How to Repair Mad River Canoes

Canoeing can provide a great workout. It also can be a great way to enjoy nature with a relaxing ride down a river or around a lake. Either way, sometimes your canoe may become damaged from use, at which point you'll need to make repairs. Repairing your canoe requires only a Dremel and the epoxy and gel coating of your choice.

Things You'll Need

  • Dremel rotary tool
  • Epoxy paste
  • Gel coating
  • Sandpaper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use the Dremel to carve a groove along any fractures or cracks in the exterior of your canoe.

    • 2

      Apply epoxy paste to the grooves. The paste should nearly fill the groove but should still sit below the gel-coat finish of the canoe.

    • 3

      Use sandpaper around any filled-in grooves or any spots where the gel coating has chipped or is uneven.

    • 4

      Mix the new gel coating and apply a thin layer to all areas of repair.

    • 5

      Wait for the gel coating to dry. The layer will lose its shine as it dries, so wait until the shine has dulled before applying a new layer.

    • 6

      Continue adding the gel coating in thin layers to all areas of repair until the exterior is smooth again. It is better to apply many thin layers than a few thick ones.