I’ve been looking for an agile solo canoe for some time, and an opportunity came knocking.
I bought a rare 1986 Kevlar/GelCoat Mad River Canoe Solo “Pearl” that’s in wonderful shape.
The boat came with the original equestrian solo straddle saddle, but has a modified lowered standard web seat currently.
There is one very small chip in the gel coat (see below).

Couple of questions posed to canoe enthusiasts:

1. I would like to install sleek skid plates to beef up abrasion resistance, but not to make the canoe look trashy or slow it down. Methods and recommendations? Epoxy and felt? What kind of epoxy? What kind of felt? Thickness?

2. The current seat set-up could use a more professional touch. I don’t need the seat as low as it currently sits, but the previous owner chopped a standard web seat down so I wouldn’t be able to use a typical seat drop kit. Recommendations?

3. Wood trim is original, and in great shape. I’de like to lightly sand it and finish it with some sort of oil based finish. Linseed oil? Marine Spar Varnish?

4. There seems to be only one other post on this BWCA forum about this canoe which was headed by the legendary user “HansSolo.” Can anyone share information about this canoe? All I know is that it was a Jim Henry design and was only manufactured from 1986 - 1988.

5. There is a small chip and a few very fine spider cracks in the gel coat. I understand matching the existing GelCoat color will be hard. I googled “GelCoat repair kit” and found a kit that comes with a variety of colors to mix and match. Has anyone used this kit before? I want to say it is manufactured by Evercoat, not sure though.

Any information about this boat would be great, and I appreciate your input.


Thanks for the help!

1) I've used west system epoxy and colored it with paint, soaked felt, and made some sleek little skid plates.
2) I'd buy a new seat, cut to fit and get some seat drops and do it right.
3) Watco oil. Lightly sand, I apply with foam brush, buff first coat in with fine steel wool, wipe down. Apply another coat when dry, let stand a while, wipe and buff down.
4) can't help
5) I've never used a gel coat repair kit but I want to learn how. I've repaired some small chips with colored epoxy.

1) I don't know of a skid plate solution that meets these qualifications. Any Kevlar bumper will hurt your boat's efficiency and agility. Maybe just go easy around the rocks. When the time comes to repair the stems, glass is probably the best solution.

2) Make it yours.

3) Boiled linseed oil goes great on everything including breakfast cereal. Well maybe not cereal but I like the finish and texture of BLO, and it never flakes like varnish.

4) Hanssolo is the man.

5) Gel coat is really expensive for not great results. Fill nicks with marine epoxy and paddle it.

SweetBerryWine: "3. Wood trim is original, and in great shape. I’de like to lightly sand it and finish it with some sort of oil based finish. Linseed oil? "

A couple of years ago I got a 1996 Blackhawk that the gunwhales were in bad shape. I hand sanded them while keeping them on the boat, stained them walnut and after much advice receiving, I decided on using a spar urethane for the finish - 3 coats with very light grit sanding in between - and am really glad I did. Looks and wears great.

Here's the thread about it: refinishing my Blackhawk gunwhales

cowdoc: "1) I've used west system epoxy and colored it with paint, soaked felt, and made some sleek little skid plates.
2) I'd buy a new seat, cut to fit and get some seat drops and do it right.
3) Watco oil. Lightly sand, I apply with foam brush, buff first coat in with fine steel wool, wipe down. Apply another coat when dry, let stand a while, wipe and buff down.
4) can't help
5) I've never used a gel coat repair kit but I want to learn how. I've repaired some small chips with colored epoxy."

1. Did you use normal spray paint to tint the felt? Where did you buy your felt? If I have the option, I will buy colored felt. Not sure if I want to try and color match the gel coat color for the skid plates or just buy some brown felt to match the wood trim.

5. The chip in the boat is on the "Stem Band" or keel of the boat. The skid plate will cover the chip, but I want to fix the chip prior to putting in the skid plated on. Hopefully I can find a small gelcoat repair kit that tackles tiny jobs.

I'm going to head to Midwest Mountaineering after work today to see what they have for my canoe parts. I called them earlier this week and it sounds like they may have all of the parts I need. Anyone have a canoe parts store they prefer in the Minneapolis area?

Hey, that was my sisters boat. Congrats on the new boat. It was a bit too lively for her.

This is just me, but I would resist the urge to add skid plates. Gel coat is very durable. Just wet foot it, store the boat inside and that boat will last you a long long time.

It was my boat before her, I acquired it at auction and paddled it a handful of times. She seemed really nice and I was sorry it did not suit her needs. I hope she was able to recoup her investment.

Re #4, I’d be happy to answer any specific questions you might have.

I would not add skid plates. Wetfoot and keep it in its lightweight, superb condition. A dab of epoxy is all you need for that chip in the stem.

Check out northwest canoe in St. Paul.

Most of my canoe work takes place in my friends airplane shop. The paint I've used has been a lacquer based airplane paint. I dribble a fair amount into the epoxy to color the felt. The felt is just plain old felt, thin, not the thick stuff, fairly tight weave. I have it cut to shape and ready to go, place it on some cellophane and soak it up real good with the epoxy mix and then place it on the canoe (lightly pre-sand, and dab the hull with epoxy). After careful placement, I cover it with cellophane and smooth it out by hand some, adding more epoxy if needed to fully soak the felt pad. Carefully remove cellophane slowly, without pulling felt off, before things start to set up. Next day, sand the new skid plate and recoat with mix. Make sure to tape/cover rest of nearby hull to avoid drips and runs.
I would never put one of those big kevlar plates on a flatwater tripper, but these plates have added some protection without being clunky eyesores.

I'm thinking JB Weld.... :)

Ready supply of canoe parts (and good advice) - northwest canoe in St. Paul.

I own a 1990 Mad River Traveler and a 1994 Liberty. I kept a Canoe magazine buyers guide edition for both of these years. I don't see the Pearl listed. Maybe they didn't produce it for long. I probably should put them up for auction to make more room in the garage.

What kind of beer is that?? ( goes a long way toward assessing your character) :)

voyager: "I own a 1990 Mad River Traveler and a 1994 Liberty. I kept a Canoe magazine buyers guide edition for both of these years. I don't see the Pearl listed. Maybe they didn't produce it for long. I probably should put them up for auction to make more room in the garage."

Voyager,

The Pearl was manufactured from 1986 - 1988. The hull ID states that it was manufactured in 1986.

pswith5: "What kind of beer is that?? ( goes a long way toward assessing your character) :)"

pswith5,

It's my go-to workhorse beer; Summit Saga. By far my favorite beer from Summit.

I have a kneeling thwart in mine. You might try it out before you raise the seat. My understanding this is a freestyle-type boat? It is really fun to take out and paddle. I play with it on the lake. I would suggest really getting to know her before you change anything. Enjoy!