Suggestions for protecting WD12 bottom

I've only had my WD12 out a few times and already I've managed to ding the bottom pretty well.  Most shores here in Puget Sound are rocky.  What can I do to better protect the bottom?


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RE: Suggestions for protecting WD12 bottom

What have you already done?

Rocks, especially big rocks, are tough to protect against. For rocks I've had best success with extra fiberglass. My go to is:

1. a single layer of 6-oz glass on the outside for abrasion resistance,

2. a layer of 4-oz glass over the entire inside of the bottom for impact resistance and

3. a 50:50 by volume layer of epoxy/graphite on the outside for slipperiness to discourage rocks from getting a purchase with sharp edges.

Glass on the inside helps with impact resistance because it resists the tension caused by a rock trying to poke through. It helps hold the wood fibers in place instead of letting them spread and open up. Epoxy/graphite is a lot easier to touch up than paint when scratched.

Laszlo

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