I have just bought a 2018 outfitter SR 17 that I have sanded and applied one coat of West 105-207 epoxy. It's all gone swimmingly. Just curious if you advise a coat of varnish after two coats of epoxy. I believe varnish has better UV protection even though West's brochure says the 207 hardener has UV protective qualities. SR says to do one or the other but leans to epoxy for older or well used boats (mine is clearly well used - mostly superficial scratches but the odd deep one).

Someone on the board once mentioned that he sanded down his end caps to remove the burrs and then heated them with a torch to bring them as a restoration process. Can anyone provide detail on that? It sounds like its worth a try but I'd like to know more about the heating process before doing so.

I refinished a Quetico 17 last year with the West Systems and didn’t bother with the varnish. Just use 303 on it a couple times a year and you should be fine.

AlexanderSupertramp: "I refinished a Quetico 17 last year with the West Systems and didn’t bother with the varnish. Just use 303 on it a couple times a year and you should be fine. "

Thanks!

Plastic end caps can be sanded and torched but I believe SR end caps are kevlar....at least mine were on 2 boats I refinished. I just sanded and brushed on epoxy.

cowdoc: "Plastic end caps can be sanded and torched but I believe SR end caps are kevlar....at least mine were on 2 boats I refinished. I just sanded and brushed on epoxy.


"

Mine are definitely plastic. Maybe because it's an outfitter canoe. Not sure. But it's riveted on with black rivets so I assume it's from the factory. Also, on their website their caps look plastic and there's no option for either plastic or kevlar.

I assume they should be removed before commence this process? If not, I at least probably should have performed this repair before finishing the hull.