I just bought a used solo canoe - a Mad River Guide - for use in the rivers around home.  It's seen some use, and in addition to needing skid plates (this weekend's project) it also has some areas where the outer vinyl has been worn (scuffed along rocks in whitewater) to the point where the underlying layers are exposed.  I know the green vinyl is what protects the ABS from UV degradation, so I've done some google searching on painting royalex.  I've seen some ideas on other forums, but was wondering if anyone here has any direct experience with painting a royalex canoe.  

I've read that Rustoleum and Krylon have paints that work well for plastic, anyone use them?  

Any tips on making it work?

thanks in advance

I've had my Old Town Pathfinder for over thirty years. I have periodically bought paint from Old Town to clean it up and cover my scratches. I got like a vinyl paint from them in spray cans. A little pricey, but I thought it was worth it.

I think you'd want to fill the deep gouges first.  Then paint.  Then skid plates.   :question

For paint I'd call Mad River.  Their website appears to be a decent place to start, some good info there.

I've seen the "Royalex Paint" advertised by the canoe manufacturers.  It runs north of $20 per 12 ounce can.  Seems pretty steep, but it supposedly works.  But if others have tried some of the Krylon or Rustoleum paints made for plastics, and it has worked, I'd like to hear it.  thanks.

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I called the number and asked.  Got some great info.  Any Krylon will do.  A flat laquer is best according to the guy on the phone.  He didn't even try to sell me anything.  Actually mentioned they took the official Royalex paint off the shelves because it wasn't moving and spoiled in the can.

Amazing what can done with a telephone.   :D

Thanks Preacher.  I guess I'm just too cynical, assuming they'd tell me that anything other than Mad River-approved-royalex paint at $22/can would somehow melt the canoe and cause all sorts of environmental problems.

Now, I also have an issue with my Maytag washing machine - maybe you could call them as well?  ;)

I'm in an identical situation, except it's an OLD Dagger Caper.  It has met lots of rocks.  Gouges, dings, cuts, scrapes.  I was going to fill, paint, and skid.  I've only got as far as putting it on sawhorses.  So, pghportager, please pass along anything you learn as you progress.  There's tons and tons of stuff on the internet on the topic; seems like anyone and everyone has his own opinions on what to use and how to proceed.  If I could find 3 sites that agree, based on experience and not theory, using different verbiage so it's obvious they're not just copying each other, then I would go with that as a good consensus.

Will do Mtn paddler.  So far, all I've done is work out two nice dents in the bow with a heat gun.  No problems there.  Just warmed them up slowly inside and out and pushed a little with a rounded dowel rod.  

One thing I've seen many conflicting opinions on in my research is the use of denatured alcohol vs. acetone for the skid plate installation.  The place i bought the kit from said to use acetone in the directions, other sites have said to use alcohol and never acetone as it can melt the vinyl.  Then additional research points me back to the use of acetone as it softens the vinyl to accept better adhesion with the resin.  I plan to use acetone - sparingly.

fyi - i bought the skid plate kit from Northwest Canoe -   (You need to Login or Register
Got the Tandem/Universal kit which comes with urethane resin instead of epoxy for royalex hulls.  Best price for a complete kit that I could find.

The skid plate kit should be here tomorrow, so it'll be a deep cleansing and installation of those this weekend.  Following weekend will be a repaint job.  As long as the weather cooperates anyways.  I'll post progress reports, maybe even pics if I remember to take them.

good luck

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legos might work for ya, unless you really want to paint your boat


you can likely find a couple of dozen threads on royalex repair on cboats

Neat trick!!  I have a sudden urge to put a Lego Star Wars Darth Vader character in a pool of acetone and watch the horror!

pghportager wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2011 at 8:18pm:

Now, I also have an issue with my Maytag washing machine - maybe you could call them as well?  ;)

Tried.  When someone finally answered all I could hear was snoring.   :D

Love the Legos tip, awesome!

Finally installed the skid plates.  Post is here   (You need to Login or Register