Hmmm, perhaps I wasn't clear enough.  These flakes are more than surface blemishes.  It's hard to tell from the picture but they go all the way down thru the clearcoat? epoxy? or whatever to the carbon fibers on the boat.  They are deep fractures.  It looks as if the entire patch is in grave danger of flaking away all the way down to carbon fibers.  That's my concern.  

I don't really care all that much about the cosmetic appeal.  This boat is going to get scratched up on the bottom after a single Q trip.

The owner either doesn't know or doesn't want to say what caused this to happen.  Looks to me like that end of the canoe might have been dropped during extreme cold...except there's no hint of damage anywhere along the stem anywhere.  Blunt force trauma to the side of the bow?  But then why is it on both sides?

Prouboy, your suggestion is a good one.  I will email Northwest Canoe and Bell both and see what they have to say.  Who knows, it may already be too late as I know this guy had other showings of the boat tonight.  Nevertheless, if I can convince myself the damage is repairable and/or not a hazard to the long-term structural integrity of the canoe, I'll grab it if it's still unsold.  I've never seen a used kevlar or carbon canoe in such immaculate condition other than these annoying patches.