Dynel/Fiberglass

Has anyone used Dynel or Xynole  fabric to cover boat bottoms?  Both are said to have greater resistance to abrasion than common Fiberglass.  Having used Dynel on a few canoes and boats I was impressed with the tight weave( like the wifes Egyptian cotton sheets)  and the way it easily conforms to compound curves  and easy wet out with epoxy.  One downside is the amount of epoxy to soak the fabric and get a good smoth surface.

I ordered a few yards from Defender for the bottom and garboard on the Peapod.  The stuff was not even close to the scraps of fabric left over from previous builds.  The weave was very open- almost like heavy duty mosquito netting.  To compensate  for this "cheeze cloth",the first layer was with 10 oz FG and then overlain with the Dynel. 

I plan to  send samples of each back to Defender and see what they say.  Having finished this rant, I will do some varnishing  to calm down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by mlwebb on May 15, 2011 at 9:19am

I researched Dynel or Xynole when I was building my boat, and thought it interesting, but with some drawbacks - doesn't strengthen the panel like fg, could be a bear to repair. I went with a tight weave fiberglass (style 7781), plus Coat-It.

Michael

Permalink Reply by Don Hanson on May 15, 2011 at 2:43pm

  I tried Dynel on a boat once.  It is tough to use with Epoxy.  It doesn't wet out well and tends to float up in an epoxy layup.  The options may be out there that would be easier to work.  I don't recall the exact fabric weight and weave I used.  It was fairly light and tight.  I used West epoxy.  Perhaps with a product like Coremat or Vale (sp?)  in the lay up it might work better, or with a vacuum bag lay up. 

Don Hanson

Permalink Reply by Eric Loudenslager on May 15, 2011 at 4:00pm

A friend of mine built (or had built) a Blue Hole OCA using Dynel and vinylester (sic?) resin.  Vacuum bag layup from a mold taken from an OCA.  That canoe is now about 35 years old and still going strong - I think on the third set of gunnels.  It has been danced down most of the class III + rivers in both the east and west.  It looks terrible and has been repaired many times.  Never wrapped!

 

At least in that type of application dynel is performing better than fiberglass or kevlar.  I don't know anyone using those materials in a white water canoe.  I've thought about using it as the outer layer for S&G bottoms - thinking that it may resist chine damage better than fiberglass.

Permalink Reply by chris towles on May 17, 2011 at 8:36pm
Dynel has been used in the kayaking world for many years with great success. Most modern fiberglass kayaks designed for whitewater use dynel at the tips because it is the highest wear spot on the boat. My fiberglass squirt boats have had the tips smashed into rocks thousands of times. They get worn but the dynel wears slower than any other composite out there including Kevlar. If you look at Alot of the high end paddles out there including AT and Werner, they use dynel around the edges of the blade. Same goes for all wood kayak paddles. In high wear areas it is the best material bar none.

However, it certainly has it limitations too. Soaks a ton of resin. Doesn't add strength . So for a bottom I think it's not the best material. The "wear" from rocks on a glass bottom is not usually a big problem you need to worry about. You need something that can bear the load of a big impact from a rock, and that is composites. Many flavors available all with their own set of strengths and weaknesses.

I think dynel Definatly has it's place in boat building. On high wear areas like glassed Chines on a s&g boat it could be great outside layer in a Chine layup. Could also make for great stem protection, or transom reinforcement for areas that might see anchor wear. But its best qualities are wear resistance, so use it in areas of high wear prevention as an outside layer only.
Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on May 18, 2011 at 5:40am
Chris:  Good to hear of your knowledge of Dynel.  The reason for using it on the bottoms is for wear- not strength.  When  we have a bad storm approaching I pull the boats off the moorings and drag them up the beach with a truck to get them well above high tide.  I also used it on the tips of handmade oar blades- the grandkids use them for push poles fending off barnicle covered boulders here on Cape Cod

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