WOT: Dad's kevlar canoe major repair/rebuild, Any kevlar repair guru's? A few questions Options

[Mark Henry]

Over the winter I'd like to repair my dad's canoe. I know it looks bad, but the main skin is kevlar, the woodwork is cedar and fairly simple, plus there is enough bits to copy. I have the tools, my trade is cabinetmaking. Only thing missing to copy is the yoke, but the old one sucked anyways

The kevlar repairs will be the only thing hard-ish to do and this is where the question comes in....
Can I cut this in half and add 3 feet to the center?

It's a 15-1/2' canoe and it's looking like I need a 3 person canoe. If the wife was into it I'd get another canoe, but if it's just me and the 2 kids I'd rather have just one canoe. Most 3 person canoes are 18-19 feet.

Any tips would be welcome (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[balljoint]

You have your less than and greater than signs reversed.

My fibreglass canoe is an easy carry and will hold 1000 lbs. It only has two seats but...

[Mark Henry]

You have your less than and greater than signs reversed.

My fibreglass canoe is an easy carry and will hold 1000 lbs. It only has two seats but...

Nope, new this canoe weighed in at 48lbs, I remember the builder saying it and we weighed it on bathroom scales.

I'm just going to repair it. You cut out the bad area and make several patches, each increases in size a bit. Sandblasting the patch area is the best prep for the Kevlar then I'll use West system epoxy. When totally done I'll epoxy paint it.
The forms for steam bending the ribs could be used for a cedar strip if I ever decide to make a 18 foot.

A new kevlar canoe is about $3K and I'm figuring >$300 (that's less than, right?), so definitely worth it.

As far as weight goes, Dave you've met me, my daughter is 14 and almost 6 foot and the boy is 12yrs, 130 lbs, 5'-6" and has grown an inch this summer alone. In a couple more years I bet people alone will be <600lbs in that canoe.