Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech
By:Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks
Date: 6/8/2009, 12:11 pm

: I’ve used the graphite and epoxy on a couple of boats – fast Multihull
: sailing boats. Its jet black and wets sands nicely. It damaged it’s an
: easy match – black and black. But its coefficient of friction is not
: reduced. I did tests, actually stiction comparisons and it was not more
: slippery than any surface finished to the same degree of smoothness. The
: most slippery surface had a coating of Lemon Pledge spray wax on it, but
: immersed such as on a boat bottom it does not last long. Main advantage is
: ease to sand smooth, repair and looks fast. Danger for kayaks is it gets
: very hot with black surface exposed to direct sun.

Note that he was answering the question: "Does graphite reduce hull friction through the water." he is not addressing the question: "Does graphite reduce damage caused by dragging over rocks."

They are two different questions and may well have different answers. Personally, I have never believed that graphite made any difference in performance on the water.

Their website http://www.westsystem.com/ss/additive-selection-guide/ says about graphite powder: "Low-Friction – Apply as a tough, low-friction coating, or as a bearing surface when thickened with fillers."

Messages In This Thread

Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech support
Jay Babina -- 6/8/2009, 11:16 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech
Robert N Pruden -- 6/8/2009, 12:28 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech
Bill Hamm -- 6/8/2009, 8:27 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech
LeeG -- 6/8/2009, 1:11 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech
Robert N Pruden -- 6/8/2009, 1:42 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy/graphite response from WEST Tech
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 6/8/2009, 12:11 pm