Short period without UV protection

Welcome to the new Bear Mountain Builders Forum - an interactive internet service we provide to encourage communication between canoe and kayak builders
Post Reply
User avatar
jpauger
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:59 pm
Location: Montréal, Québec
Contact:

Short period without UV protection

Post by jpauger »

hello everyone, it's been a long time!
In fact, it's been so long since I made my boat that I lost some ground rules.
I am restoring my canoe after more than 20 years of use and yesterday, after some repairs, I applied a thin layer of epoxy on the outside of the boat.
I know that the epoxy needs to be protected from the UV rays but I go camping in 3 days for about a week.
I would like to know if I can use my canoe without varnish, while being careful not to expose it too much to sunlight, without damaging it.
This would allow me to enjoy my canoe and continue the restoration on my return from vacation.
Thank you

http://pages.videotron.com/canotjpa/index.htm
Jean-Pierre
sedges
Posts: 325
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:37 pm
Location: georgia

Re: Short period without UV protection

Post by sedges »

I would be more concerned about an incomplete cure going in the water and getting cloudy. Most boat epoxies take about a week to fully cure. I have always waited that period before finish sanding and varnishing. Exposure to water before a full cure may cause whitish cloudiness. Of course it may not! If it is indeed a thin coat you can always sand it off if it turns cloudy. If it had cured a week I would not worry about UV exposure. It takes a lot more than a week trip to do that.

I have restored one of my canoes after 26 years. It is a great feeling to have them around for so long, I know I will be passing this one along in good condition to Grand Nephews and Nieces. When I built that canoe I had no feel for the longevity, because room-temperature cure epoxy was pretty new. Now it seems to be amazingly stable for many decades.
User avatar
jpauger
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:59 pm
Location: Montréal, Québec
Contact:

Re: Short period without UV protection

Post by jpauger »

Hourray!
I feel a lot more comfortable now, knowing that I can spend a week and enjoy my canoe with my wife in the Adirondack. If anything happen, like you said, I can always sand and repair the damage before the varnish step.
Thanks for the reply!
;)
Jean-Pierre
Post Reply