: No reason to use kevlar at all unless you are expecting some severe
: service issue. Generally you can get all the stength you need
: from using glass alone.

I am assuming that Nick has used the Kevlar on the "inside" of the canoe and not the outside. Kevlar will hold up better than glass on the floor of the canoe, which is more susceptible to wear from feet grinding dirt onto and into its surface. I used Kevlar for the cockpit floor of the VJ (my Waters Dancing Lightning 17) for that reason. I recall someone here mentioning that over a few years, his heels had dug into or through the glass of his cockpit floor to expose the wood. I have not had any problems using Kevlar. Considering that it is my expedition kayak and has seen a lot of punishment, it is holding up well. The extra weight I suffer for using it seems to be well worth the trouble. That said, for a light use craft, I see no reason why not to use 6-oz glass. I will probably use my left over Kevlar for Linda's WD Solace 16 since I have it laying around, assuming there is enough to use. If I don't have enough to cover the entire cockpit floor, I will at least use it under the footpegs to keep wear and tear to a minimum. My $0.02 worth.

Construction on Linda's Waters Dancing Solace 16 and Keith's WD Solace 17 is going well. I have removed the wires from the hull after gluing the deck together and removing it. For the rest of the week Keith (WD Solace 17) and I will get his kayak prepped (remove wires and deck) and start filling holes in preparation for glassing the outside of the hulls. I was looking at the panels of both hulls and now realize that taping them on the inside only will probably add just as much weight as glassing the entire inside of the hull: too many seams due to narrower and more hull panels. Gonna have to think this one through.

Robert N Pruden

Robert N Pruden