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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Listening Point - General Discussion Refinishing my SR17 LeTigre - before & after |
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03/26/2012 11:48AM (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
After paddling last summer I hated to admit that I had let my 7 year old Souris River 17 Le Tigre become worn and scarred way too much. I had visited the Red Rock Store in Ely and had been given instruction on two systems to refinish the boat and try to bring it back close to its original beauty. One system involved marine varnish, the other epoxy. After much gut wrenching thought I decided to go with the epoxy system for its hardness. It is made by West System and I chose the 105 Resin and 207 Hardener for a slower drying time to make it workable. This weekend a wood sculpture friend of mine let me invade his shop.
First thing I did was take a big leap of faith and decided to repair the skid plate with this new product from Rustoleum:
and then sprayed on the skid plate:
I then hand sanded the canoe with 150 grit sandpaper and then washed it with acetone to get all the goo off:
I then turned the canoe upright and cut out the first pass of epoxy along the trim:
Then turning the boat over to finish the body (you can see the epoxy is already bringing out the fabric tone):
I let everything cure 24 hrs and it came out looking pretty darn nice. I especially like how the skid plate turned out. The spray filled in the nicks nicely and is nice and hard. It, of course remains to be seen how it holds up the next time out.
The epoxy was so slow in drying that I did have a few drip marks that I wasn't happy about, especially in light of the fact that I was very diligent in keeping everything on an even coat. The finished product:
I think if I had used the varnish system, the drips would have been easier to manage, but hey, it'll still look good in the water.
First thing I did was take a big leap of faith and decided to repair the skid plate with this new product from Rustoleum:
and then sprayed on the skid plate:
I then hand sanded the canoe with 150 grit sandpaper and then washed it with acetone to get all the goo off:
I then turned the canoe upright and cut out the first pass of epoxy along the trim:
Then turning the boat over to finish the body (you can see the epoxy is already bringing out the fabric tone):
I let everything cure 24 hrs and it came out looking pretty darn nice. I especially like how the skid plate turned out. The spray filled in the nicks nicely and is nice and hard. It, of course remains to be seen how it holds up the next time out.
The epoxy was so slow in drying that I did have a few drip marks that I wasn't happy about, especially in light of the fact that I was very diligent in keeping everything on an even coat. The finished product:
I think if I had used the varnish system, the drips would have been easier to manage, but hey, it'll still look good in the water.
We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
03/26/2012 12:20PM
Looks good!! I've got those drip marks too - next time I sit vigil and watch for the sneaky rats!
Might want to add a coat of varnish for the UV protection onematch... when will West add it to their epoxy???
Might want to add a coat of varnish for the UV protection onematch... when will West add it to their epoxy???
Wherever there is a channel for water, there is a road for the canoe. -Thoreau
03/26/2012 04:47PM
quote BWPaddler: "Looks good!! I've got those drip marks too - next time I sit vigil and watch for the sneaky rats!
Might want to add a coat of varnish for the UV protection onematch... when will West add it to their epoxy???
"
Good point BWP. I just talked it over with my "expert" friend and then actually looked on the West Systems website. I was curious if you could even put a varnish on and now it not only appears that you can but West recommends it and an added benefit is it looks even better.
The West website info is here
Back to the shop! Thanks.
We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
03/26/2012 05:33PM
quote OneMatch: "quote BWPaddler: "Looks good!! I've got those drip marks too - next time I sit vigil and watch for the sneaky rats!
Might want to add a coat of varnish for the UV protection onematch... when will West add it to their epoxy???
"
Good point BWP. I just talked it over with my "expert" friend and then actually looked on the West Systems website. I was curious if you could even put a varnish on and now it not only appears that you can but West recommends it and an added benefit is it looks even better.
The West website info is here
Back to the shop! Thanks."
When I emailed West about the UV protection, this is the response I got: "A good UV protective coating that we recommend is Captain’s Varnish Z-Spar 1015 or an automotive gloss clear coat like OMNI."
Since this is coming from West, I assume it's good info.
"The future ain't what it used to be" Yogi Berra
03/26/2012 05:50PM
Congrat's to losing your virginity to West System Jerry! Varnish is easy, but resin is a much tougher coat. I've done a few SR's with West System and was very nervous on the first one. Gives you a good feeling when it's done!
“The more you know, the less you carry” Mors Kochanski
03/26/2012 06:17PM
quote Frenchy19: "Question: Did you apply the epoxy right over the decals, or did you somehow mask them?"
Applied directly over the decals. I did, however, tape off the MN registration.
