Fix a crack

[Pate]

One of my loaner canoes is an old Colman ram x. It has about a 4" crack in the middle center of the boat. When someone needs to use it I just put Gorilla tape on it and that works great till they hit a rock or gravel. Any ideas on a more permanent fix?
Thanks!

[BEubanks]

Is the crack on the flat part of the hull or in the keel?

Years ago I contacted Coleman about fixing a hole worn through the stern. They sent some of the plastic and some glue. They might have a patch kit or recommendations for best fix.

I try not to paddle it much, but still have my Coleman bought in summer of 1977, the first year they came out, I think.

[Jim Krueger]

I have also had some experience paddling these old Coleman Canoes. There are some more modern epoxy fixes for the hull which should take care the crack easily. These canoes relied on an aluminum tube inner structure to keep the form of the boat, especially down the inside of the boat down the whole center line . This arrangement was pretty good except when gravel or other debris got under the tube and just worked- away at the inside of the hull, and rocks working at it from the outside at the same time. When you patch the hull, I would also clean under that support and maybe even pad it some. These canoes have a keel on the bottom of the boat from stem to stern and from those I've seen, take the worst wear right under the area beneath the front or back seat.

Jim

[Pate]

The crack is in the center right on the keel under the aluminum tubing