What is the life expectancy of a kevlar canoe? A kevlight? Should they last forever if taken care of with proper maintenence and storage?
Not looking for "It last until you hit a rock". Just talking about the canoe itself. Let's say it is used - 40 days a year, tripping and day trips. Never hits a rock or gets dropped hard on the ground. You know, it's babied.
Any ideas? Now I do have a 20 year old kevlar solo that is in serviceable shape. It doesn't look all that pretty but it floats. So I supposed with newer kevlar, say less than three years old it should last a good many years right?
Thoughts and input appreciated.
Thanks

I have a 22 year old Wenonah that looks like crap. But I turned it into crap ten days after its birth.

If I were to buy a new Kevlar canoe today it should outlive me.

The old Wenonah is just fine.

Longer than you.

Protect it from UV and it will outlive you.
A twice a year coat of 303 inside & out and the hull will never oxidize.

Kevlar boats should not oxidize. The Wenonah skin coat does not. At least mine did not in the three years it was outside. Gel coats do oxidize.

I would never never 303 the inside unless you only canoe once a year and wipe it down months ahead. Its darn slippery stuff in there.

Jeff, I'm kinda prejudice. I have seen Souris River canoes come back from the dead and look like brand new again. I'm not saying they are going to last forever structurally but they do look pretty again. I think that the kevlar will last for dam near forever. All the manufactures I'm sure use a high quality Kevlar. It's the resin that makes the difference. When you apply 303 on your canoe it's not protecting the kevlar it is cleaning and treating the resin. At the risk of sounding like Joe from Red Rock I do believe that epoxy resin has better and longer lasting properties. Sun is the enemy.
Anyway keep it out of the sun when stored and if you cover it make sure it is has space to breath between the canoe and cover. Do like the other posts say and use 303 couple times a year.

With all the canoes in your fleet I'm pretty sure you're set for life Bro. To answer your question we'll be dead before the canoes are laid to rest, if taken care of properly.

Paddle on

JB

I sold my Kevlar Wenonah after 25 yrs of hard use for almost what I paid for it. It was used in the Boundary waters on the Bois Brule, St Croix, Namakagan and many other rivers and areas.

I store my winona kevlar under the shade of trees and after 5 years it is still the new color. Now scratches are another thing......

I would tend to agree with the other posts here. Especially after some of the "project" boats that have been displayed on the site.
With proper care and maintenance, I don't see why a boat wouldn't last a lifetime.

Thank-you all for the information.
As i wrote in another thread, I did take the splurge and spend the money to buy the used Northwoods. It was well taken care of and rented little by the outfitter. It is in pretty good shape and I intend to keep it that way so that it does indeed last the rest of my lifetime and then some.
Thanks again for your input!

jeff.. i'll take that solo off your hands...kinda hard to fit your lady and son in a little solo!

quote mocha: "jeff.. i'll take that solo off your hands...kinda hard to fit your lady and son in a little solo!"

Ah...yes, but how do I get away from them then?

hmmm... you CAN paddle solo in a tandem...