BTW, I have that Captains 1015 Marine varnish you mentioned. Also a 333 brushing liquid to take dust off. Looks like I'm going back to sand off the drips and varnish. I'm excited.
Keep me posted as to your progress.
We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
03/26/2012 08:41PM
quote PortageKeeper: "Congrat's to losing your virginity to West System Jerry! Varnish is easy, but resin is a much tougher coat. I've done a few SR's with West System and was very nervous on the first one. Gives you a good feeling when it's done!"
LOL Joe! I guess that's the first time I've been "de-flowered" from anything in a long time!
We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
03/26/2012 09:51PM
quote OneMatch: "quote Frenchy19: "Question: Did you apply the epoxy right over the decals, or did you somehow mask them?"
Applied directly over the decals. I did, however, tape off the MN registration.
BTW, I have that Captains 1015 Marine varnish you mentioned. Also a 333 brushing liquid to take dust off. Looks like I'm going back to sand off the drips and varnish. I'm excited.
Keep me posted as to your progress."
Will do. Needs to warm up a bit before I can start.
"The future ain't what it used to be" Yogi Berra
03/28/2012 09:53PM
Betty gets a new skin next spring at my buddies heated garage. Going to wait till the reg. is up so I can just go over all the decals. I put new SR decals on her last yr so next year she gets epoxy. Even with all her scratches she's still a beauty to me.
JB
JB
You can't explain the obvious to the ignorant.
06/06/2012 08:38PM
Outstanding work Jerry. Looks great! I wish I would have been brave enough to refinish mine. It was in rough shape though and beyond what I wanted to takle for a first canoe refurbish (mainly lacked space though!). I pick it up tomorrow after it's second trip to the pro's.
Again, yours looks great. Just think of all the satisfaction and pride you'll have on your next paddle with her.
Again, yours looks great. Just think of all the satisfaction and pride you'll have on your next paddle with her.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson...and...“Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
06/06/2012 09:20PM
Looks great. I bet you have a great sense of accomplishment after that project! I'm sold on the West System epoxy. I replaced an old fiberglass patch on the inside of a Kevlar canoe last summer and it seems to have bonded very strongly, showing no sign of delamination after much portaging and paddling.
“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” -Edward Abbey
06/06/2012 09:28PM
quote jb in the wild: "Betty gets a new skin next spring at my buddies heated garage. Going to wait till the reg. is up so I can just go over all the decals. I put new SR decals on her last yr so next year she gets epoxy. Even with all her scratches she's still a beauty to me.
JB "
If that happened to my canoe I would cry like a baby.
“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” -Edward Abbey
06/06/2012 10:14PM
quote arctic: "quote jb in the wild: "Betty gets a new skin next spring at my buddies heated garage. Going to wait till the reg. is up so I can just go over all the decals. I put new SR decals on her last yr so next year she gets epoxy. Even with all her scratches she's still a beauty to me.
JB "
If that happened to my canoe I would cry like a baby."
Not my canoe it's a pic from Red Rocks Site. Joe actually fixed that canoe if I remember right.
JB
You can't explain the obvious to the ignorant.
04/28/2018 04:43PM
I have the SR River....in the Green Layup... ANyway, I have varnished it a couple times over the years and it looks great starting out. But the scratches it collects over time stand out soooo bad! I wonder if going the epoxy route would make the scratches less visible.???
dr bob
dr bob
04/30/2018 08:06PM
Duff: "Couple quick questions, how are the rubberized skid plates holding up after a few years?
And did you epoxy over the Rust-oleum when refinishing?
Thanks!"
Duff - holding up great. I bounced the nose into some rocks that made a little bit of it chip away, but other than that, no problem with it.
I did not epoxy over it. I figured if I needed to put another coat on later, the epoxy would be in the way.
After all, that stuff is made to seal leaks in gutters and such so it's pretty rugged. Water has no effect on it.
We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
04/30/2018 08:14PM
DrBobDg: "I have the SR River....in the Green Layup... ANyway, I have varnished it a couple times over the years and it looks great starting out. But the scratches it collects over time stand out soooo bad! I wonder if going the epoxy route would make the scratches less visible.???
dr bob"
Dr Bob, many scratches later, I don't think the epoxy scratches are less visible than a varnish scratch might be. However, the epoxy does do a nice job of hiding fresh scratches. Don't forget "Every Scratch Tells A Story". :-)
We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
04/30/2018 08:15PM
Well done one match. I did mine two years ago and it looks nice. I did not redo mine up to the gunnels, just taped it off at the bilge. Wish I had gone to the gunnels like you did. Another ankle biter, for those who may be considering this process is doing it in a shop is advisable if possible. I had to do mine outside and was dismayed to find hundreds of tiny bugs I had not notice flying around, now embedded in my finish. A more humorous thing was that my son offered to help so I had him wipe the boat with acetone while I mixed the epoxy. Only after the epoxy dried did I see his handprints ensconced under the finish. Apparently he rested his off hand on the clean part of the hull as he moved toward the end. I love it! His hand print is always under the boat that will belong to him someday. But not too soon.
