Re: Glass on deck?

Posted by LeeG on Apr 13, 2005

whatever you want. Adding glass will make the deck more ding resistant where tiny cracks open up the seal coat of epoxy introducing waterstaining. Between a minimal seal coats and minimal UV protection, all the way up to 6oz deck glass with three thick fill coats with five coats of varnish could be two pounds difference. With 4oz glass, two fill coats and five coats of varnish you might be in the middle adding a pound (over no protection). So if it rarely gets paddled and stored inside you could get away with minimal protection,,thin seal coats and varnish/paint,,but if you used it hard one summer it'll age a LOT and look it. If you used 4oz deck glass with adequate fill coats and varnish it'll last a long time. If you expect lots of hard use with rescues where other boats are dragged across your lap or your kayak is dragged across other kayaks then 6oz glass on the deck and coaming make sense. That's why you'll hear a range of responses from "i've had mine ten years without deck glass and it looks great" or "I'm thinking of re-glassing mine as it's been a couple years and it's easier to glass the deck than build a new kayak". It's just like production boats,,there are 30lb carbon 19' racing kayaks,,and 65lb 16' British touring kayaks. Both built for an intended use. So what's your intended use?

In Response to: Glass on deck? by Wes on Apr 13, 2005

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