Epoxy v ice

[rusty69]

I hear the familiar sounds of the ice creaking against the hull this morning and I can't help but wonder what damage it might do my lovely new epoxy when we start moving inside the boat.

 

The boat will obviously rock from side to side, but will the smooth face of the ice gently kiss the outside of the hull leaving the epoxy undamaged as it rubs up and down? Or will it form a sharp edge, thus cutting into my rather expensive investment?

 

Should I leap out of bed as I have in past years and break the ice with a scaffold pole? 

 

Answers before 8AM please, as that's when I'm getting up. 

 

[nicknorman]

No it won’t damage the epoxy - if it’s been applied correctly. The only time our epoxy had an issue was when we indulged in a couple of days cruising through fairly thick ice, and then the damage was confined to a small area at the bow where the ice was parted.

[LadyG]

27 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I hear the familiar sounds of the ice creaking against the hull this morning and I can't help but wonder what damage it might do my lovely new epoxy when we start moving inside the boat.

 

The boat will obviously rock from side to side, but will the smooth face of the ice gently kiss the outside of the hull leaving the epoxy undamaged as it rubs up and down? Or will it form a sharp edge, thus cutting into my rather expensive investment?

 

Should I leap out of bed as I have in past years and break the ice with a scaffold pole? 

 

Answers before 8AM please, as that's when I'm getting up. 

 

Invest in a gross of tennis balls and string them round the hull at waterline height. I've never tried it, as I have other things to do!

[Midnight]

I cruised fron Skipton toLeeds in 2011 breaking ice all the way. It didn't even scratch the epoxy

[agg221]

Rather later than the requested 8am, but our experience is the same - we took Oates through a couple of miles of 4” thick ice last year with no issues on the epoxy - less effect than rubbing on a lock wall.

 

Alec

[Tracy D'arth]

Breaking ice will prove if the epoxy was applied correctly. If not, it will flake off.

 

Just being frozen in is no problem.

[Victor Vectis]

I was taking our boat home from being two packed when I thought I'd better contact our GP's surgery about something I'd ignored for a couple of weeks. They said I was displaying 'red flag' symptoms and needed to be seen to asap.

I was at Long Itchington at the time and reckoned I needed to get to somewhere with shops, public transport, hospitals etc.

The canal had frozen overnight so I was ice breaking all the way the Leamington Spa. The ice made opening some lock gates and getting off lock landings difficult, I was single handing.

On the way a head popped out of a moored boat to shout "Don't you know that damages your boat. And slow down!" Slow down? I was creeping past at tickover!

Further along another someone else climed out of their boat to see what was happening. I thought, 'Oh no. Another Mr Shouty' But he just looked and said "Sometimes you've got to move, haven't you". Nice man.

 

Anyway, the point of all this is that despite my being worried about the brand new epoxy blacking the ice didn't damage it.

 

So, to the OP, don't worry and enjoy watching the ducks skating about.

 

(And, my thanks to the staff at Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry. God bless the NHS!)

[Ewan123]

6 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

I was taking our boat home from being two packed when I thought I'd better contact our GP's surgery about something I'd ignored for a couple of weeks. They said I was displaying 'red flag' symptoms and needed to be seen to asap.

I was at Long Itchington at the time and reckoned I needed to get to somewhere with shops, public transport, hospitals etc.

The canal had frozen overnight so I was ice breaking all the way the Leamington Spa. The ice made opening some lock gates and getting off lock landings difficult, I was single handing.

On the way a head popped out of a moored boat to shout "Don't you know that damages your boat. And slow down!" Slow down? I was creeping past at tickover!

Further along another someone else climed out of their boat to see what was happening. I thought, 'Oh no. Another Mr Shouty' But he just looked and said "Sometimes you've got to move, haven't you". Nice man.

 

Anyway, the point of all this is that despite my being worried about the brand new epoxy blacking the ice didn't damage it.

 

So, to the OP, don't worry and enjoy watching the ducks skating about.

 

(And, my thanks to the staff at Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry. God bless the NHS!)

When we've been frozen in before and a boat is cruising past through the ice, I've at least stuck my face to the window if not opened the duck hatch to poke my head out. There's just something really fun about watching a boat ice-breaking and I love the tinkling sounds! The heavy thuds on the hull can sound alarming, but I usually enjoy them in much the same way as I do listening to thunder.

[matty40s]

I had Comastic previously,  did a lot of ice breaking in 2009-11...and it didnt affect it. I now have Dacrylate epidac 16 2 pack , it also seems unaffected by ice breaking (nothing better than a winter cruise on a sparkling frosty day!!.)

[Foggy66]

4 hours ago, matty40s said:

I had Comastic previously,  did a lot of ice breaking in 2009-11...and it didnt affect it. I now have Dacrylate epidac 16 2 pack , it also seems unaffected by ice breaking (nothing better than a winter cruise on a sparkling frosty day!!.)

Our boat was coated in the same and prove to be pretty bullet proof. Several miles of ice breaking on different occasions didn’t leave a mark.

It’s since been re-coated twice with different epoxy products none of which have been as good, although having said that I wouldn’t hesitate to go ice breaking with any epoxy coating assuming its been applied correctly.

[blackrose]

14 hours ago, LadyG said:

Invest in a gross of tennis balls and string them round the hull at waterline height. I've never tried it, as I have other things to do!

 

I take back what I said recently on another thread about your posts becoming more sensible.

[Mike Todd]

13 hours ago, Foggy66 said:

Our boat was coated in the same and prove to be pretty bullet proof. Several miles of ice breaking on different occasions didn’t leave a mark.

It’s since been re-coated twice with different epoxy products none of which have been as good, although having said that I wouldn’t hesitate to go ice breaking with any epoxy coating assuming its been applied correctly.

Perhaps it depends on where you were boating: were you down south in softie-land or perhaps up norf where even the ice is much harder!

[matty40s]

31 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

Perhaps it depends on where you were boating: were you down south in softie-land or perhaps up norf where even the ice is much harder!

In 2009 and 2010 it was pretty hard everywhere!! 

[magnetman]

I'll always remember Ernie Kendall steering the restaurant Bracken from Braun St On to a winding hole near Wigrams, loads of people having a meal and 3/4 inch or more thick ice everywhere. 

 

Crunch crunch crunch that must have been a fun lunch. 

 

1994/5. It was brilliant to watch and a rare and authentic dining experience I imagine.