When to install canoe skid plates?

When the stems of your canoe show wear from scraping over shoals and shallows, extend its life by applying Kevlar skid plates. If a Royalex canoe, with a vinyl-ABS-foam hull, it's time for skids plates when the lighter colored ABS material, or foam core, shows. If a Kevlar, fiberglass or high-tech composite hull, exposed fabric on the bow or stern means it's time.

Adding our skid plates will extend the life of your canoe while having a minimal effect on weight and performance.   

Canoe shape, condition and hull material vary from canoe to canoe. So why settle for a one size fits all solution for canoe skid plates when they are needed? 

How much area do you need to cover?

If you have a proven boulder basher with a broad entry, showing a lot of skin damage, look to the largest Kevlar felt we offer. The Livery Tough Canoe Skid Plate Kit contains a felt that is 44 inch x 7 inch tapering to 2 inches where it meets the waterline.  Now if you have a Magic, Prism or any other solo canoe, the Livery Tough felt will look like a horse blanket on an Italian Greyhound.

For the sleeker tandems and most solo canoes, our Solo/Composite Skid Plate Kit will give you finer entry lines while offering the protection you need. The sleek 32 inch x 3 inch Kevlar felt covers typical wear areas you normally see on these fine entry canoes.

For most other tandem canoes and some wider-nosed Royalex solo's, use our Tandem/Universal Skid Plate Kit. This is our most popular Skid Plate Kit which offers a 38 inch x 5 inch wide felt.

The resin systems in our kits are tailored towards the size of felt and can be used on all ABS and composite hull materials.

Our canoe skid plate kits will work on ABS or composite kayaks also but you may want to trim the felts into a different shape to make it more aesthetically pleasing.