04/30/2018 08:26PM
Frenchy19: "quote OneMatch: "quote BWPaddler: "Looks good!! I've got those drip marks too - next time I sit vigil and watch for the sneaky rats!
Might want to add a coat of varnish for the UV protection onematch... when will West add it to their epoxy???
"
Good point BWP. I just talked it over with my "expert" friend and then actually looked on the West Systems website. I was curious if you could even put a varnish on and now it not only appears that you can but West recommends it and an added benefit is it looks even better.
The West website info is here
Back to the shop! Thanks."
When I emailed West about the UV protection, this is the response I got: "A good UV protective coating that we recommend is Captain’s Varnish Z-Spar 1015 or an automotive gloss clear coat like OMNI."
Since this is coming from West, I assume it's good info."
I redid one of my penobscots with automotive omni and its holding up well, it's a two part spray applied product with UV. Is any one better than another? Doubtful, rocks are going to scratch any finish you could possibly put on.
05/01/2018 06:22PM
OneMatch: "Duff: "Couple quick questions, how are the rubberized skid plates holding up after a few years?
And did you epoxy over the Rust-oleum when refinishing?
Thanks!"
Duff - holding up great. I bounced the nose into some rocks that made a little bit of it chip away, but other than that, no problem with it.
I did not epoxy over it. I figured if I needed to put another coat on later, the epoxy would be in the way.
After all, that stuff is made to seal leaks in gutters and such so it's pretty rugged. Water has no effect on it.
"
Thank you Sir!
05/02/2018 03:34PM
OneMatch: "DrBobDg: "I have the SR River....in the Green Layup... ANyway, I have varnished it a couple times over the years and it looks great starting out. But the scratches it collects over time stand out soooo bad! I wonder if going the epoxy route would make the scratches less visible.???
dr bob"
Dr Bob, many scratches later, I don't think the epoxy scratches are less visible than a varnish scratch might be. However, the epoxy does do a nice job of hiding fresh scratches. Don't forget "Every Scratch Tells A Story". :-)"
hmmmmm. song to go with that....?
dr bob
05/02/2018 04:01PM
jb in the wild: "Betty gets a new skin next spring at my buddies heated garage. Going to wait till the reg. is up so I can just go over all the decals. I put new SR decals on her last yr so next year she gets epoxy. Even with all her scratches she's still a beauty to me.
JB "
I didn't know that they bend like that.
"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
05/02/2018 04:56PM
Thwarted: ... Only after the epoxy dried did I see his handprints ensconced under the finish. Apparently he rested his off hand on the clean part of the hull as he moved toward the end. I love it! His hand print is always under the boat that will belong to him someday. But not too soon."
That's great!! :-)
05/02/2018 09:04PM
johno: "Thwarted: ... Only after the epoxy dried did I see his handprints ensconced under the finish. Apparently he rested his off hand on the clean part of the hull as he moved toward the end. I love it! His hand print is always under the boat that will belong to him someday. But not too soon."
That's great!! :-)"
I'm refinishing mine this spring. Maybe be something fun to do on purpose with my two sons.
05/13/2018 08:23PM
HighnDry: "jb in the wild: "Betty gets a new skin next spring at my buddies heated garage. Going to wait till the reg. is up so I can just go over all the decals. I put new SR decals on her last yr so next year she gets epoxy. Even with all her scratches she's still a beauty to me.
JB "
I didn't know that they bend like that."
Only Once............
dr bob
05/14/2018 03:01PM
Mad_Angler: Tell me about the rudder on the back... Where did you get it and what does it do for you?"
It was an option on the SR Tranquility a while back and it intrigued me.
I don't use it as much as I maybe thought I would.
It's nice for drifting shorelines and weedlines while fishing, I can control the drift while keeping my hands on the rod & reel.
Paddling upwind, I can paddle on whichever side is less tired, although it does provide some drag.
And it is nice in those little switch back creeks for making the turns.
Most of the time it's in the upwards position.
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