First Build...Planning to Build Kevlar Canoe

I would like to build a kevlar canoe for taking to the boundary waters and also to fill some time this winter with my kids.

I've ordered Moran's book, but am wondering if there are more recent resources that would help me plan and get started.

Would also appreciate any suggestions on getting started. I built a wood fired brick oven in my backyard and was a part of a forum for that project. It was very helpful and am looking forward to seeing how this forum could help as well. Thank you in advance!

 

welcome to the forum,

there are lots here with excellent experiance that will help. I have built a number of canoes and kayaks, only used fiberglass twice. So there are others that can likely be of more help that me, I do not care for fiberglass at all.

Tell us about what you are planning to build, size, payload, etc. why kevlar? what construction method? strip?

 

thank you!

3-4 person, around 19-20', kevlar for portaging. don't know about construction method yet. just skimmed through Moran's book tonight.

 

If your going to use Kevlar use a decent resin, no point using a $100 fabric with $2 resin, the resin will explode long before the fabric reaches it's potential, vinyl ester minimal but epoxy would be optimal. Be aware that kevlar is hydroscopic, a ***** to cut, a ***** to wet out and is a ***** to repair as when scuffed it fluffs up like steel wool.
Peel ply helps a lot when laminating but watch out for the kevlar trying to float on the resin. A bristle type roller helps wet out the fibres.
To repair you have to wet and dry sand to avoid the fluffing then dry out before applying a repair.