Repairing a Damaged KayakPRO Marlin

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Repairing a Damaged KayakPRO Marlin

(8 posts) (4 voices)

Started 1 year ago by Scareman
Latest reply from ZeroTheHero

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Scareman
Member

Does anyone know how to, or care to, repair a damaged KayakPro Marlin kayak?

I met a fellow with a damaged Marlin kayak that is sitting on a rack in his garage.

I took another one of his boats out for a test paddle. He paddled his newer Marlin with me on the Tennessee River in some "light breezes" yesterday. We were surfing upriver on the wind waves on the big winds.

20 mph sustained winds with gusts over 30 mph were great conditions for a test paddle!

So I passed on ECCKF this past weekend due to a business trip this week, but managed to save $500 and test paddle a nice solo kayak that fit me. I only had to drive 750 miles.

Posted 1 year ago #
stripbuilder
Member

There are two different layups used for the Marlins, but both of them use epoxy. Therefore, epoxy with glass, kevlar, and/or carbon fiber could be used to repair it as in the layup.

Posted 1 year ago #
mistermoon
Member

Fixing fiberglass is easy. You cant' be afraid of a little grinding and filling, but it's not hard to get a nice result. Back in the day when I was paddling FG squirt boats on whitewater, I frequently had to make repairs. I never bothered with reapplying gelcoat though. Instead, I'd paint over the white bits with epoxy appliance paint. How exactly is this boat broken?

Posted 1 year ago #
Scareman
Member

Apparently the kayak supported an inverted Toyota during a bit of tumbling exercise. Crumpled bow, few circumferential splits about 12-18" long in spots where the composite matrix just gave up due to the stress.

With repairs, I know the boat would be heavy. Maybe it would approach 45#.

Posted 1 year ago #
mistermoon
Member

Is is a regular lay-up or foam core? Fixing a foam-core boat would be hard. Fixing a plain carbon/kevlar would not be too bad if it's just some cracks. This sounds worse than just some cracking, however. If the shape is compromised getting a good fix would be much more of a challenge.

Posted 1 year ago #
Scareman
Member

Shape is a concern.

However, he has another one that he paddles. So technically, shape is not an issue since he has a good one on the same rack. You can make form from the good one.

The question is, do you make forms from the good one, cut the top off of the damaged and layup repair patches on the forms, then stick the two halves back together?

Posted 1 year ago #
mistermoon
Member

Scareman wrote:

Shape is a concern.

However, he has another one that he paddles. So technically, shape is not an issue since he has a good one on the same rack. You can make form from the good one.

The question is, do you make forms from the good one, cut the top off of the damaged and layup repair patches on the forms, then stick the two halves back together?

Hard to say. You have any pictures?

Posted 1 year ago #
ZeroTheHero
Member

if it is epoxy use West and follow the directons to a T. Go on youtube and check out the vids too. Shape is easy if you aren't too flustered about a little extra weight. But if weight and shape are really important it will be more complicated. Using the newer boat as a mold can be done but be careful not to mess up the new boat in the process. Good luck.

Posted 1 year ago #

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