Help with identifying material, and suggestions on how to repair

EEK! · Aug 9, 2024

I have a Wenonah Spirit II, there is a label on canoe - kevlar 49 - best that I have researched, it is a 93 model. Attached pics show areas of concern and would like to know how to go about treating this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Gamma1214 · Aug 9, 2024

What's with all the circles? Are they circular cracks or just marks on the surface? Are all damaged areas below waterline?

You could probably reach out to Wenonah and ask for advice but, to me, it looks like you'd best sand to rough up the surface and add a layer of epoxied glass to at least the football (area of the hull that is submerged while paddling).

I'd probably put an extra patch on the area in the 1st picture (and make sure it's nice & dry before you patch it).

I have no experience with g-flex but I've heard that it sticks to anything. Hopefully, others with more experience will be along shortly.

EEK! · Aug 9, 2024

Not sure what's up with all the circles, the canoe has been in Arizona for at least the 7 years or so. Given the overall age perhaps the heat and weather ( stored under roof in carport ) has done a number to it? Lots of circular cracks like that and they are all under the waterline. At least it's a very nice and dry environment here in southern Arizona. A layer of glass along bottom sounds like a big job...maybe doable....I did reach out to Wenonah on a early afternoon on a Friday, will have to wait over the weekend to see how that progresses.

gumpus · Aug 10, 2024

It looks like it may be Royalex. Pictures of the interior would help. I'd be curious to see a pic of the Kevlar49 sticker too. In the first pic with the long gash, are those loose edges flexible or brittle? Good to nail down the material before recommending repair options.

Nick Pending · Aug 10, 2024

It looks like Kevlar with gelcote crack to me. Not that I'm the know-all, be-all in material recognition. That yellow under the turquoise is a dead giveaway in my opinion. I'd patch just the cracks, not a whole bottom layer for weight savings, though if it keeps happening, a whole football on the bottom exterior might be easier overall. I'd think it would take years, and individual crack patches would be overall less work? I would also patch just the real cracks like in the first picture. I don't know what the other "circles" are. Good luck with the project.

Alan Gage · Aug 10, 2024

Since the stickers say it's Kevlar and it looks like it has a lot of gel coat cracking I'd be inclined to think it's Kevlar.

I personally probably wouldn't worry too much about all the gel coat cracks unless the gel coat started falling off. I would be concerned about that crack with cloth showing.

How soft is the hull when you push on that area? What does the interior look like in that location?

Probably not a big deal to patch. Depending on how bad it is I'd likely use a layer or 2 of fiberglass on the inside and outside.

Alan

gumpus · Aug 10, 2024

Yes kevlar seems like a good bet on a boat with a Kevlar49 sticker. The reasons I suspected Royalex are that I can't see the weave in the kevlar from the pic (due to picture resolution) and the color is also consistent with Royalex foam core exposed to water and the edges of the gash look flexible for gelcoat and the bow shows a crease that you'd expect in Royalex and the light scratches are still green like you'd expect on Royalex skin. But it may well be kevlar. Royalex would be 65+ pounds and kevlar well under 60. Interior would be very smooth on Royalex and you would probably be able to see the fabric weave on kevlar.

EEK! · Aug 10, 2024

Here are more pics...

EEK! · Aug 10, 2024

And the big scratch, when pushed on, feels solid. You can't tell from inside that anything has happened.

Chip · Aug 10, 2024

I just did some gel coat repair on my Wenonah Rendezvous, which is also labeled Kevlar 49. There were a couple places near the stems that had chunks missing, and I filled those with gel coat. There are three sets of spider cracks. I have used Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure on the spider cracks. Tolley's is a thin, white liquid that is supposed to penetrate and seal cracks. I had never heard of this stuff and have no idea how effective it is, but it is real easy to apply. You might consider using it on your circles.

Advice provided by others, above, seem reasonable. The crack in photo #1, you've got to fix that one. If it's solid, gel coat should be enough. If it's soft, fiberglass patch.

ppine · Aug 11, 2024

Kevlar boat. The gold color weave is showing under the gel coat. Repair it with fiberglass cloth and good quality marine epoxy.
I have done it plenty of times. Kevlar fuzzes up with a lot of grinding. None of your damage is too severe.

Alan Gage · Aug 11, 2024

EEK! said:
And the big scratch, when pushed on, feels solid. You can't tell from inside that anything has happened.

That's good news. Hopefully just a gouge rather than a crack resulting from impact.

Filling with thickened epoxy and painting it a color that closely matched would be the easiest repair.

Alan

Help with identifying material, and suggestions on how to repair

EEK!

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