How to Paint a Carbonlite Fiber Kayak

Painting a Carbonlite or carbon fiber kayak is an option, depending upon the kind of use and abuse the kayak will undergo. For a kayak that will see open-water recreational use, painting the craft is possible. For a kayak that will be shooting the rapids dragging and bumping against rocks, a painted finish is not recommended. River kayaking will scratch and scrape any painted finish. Paint the carbon fiber kayak with marine polyurethane enamel. This can be applied with a brush, low nap roller, or sprayed. Professional automotive paints are also acceptable finishes for low-impact use.

Things You'll Need

  • Quality natural bristle brush
  • Marine polyurethane paint
  • Acetone
  • Low-odor paint thinner
  • 150-grit sandpaper
  • Masking tape
  • Tack cloth
  • Rags
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Instructions

    • 1
      Float the sandpaper lightly.

      Prepare the work area for painting. Put the kayak upside down on secure blocks, preferably in the garage. If the work area is outside, pick a low-dust area out of the wind. Direct sunlight will decrease the open time for brushwork feathering, and drip fixes.

    • 2
      Use a good quality natural fiber brush.

      Very lightly sand all surfaces that will be painted. If the area to be painted is not the entire outside of the hull, mask off the edges before sanding. This is important to keep the sanding abrasions from marring the areas that will not be painted. Be careful to sand lightly. The task is to lightly abrade the surface without removing any material. Carefully rip the sandpaper sheet in half. Float the open sandpaper sheet with the palm of the hand using the fingertips to curve the sandpaper along the contours of the hull. Do not do this mindlessly; it is important to abrade the surface lightly and completely without sanding excessively in some areas and missing spots.

    • 3

      Wipe clean the entire surface with a clean rag. Using a tack cloth remove all sanding dust and particulate matter from the surface. Wipe down the entire area with a clean cotton rag wet with acetone.

    • 4

      Stir the paint thoroughly. Decant the paint to a more practical container. Starting at one end of the kayak, paint the surface methodically, dragging the painted area farther and farther down the length of the hull. It is important to lay the appropriate amount of paint on the surface. Too much paint will run, sagging and dripping. Too little paint will not fully cover the surface. As you paint, watch for sagging areas; as soon as possible, lightly brush out areas that begin sagging. When brushing out areas of sagging paint, brush them lightly once or twice and let them be. Over-brushing can become problematic.

    • 5
      Let dry completely before use.

      Let dry overnight. If necessary, apply a second coat. If a second coat is needed, let the first coat dry completely, then follow all steps above: light sanding, dust removal, and acetone rubdown. Let the vessel dry completely before moving it. Three days' drying time is recommended before regular use.