Graphite on the hull
Graphite on the hull
I have upgraded my Prospector with a new grahite bottom to protect against the rocky river in my area. Do I need to varnish over the graphite section to protect it from UV damage? Also, has anyone had experience repairing a grahite bottom? Is this easy to fill in scratches? I just want to be prepared for summer. Happy boating!
Shawn
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Glen Smith
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada
Scratches in varnished graphite show up a lot more than scratches in dull graphite. I don't varnish mine. To touch-up scratches, just sand the affected area with 80 grit paper and apply your mixture to the area. Allow to harden a few days then sand lightly with 120 grit to feather in and smooth the surface with steel wool. The patches might show for a while but after a few outings they shouldn't be very noticeable.
Any articles out there about carbon / graphite on cedar strippers?
Is it used in conjunction with fiberglass?
Different epoxies?
I assume it would just be only on the outside hull bottom?
Questions, Questions, Questions, never ending questions.
Doug
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Is it used in conjunction with fiberglass?
Different epoxies?
I assume it would just be only on the outside hull bottom?
Questions, Questions, Questions, never ending questions.
Doug
.
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
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Glen Smith
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada
Doug, I thought you would already know the answers to some of your questions. Here is what Vaclav has to say about Carbon/Graphite: http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Abrasion.htm#carbanch
There is no need to varnish over the area that has been coated with graphite. The black surface of graphite prevents any penetration of UV light.
Varnish will also negate the lubricating properties of graphite. Rocks tend to bite into varnish. With graphite the hull will slide over the rocks with less resistance.
The purpose of graphite is to act as a lubricant in cases of abrasion. It makes for a slicker but not significantly harder finish. Adding colodial silica (essentially tiny glass beads) to the epoxy/graphite mixture will make for a harder surface and provide even more scratch protection against those nasty rocks. Since the silica weighs next to nothing there is no reason not to add it if you are going to apply graphite anyway.
Repairing spots where graphite wears thin over time or repairing deep gouges is as easy as mixing up a batch of epoxy/graphite and painting it on after roughing the area with sandpaper. On a silica treated hull the surface will be harder and thus more difficult to sand and dull your tools faster. The benefit is there will be far fewer deep scratches that need attention after a hull is treated with a graphite/silica/epoxy mix.
If deep scratches or gouges penetrate the cloth then a more difficult repair with a cloth patch is in order and that would also be the case with or without graphite.
I have a page on my website describing my experience with graphite.
Varnish will also negate the lubricating properties of graphite. Rocks tend to bite into varnish. With graphite the hull will slide over the rocks with less resistance.
The purpose of graphite is to act as a lubricant in cases of abrasion. It makes for a slicker but not significantly harder finish. Adding colodial silica (essentially tiny glass beads) to the epoxy/graphite mixture will make for a harder surface and provide even more scratch protection against those nasty rocks. Since the silica weighs next to nothing there is no reason not to add it if you are going to apply graphite anyway.
Repairing spots where graphite wears thin over time or repairing deep gouges is as easy as mixing up a batch of epoxy/graphite and painting it on after roughing the area with sandpaper. On a silica treated hull the surface will be harder and thus more difficult to sand and dull your tools faster. The benefit is there will be far fewer deep scratches that need attention after a hull is treated with a graphite/silica/epoxy mix.
If deep scratches or gouges penetrate the cloth then a more difficult repair with a cloth patch is in order and that would also be the case with or without graphite.
I have a page on my website describing my experience with graphite.
Graphite info
Thanks for the suggestions. Since the graphite work is done, I will take it out this weekend and test it out!
Shawn