NIX THOSE UGLY SKID PLATES!
- Cliff Jacobson
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Rocky rivers take a toll on the stems (ends below the waterline) of Royalex and Kevlar canoes, so many paddlers epoxy on protective Kevlar "skid plates" before the first sign of damage--a questionable practice. Here's why:
1. Kevlar skid pads add three or more pounds to a canoe--that’s weight you’ll have to portage! Of some importance is that the extra weight is added to the extreme ends of the canoe, which affects its "swing" weight or ability to gracefully carve and check turns. The flywheel effect of swing weight is most noticeable in light solo canoes where the paddler is located at the center.
2. You can't sand Kevlar (it frizzes into string) so the harsh edges of the thick felt pads won't fair in to match the smooth contours of the hull. The result is increased wetted surface which slows the canoe and a gurgling noise which frightens wildlife.
We-no-nah Canoes are among the fastest and lightest in the world. Many models have knife-thin stems that are easily damaged on impact. Nonetheless, We-no-nah canoes are very popular with commercial outfitters in the rocky Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota, where canoes really take a beating. Outfitters say that the We-no-nah’s hold up extremely well. You won’t see ugly Kevlar skid pads on the delicate ends of We-no-nah cruisers. Instead, We-no-nah applies a narrow (1.5 inch) bead of fiberglass to each end of the canoe and tops this with a Kevlar strip of near equal width. The stem pieces are barely noticeable; they weigh just a few ounces and don’t affect canoe performance.
However, you need a very sharp scissors (a good one costs around $75) to cut Kevlar cleanly. Without one, you’ll have a jagged mess! Better to reverse the We-no-nah procedure--lay the fiberglass strip over the Kevlar, rather than under it. The fiberglass piece should be slightly larger than the Kevlar one. The downside of applying fiberglass over Kevlar is that the glass will eventually wear through and expose the Kevlar beneath. No matter; it takes just minutes to epoxy on a new fiberglass “cover” patch.
If you don’t want to mess with Kevlar try this procedure:
MATERIALS
Boat-building Epoxy (West System, System Three, Ad-Tech or MAS epoxy), plastic squeegees, paint brush, tool cleaning solution, colloidal silica (optional), Episize Biaxial tape (optional),
6-ounce/square yard fiberglass cloth.
• Colloidal Silica is a thickening agent which is used to control the viscosity of the epoxy. It can be used to prevent epoxy runoff on vertical and overhead surfaces. I use it to fill deep gouges in Royalex canoes and to repair chunked-out gel-coat on Kevlar canoes. Simply fair colloidal silica into the damaged area. When dry, sand smooth and paint to match the hull. If you don’t have colloidal silica you can thicken the epoxy with short fibers cut from fiberglass cloth.
• Episize Biaxial tape: two layers of 15-ounce/square yard non-woven E-glass fabric are lightly stitched together at 45o degrees. Biaxial tape comes in four inch wide, 10 and 20 yard rolls. It’s bound at the edges so it won’t unravel when you apply the epoxy.
PROCEDURE
Sand the area to be patched and cover it with two layers of biaxial tape, or two layers of fiberglass cloth cut on the bias (see diagram below). Saturate the tape with epoxy resin (a plastic squeegee works better than a brush) then lay an over-size cosmetic "cover patch" (optional) of six ounce fiberglass cloth on top. Cut the fiberglass at a 45o angle so it will conform to the curve of the stem. When the patch is dry, fair the edges and sand the surface baby-bottom smooth. Spray-paint to match the hull, then polish with abrasive auto wax. Apply 303® Protectant (provides UV protection) over the patch.
Tip: if you can’t match the color of your repair, mask an artificial water line a few inches along the stem(s) of your canoe (see below). Then spray-paint the masked section with a contrasting color. I prefer flat-black because it compliments any color canoe. Future nicks and gouges are easily repaired with epoxy putty and flat-black paint.
In summary: Nix those ugly skid plates! The above procedure will produce a lighter, more aesthetic result than any “skid-kit” you can buy. Knowledgeable canoeists prefer to rebuild the ends of their canoe after significant damage has occurred, not before. Canoes which are used for commercial outfitting are the notable exception to this rule.
KEELEASY® If you want lightweight, skid plate protection that is easily removable, try “KeelEasy” (https://www.keeleazy.com/). KeelEasy consists of two thick vinyl strips with adhesive backing. To apply: 1. Clean surface with alcohol; 2. Separate the backing strip from the adhesive strip; 3. Press the 2-inch strip on to the canoe stem and use a hair dryer to smooth out wrinkles. 4. Place the 3-inch strip over the 2-inch strip and smooth out wrinkles. To remove or re-set the strip(s) heat them with a hair-drier. You can paint the “skid plate” to match the canoe. KeelEasy skid plates are surprisingly durable.
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*A full chapter in my book “Canoeing Wild Rivers”, 5th Edition” details the art of canoe repair.
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