)

10 oz. fiberglass cloth

Release fabric

Any of the materials listed here are available from the following sources. Some directly from their online store, and others from their local store located in your area.

BOAT U.S.- This link goes to their web site, once there follow the link for store locations. Or shop online.

GOUGEON BROTHERS INT.- Call for a catalog and a list of stocking dealers. If there are none in your area, they will sell direct. 517-684-7286

BOATERS WORLD- Products available thru there catalog or stores, not online. 1-800-682-2225

WEST MARINE- Products available thru there catalog or store, not online. 1-800-262-8464

This could be damage caused by a cut, rip, gouge or major abrasion. All would be repaired in about the same manor. Following is a description of a repair that we would do on a Royalex or R84 hull. There are variations, but the basics are as follows.
Grind out the outer substrate and outer layer of vinyl or R84 at a very shallow angle. These two layers are all that your patching material has to bond to, so it is important to leave as much of this area as possible.
Position the canoe, so the area to be filled, is horizontal. Clean the area with alcohol. When dry, fill the lower part of the void with an epoxy putty. JB Weld works well. Fill it past the foam core, but not all the way to the outer colored layer. Now let it cure and harden. NOTE: Some epoxy putty's are very runny when 1st mixed. It's sometimes a good idea to let it stand for 5-10 min. to allow it to thicken a bit before using.
The area must now be reground to accept the layers of fiberglass cloth. Try to keep it as smooth and even as possible to avoid air bubbles in the laminate. Also as mentioned earlier, maintain plenty of material on the outer layers for good bonding of the fiberglass cloth
The cloth patches will be cut and laid up in succession, from smallest to largest. The smallest patch will be slightly larger than the diameter of the epoxy putty fill, the largest would be big enough to cover the whole repair area. The number of layers is dependant upon the depth of the area to be patched.
Before applying the fiberglass, clean the area with alcohol and mask off the area to be repaired with masking tape. Read the directions supplied with the epoxy resin. Mix accordingly and start applying the fiberglass layers. Be sure to remove as many of the air bubbles as possible with the brush. After the epoxy patch has cured, sand the area smooth making sure not to damage the existing colored exterior layer (vinyl or R-84) around the patch. The use of a Release fabric (also called Peel Ply) will aid in the removal of air bubbles and should make the repair ready to paint with very little sanding.
To use the Release Fabric: Lay a piece for Release Fabric approximately 1" larger than the repair area on the wet epoxy. Lightly dap the fabric with epoxy only on the repair area. The wet epoxy on the under side will wick thru. After drying 8 or more hours, rip the release fabric off of the repaired area. Saran Wrap can be substituted, but the results will not be as good.
If you find you did not us enough layers of fiberglass to bring the patched area up to the same height of the surrounding area, epoxy putty can be used to fill the low spots. Match the color of the exterior skin using Acrylic Enamel spray paint, available at most paint or large hardware chain stores. For smaller areas, it might be easier to spray the paint on a piece of wax paper and brush it on the repair with a small brush.
For minor cuts, abrasions or punctures, an epoxy putty patch might be all that's required. Sand, grind or gouge out the area to be patched, mainly to remove loose material and contaminates, it also roughens up the area to promote a good mechanical bond. situate the area to be patched in a horizontal position to allow for even flow of the epoxy putty. Place masking tape around the repair to keep the putty off of the surrounding area. Now mix the putty and drop it in the void. Use a "scratch all" or nail to stir the putty in the void to be sure it's filling all the nooks and crannies. A little tip or short cut to make less sanding, is to lay wax paper or Saran Wrap over the putty, This acts as a mold to form the putty to the contour of the hull. Once the putty has dried, sand smooth and spray or brush with Acrylic Enamel paint.

Notes on heating royalex / R-84 material: The foam core in Royalex / R84 canoes has a blowing agent in it that heat will activate. This is the reason dents can be removed or greatly reduced. Many dents will rise on their own, not requiring hand / glove use. Use caution when heating the hull. If too much heat is applied, it can burn or orange peel the hull. Be sure to wave the heat gun in the dented area, this will allow gradual heat build up and lessen the chance of damaging the hull.

If an outside dent is noticeable from the inside of the hull. a heat gun can be used to remove it. On the other hand, if it does not show thru to the inside, it might be better to leave it alone. The reason for this is, if not done with caution. you can do more damage than good. Use your discretion, as to what dents you'd like to remove.

You will need a heat gun with a 300 - 500 degree heat range and an oven mitt or welding glove. the glove allows you to push the dent out from the inside with out burning your hand. While heating the dented area, you should alternate from inside to outside, concentrating more on the inside, 1-3 minutes are usually required. As noted above, once the material is pliable, push it out from the inside with your gloved hand.

CARE and

REPAIR