There has been an active discussion on clc forums about using graphite powder and epoxy for the bottom of the boat. I am thinking of going that way in another year (my varnish job is from this past Spring). The varnish is much softer than the epoxy, it gets scratch very easily. Whenever we go out around waves and rocks (Lake Champlain), there is never a way to make a perfectly smooth exit and the boats get banged up.

I know others have more experience... I am curious about the epoxy and graphite technique myself.

- Josh

: Hi All,
: Finished my OUter Island three years ago and use it all the time,
: at least once a week in the warm months, and usually get about
: three to four camping trips per season also. Upon returning from
: my last four day trip on Lake Kabetogama on the Canadian border
: I needed to look at the hatches to see why they leak so much,
: when I noticed the amount of scratches on the bottom. No loss of
: watertight integrity mind you, but there just arent alot of
: beaches in the upper midwest. I have to say even though I cringe
: every time I hear a scrape,
: I have learned to live with scratches and the best I can do to
: accept them is to think of them as badges of honor or battle
: scars, because its not always possible to have a nice launch in
: 6" of water or land on a soft sand beach. Just wondering
: what you other builders out there do to avoid/deal with using
: your boat.