Mowog73
Established Member
My CD Solstice has a cream-coloured hull with a few white gelcoat blotches/battle wounds.
Which Spray Skirt did you go with for your boat? I believe we have the same hull year, My hull ID is MFPGT8241112Cam, I have a 2012 Solstice GT that I purchased used 4 years ago and it has been a fantastic boat. If you check Facebook Marketplace for the Victoria area there are a few used Solstices currently listed. That may give you a better sense of current prices. Good luck with your search and future purchase.
Good to know!! I’ll likely pick some up and throw it in my kit for multi day trips so I have a way to seal up exposed fibreglass in the event I find my way through the gel coat!!For years I've been using a white epoxy instead of gelcoat for repair. Amazing product, easy to work with and dry fast and outlast any gelcoat repairs. I repaired boats while camping after playing in rock gardens. That product was originally recommended to me by the owner of industrial plastic and paint here in Victoria.
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Undoubtedly a good product, especially when out on a trip. However, I will note that the image of the repair in which this product was used, as well as gel coat for that matter, for similar damage, could be avoided with the application of a "Keel Strip" applied to the hard angled portions of the kayak, especially bow and stern. All of my boats have a keel strip, this since seeing a friend grind the bow of his Seafarer kayak to a leaking puncture by dragging it over sand beaches on the northern tip of Van Isle many years ago. Prevention first, repair later if needed is my motto.For years I've been using a white epoxy instead of gelcoat for repair. Amazing product, easy to work with and dry fast and outlast any gelcoat repairs. I repaired boats while camping after playing in rock gardens. That product was originally recommended to me by the owner of industrial plastic and paint here in Victoria.
I very much want to run a keel strip but having a hard time deciding on the method/materials. Do I use a 2” strip of biaxial glass followed with gel coat or do I use a 2” strip of Kevlar? Do I sand it down to fiberglass prior to laying up the keel strip and then gel coat to finish it or do I rough sand the gel coat acetone and then do lay up over the existing gel coat? I’m still trying to wade through the muddy waters of the best method to install a quality keel strip. Any suggestions or first hand experiences would be greatly appreciated! Thank you guys for the wealth of knowledge here in the WCP!!Undoubtedly a good product, especially when out on a trip. However, I will note that the image of the repair in which this product was used, as well as gel coat for that matter, for similar damage, could be avoided with the application of a "Keel Strip" applied to the hard angled portions of the kayak, especially bow and stern. All of my boats have a keel strip, this since seeing a friend grind the bow of his Seafarer kayak to a leaking puncture by dragging it over sand beaches on the northern tip of Van Isle many years ago. Prevention first, repair later if needed is my motto.
Cheers, Rick
This is the route I was leaning towards, however I was wondering if there is any tangible loss of performance when adding this to a boat like mine that has no centre V through the majority of the hull? Only near the bow and stern does it V. I did find the Youtube video that shows the method you describe. Thank you very much for the detailed reply!!I would lay over roughened gelcoat. My preference would be to use glass. Kevlar is tough, buts it's also a pain when it inevitably starts to wear through. It fluffs up when sanded and generally is annoying.
Given that the keel strip is a sacrificial layer, it will probably need ongoing maintenance.
Regarding installation: I like to get painters tape that's the same width as my final keel strip. I apply that right down the keel and spend a brief eternity fiddling with it to get it straight. I find the best method is to put some on one end as centered as possible and pull the tape to the other end, dropping it onto the keel while sighting down the length of the kayak. Kayaks with a defined keel V are much easier to deal with, and also benefit more from a keel strip.
With that tape in place I can then use it as a guide to apply painters tape on either wide of it. I apply 2 layers right atop eachother. I like to have the bottom layer set back a tiny bit from the top layer. Maybe 1/16" ish. Then remove the center tape and sand the area. I use a small piece to sand right up against the tape, similar to 'cutting in' when painting a room. Once all is prepped I acetone the surface.
Now I have a perfectly prepped surface and a crisp tape line. If using polyester resin I like to mix in a little gelcoat, about 1/3 or so. That makes the wear a little less visible and makes it easier for the final coat to cover up easily. Some colours aren't as big of a deal, but others like red tend to be quite translucent. It's not necessary and I'd you can only get waxed gelcoat I would skip this stage.
Wet out the area with resin, roll on your tape, and brush over it with resin. By the time you're done things should just be setting up. Peel off one layer of tape before it sets.
If all have gone well you now have a keel strip that is somewhat visible, with a sticky layer of resin. We can then mix up some gelcoat with a little wax additive so that it cures hard to the touch. Catalyze as usual and paint it on thick. Extra gelcoat is just more time before you have to do it again. Once happy with your application, peel off the remaining tape (again, before things start to set up) and you should have a crisp line. You want to hit that sweet spot where the gelcoat is cured enough that it doesn't run, but still runny enough that your edges sort of soften out.
This seems like a very quick install option as well as the added benefit of being able to remove it if the keel strip is no longer wanted? Is the product fairly slippery like UHMW? Or more grippy? I like the fact it probably holds up better to dragging the stern up a rocky beach than a glass/epoxy/gelcoat layup keel strip would. Any chance you would have some pics of the Keel Easy installed on your boat you could post?I have been using a product called "Keel Easy" on all my boats for many years. It is a PVC material that is mated with mechanical adhesive for a bomb proof bond. For kayaks, the kit is a 2 inch strip that is glued to the glass using a heat gun. It is quite easy to install with only a few tools. It can also be removed using a heat gun if need be for any reason. It is tough, comes in many colours and has never come off on any of my boats once installed. I regularly run my boats up on both sand and pebble beaches if there is any surf and it works wonderfully.
Not certain where you might find it in Alberta, but I believe that Western Canoeing in Abbotsford and Comox Valley Kayaks in Courtenay both carry it and will ship it.
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The kevlar method is very good, but requires a lot more work and skill me thinks. Just another possible option to consider.
Cheers, Rick
This seems like a very quick install option as well as the added benefit of being able to remove it if the keel strip is no longer wanted? Is the product fairly slippery like UHMW? Or more grippy? I like the fact it probably holds up better to dragging the stern up a rocky beach than a glass/epoxy/gelcoat layup keel strip would. Any chance you would have some pics of the Keel Easy installed on your boat you could post?