Greetings, and a Bell layup question.

[Steve in Idaho]

So, yeah, I've been absent from here a long time. Had to trim my online time and prioritize. Apologies for not being part of the discussion here.

In the meantime, I've had some adventure and improvement in my paddling skill - to the detriment of my poling skill. Age is also catching up with me, and I've been liquidating some of my heavier canoes. The royalex Prospector is gone. Still working on a replacement for that. The MR Guide has been a great boat, but it has also had me wishing for something lighter.

So I found this....



The wood needs some minor TLC, but the hull is in great shape. It's a 2003. Not sure of what the layup is. PO says White Gold, but I weighed it on my bathroom scale (which is suspect) and it shows ~30 lbs. That doesn't add up, according to the specs in the nearest catalog I can find (2004). What say you Bell experts? The layup descriptions in the catalog are kind of vague.

Before anyone asks - yes, I bought it. Couldn't pass it up, given the price and my location.

 

[M Clemens]

Sure looks like KevCrystal to me. Below is a screenshot from the 2003 catalogue which says 33 pounds, rarely does a Bell come in under weight. Most bathroom scales are not too accurate unless you have a digital one that you have calibrated (I did with weights at 20, 30 and 40 pounds). Nice find!

 

[M Clemens]

And the layup descriptions from 2003, note KevCrystal could be had with a clear gelcoat.

 

[eckilson]

Congrats. I have the whitegold version - red like in the picture above. I had it out yesterday. Its a great boat.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

And the layup descriptions from 2003, note KevCrystal could be had with a clear gelcoat. View attachment 141878

This is why I'm confused. This boat has no foam core ribs. And there are light scratches, but they don't look like gelcoat scratches in my other canoes (as in white lines) - more like the scratches in my glass skin canoes. Does clear gelcoat scratch differently than colored?

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Congrats. I have the whitegold version - red like in the picture above. I had it out yesterday. Its a great boat.

Thanks, Erik. I was pretty sure I had seen photos of you in it. Wildfire is one of three or four models I'd been watching for constantly for several years. I made the mistake of letting a BG Phoenix slip by early on, and vowed to be more decisive next time.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Nice to see you here again, Steve.

It looks like KevCrystal to me, too, with either a clear gel coat or only a skin coat. A skin coat would be lighter weight. Having myself some skin coat and clear gel coat canoes, the ones with clear gel coat will scratch more into white lines than the skin coats. I also recall Charlie Wilson saying that KevCrystal had a foam core bottom and may or may not have had ribs.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Nice to see you here again, Steve.

It looks like KevCrystal to me, too, with either a clear gel coat or only a skin coat. A skin coat would be lighter weight. Having myself some skin coat and clear gel coat canoes, the ones with clear gel coat will scratch more into white lines than the skin coats. I also recall Charlie Wilson saying that KevCrystal had a foam core bottom and may or may not have had ribs.

Glenn, I've missed seeing your posts. Always helpful.

Yeah, it's looking like KevCrystal with skin coat. I'm going to have to find an accurate scale to throw some light on it. Odd that the PO said it was White Gold. I know what 39 lbs feels like, and this ain't it.

 

[M Clemens]

This is why I'm confused. This boat has no foam core ribs. And there are light scratches, but they don't look like gelcoat scratches in my other canoes (as in white lines) - more like the scratches in my glass skin canoes. Does clear gelcoat scratch differently than colored?

My 2002 Merlin II in KevCrystal had no foam ribs either, just in the floor. Scratch appearance is a pretty subjective thing, and much depends on depth; and you never what previous owners may have done to doctor the scratch to improve the appearance.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Seat removed for refinishing. Very dry but intact gunwales, thwarts and decks. The seat hanger screw heads have worked deep into their pockets - enough that I am contemplating some kind of mitigation there. Maybe fill the holes and redrill....with wood plugs? Sawdust infused G-flex? Suggestions?

The view in my garage/shop with six projects in simultaneous play. Those barn doors were supposed to get finish next - but priorities, man.....

 

[M Clemens]

In the past I have placed a piece of drinking straw to maintain the hole locations and poured G-flex around the straw and fill the holes to the top of the gunnel, then using cupped finishing washers to re-install the seat bolts. The washers cover the repair and prevent reoccurrence. How is the hull interior? I do not see any of the famous Bell 'blushing' in your pics. Another common problem is missing or deteriorated float tank plugs. Impossible to find replacements but there are work-arounds. I used automotive plastic hole plugs with a vent hole last time.

 

[Alan Gage]

Welcome back, Steve. Good to see you here again.

Looks like you got yourself a nice boat.

It looks like your layup has been correctly identified. Another mistake I used to see often was people calling this the "black gold" layup due to the gold and black checker pattern in Bell's Kevlar fabric.

Alan

 

[Halpc]

Another welcome back Steve- I always enjoyed your posts. I actually thought that you may have succumbed to Covid when you suddenly stopped posting a few years ago! This notion was reinforced when my son found a nicely outfitted Mad River Guide for sale at a boat swap in Boise. I now own it and have enjoyed it a lot. I also rescued a Wildfire last year and have some questions about it. I’ll start a new thread rather than hijacking this one. Anyway, glad to see that you are still paddling and collecting.

 

[stevet]

My Wildfire seat bolts were recessed a bit to much for my comfort at my weight so I also used cupped finish washers but did not fill the holes. Seems fine.

You’ll love the Fire…one of the all time best 14 ft solos.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

In the past I have placed a piece of drinking straw to maintain the hole locations and poured G-flex around the straw and fill the holes to the top of the gunnel, then using cupped finishing washers to re-install the seat bolts. The washers cover the repair and prevent reoccurrence. How is the hull interior? I do not see any of the famous Bell 'blushing' in your pics. Another common problem is missing or deteriorated float tank plugs. Impossible to find replacements but there are work-arounds. I used automotive plastic hole plugs with a vent hole last time.

No blushing that I've noticed. The plugs are intact. I like your idea with the straws and finishing washers. Is it possible or advisable to thin G-flex so it will flow into that little space better?

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Another welcome back Steve- I always enjoyed your posts. I actually thought that you may have succumbed to Covid when you suddenly stopped posting a few years ago! This notion was reinforced when my son found a nicely outfitted Mad River Guide for sale at a boat swap in Boise. I now own it and have enjoyed it a lot. I also rescued a Wildfire last year and have some questions about it. I’ll start a new thread rather than hijacking this one. Anyway, glad to see that you are still paddling and collecting.

Fact is, I almost did succumb. Not to covid, but to the DLT and PE that followed it. But that was early last year. What covid killed was my plans for a two month adventure through Canada and Alaska. But that's another story.

Feel free to post your Wildfire questions in this thread if you think they fit.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Thanks for all the welcome backs, BTW!

 

[Steve in Idaho]

My Wildfire seat bolts were recessed a bit to much for my comfort at my weight so I also used cupped finish washers but did not fill the holes. Seems fine.
View attachment 141911
You’ll love the Fire…one of the all time best 14 ft solos.

I happen to have some of those finish washers on hand.

 

[stevet]

My WF occasionally functions as a recliner…note avatar pic

 

[Alan Gage]

Is it possible or advisable to thin G-flex so it will flow into that little space better?

Heat is usually the best way to thin epoxy and that would be an easy application for it.

Alan