How to Repair a Canoe

If you use your canoe often, before long you'll notice it's looking worse for the wear. Scratches, scuff marks, worn skid plates and other minor cosmetic issues can be fixed easily to make your canoe look like it did when you first bought it. Here's how to repair scratches and worn skid plates on skin-coat canoes.

Things You'll Need

  • Epoxy resin
  • Cup
  • Stirrer
  • Aluminum powder
  • Graphite powder
  • Kevlar felt
  • Scissors
  • Rubber gloves
  • 80-grit sandpaper
  • Orbital palm sander
  • 333 Brushing Liquid
  • Clean rag
  • Foam roller
  • Marine varnish
  • Foam brush
  • 200-grit sandpaper
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Instructions

  1. Repair Skid Plate

    • 1

      Mix some epoxy resin and hardener together in a cup. Add a teaspoon of aluminum powder and stir in. Aluminum powder makes the skid plate stronger.

    • 2

      Add a teaspoon of graphite powder and mix in thoroughly. Graphite powder makes your skid plate slide more easily.

    • 3

      Cut a strip of Kevlar felt with sharp, high-quality scissors. Trim the ends into points.

    • 4

      Place the felt down along the worn out area of the skid plate to make sure it's the right size.

    • 5

      Put the Kevlar strip into the resin mixture to coat thoroughly. Squeeze out excess mixture with your gloved hand.

    • 6

      Lay the strip down on the worn area of the skid plate.

    • 7

      Cover with plastic wrap and tape the edges of the plastic wrap down on the canoe so it's stretched tightly.

    • 8

      Squeeze out any air bubbles that you can see in the felt strip.

    • 9

      Put the canoe right side up, but make sure it's not resting on the new resin strip. Allow to cure for about 5 hours.

    • 10

      Flip the canoe back over and remove the plastic wrap.

    • 11

      Follow the 'Remove Scratches' instructions below.

    Remove Scratches

    • 12

      Sand scratches down with 80-grit sandpaper on an orbital palm sander.

    • 13

      Rub 333 Brushing Liquid onto the sanded parts of the canoe with a clean rag. Wet it down completely. This slow drying solvent will remove the dust from sanding as well as other grit.

    • 14

      Use a foam roller to apply marine varnish to the canoe once the brushing liquid has dried. About half a pint will coat the whole canoe.

    • 15

      Brush down the surface of the canoe with the tip of a foam brush to remove bubbles and smooth out the varnish.

    • 16

      Allow the canoe to cure for 2 days. If you want an even smoother and more durable finish, you can re-sand with 200-grit sandpaper, wipe it down with thinner and recoat the canoe with varnish.