: I spoke with West's tech people a couple of weeks ago about and the
: maximum they recommend is 1 tsp graphite (423 additive) and
: 1/2-3/4 silica (406 additive) per pump of resin/hardener in
: 105/207. Any more will weaken the epoxy. I didn't ask about
: 105/205 or other brands.

: Not for Bill- but for others- it IS messy, but so is sanding wood.
: Graphite additive is the same stuff as pencil leads, so it's
: like sanding a pencil lead. If you sand by hand with a long
: board (like me) keep your vacuum handy and vacuum every few
: minutes. If you use a ROS, you really need to use dust
: collection setup of some kind. You can't let the dust build up.
: You'll get it on your hands/gloves, clothes, and you'll spread
: it all over your kayak, and if you've sanded the fill coats it
: will get caught in the sanding scratches. I have found that no
: amount of cleaning or sanding will get it off, so I used a high
: quality plastic eraser. Comes up just like a pencil.

: I have heard from someone whose boat I've never seen that he drags
: it across parking lots like a plastic boat with no ill effects.

: m

I've never tried dragging it across a parking lot, but I wouldn't do that with a poly boat either. I have though dragged my glass boat with the graphite bottom across rocks, gravel and lots of sand trying to wear the finish off, not happened yet in 4 years of trying.

You don't have to sand the finish btw, mine wasn't sanded and while it's not a perfect finish it doesn't slow the boat down either, was just rolled on and left with that finish.

Bill H.