Souris River Canoes
106 Reid Street
P.O. Box 1116
Atikokan, Ontario CANADA
Tel: 1-807-597-1292
1-888-226-6386
Fax: 1-807-597-1157
sales@sourisriver.com
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Low-cost shipping!
We will ship your new Souris River canoe to most points in Canada and the continental U.S. for only $300.
See our shipping page
for details.
Le Tigre Canoe!
Touching up scratches on your
Souris River Canoe
You have two options to touchup your Souris River Canoe. Remember, however, not to try this on other Kevlar canoes. Our canoes are built with an outer layer of fibreglass, which can be safely sanded. Other manufacturers use Kevlar as their outer layer, which will turn to fuzz when sanded.
Option One: Polyurethane
If it is not too badly scratched you can just wipe a thin coat of clear exterior polyurethane onto each scratch. This is the simplest of the two repair methods. Use a clean rag to wipe-on the polyurethane. If you are going to do a large area of the canoe then you should sand it first with 220 grit sandpaper. Then wipe the dust off with a damp cloth or some thinner.
Make sure the canoe is dry before you apply the polyurethane. Also if you are going to do a large area then it is best to thin out the polyurethane approximately 5-20% with paint thinner. If you want to make the canoe look really good and give it additional protection from UV radiation, then apply 2 or 3 coats of thinned out polyurethane. Some people prefer to use a foam brush or a high quality bristle brush to apply the urethane because they can get it on thicker and more evenly. Try a couple of different methods and see which one you prefer.
If you are doing the whole canoe you can spray the urethane on instead of using a rag to apply it. Spraying applies the urethane more evenly. However, you should not do this unless you have previous spray painting experience. If you are spraying you will have to mask any areas that you do not want sprayed with urethane.
Something new that we have recently seen on the market is called brushing thinner. This can be used to apply the urethane with a brush. It allows you to put the urethane on in a thicker more even coat than you can with a rag. You can achieve very good results using brushing thinner. If in doubt, rely on the advice of an experienced paint salesperson.
Option Two: Epoxy
The other option is to mix up some epoxy resin and apply a thin coat of resin to the scratches. You could use this option if your canoe is badly scratched. Make sure you carefully follow the instructions on the package. First sand the area that you wish to coat with 220 grit sandpaper. Wipe the dust off with a damp cloth or some solvent.
If you have deep scratches you can sand about ½ inch on either side of the scratch and on the scratch to reduce the depth of the scratch. In effect, you want to feather from the outside of the sanded area into the middle of the scratch. You do not have to make the scratch disappear just reduce the depth so that a thin layer of epoxy resin will make it disappear. This will create a small depression in the hull of the canoe. You can then rub some epoxy resin on to fill that depression.
Make sure the area to be coated is dry before you apply the epoxy resin. It is important to do this procedure at or slightly above room temperature(70- 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and in a dry environment. Use disposable gloves and apply the resin with your finger or hand. Wipe the resin on as thin as you can. Be sure to check for runs after 20 minutes. If you are applying the resin over a large area then you should wipe the resin on with your hand as thin as you can get it. For application on a large area a roller or brush can also be used. Then smooth out the resin with a squeegee (approximately 3” x 5”). If you are applying resin over a large area then it is best to do the project with two people.
You can get epoxy resin and squeegees at most marinas or possibly from your nearest Souris River Canoes dealer. West System Epoxy, Mas Epoxy, and East System Epoxy are some brand names that are good. Good luck with your project!
1. This is a typical scratched hull. This is a rental le Tigre after one season.
2. Start by sanding the hull. A palm sander works well. Feather any deep scracthes.
3. After sanding, wipe the hull clean. Any thinner should work well. You can also use water or a mild solvent.
4. Wipe the hull, and allow it to dry.
5. Apply polyurethane. A thin foam roller works well.
6. Brush it smooth with a foam brush.
7. The finished product will look nearly new, and will have some additional UV protection.
Photos courtesy of the Red Rock Store, www. redrockstore.com