Hi Mac, yes, I\'d definitely agree with that advice. I use gelcoat to do repairs which can be virtually invisible if done carefully and doesn\'t go grey like the filler. However, the filler is easily available.
White is standard (RAL 9016) but it\'s much more difficult to get matching gelcoat for other colours. There are a huge range of blues, reds and yellows. If you\'re going for a hull colour other than white, try to get a tub of gelcoat from the manufacturer when you buy the boat. Sea Kayaking UK (Nigel Dennis) now provide this as standard with their new boats. They have a good feature on their website to allow you to visualise the colours. Go to
www.seakayakinguk.com, then \'The Kayaks\', then \'Colour Chooser\'.
Martin is right, you have to live with the colour!
He\'s also right that you come to ignore the scratches. However, it\'s really important that you repair if the damage goes through the gelcoat to the fibreglass or kevlar.
In general, dark colours show scratches more that light. Some reds fade like crazy.
If you have the dosh, keep your plastic as well - there\'s a great freedom in rock hopping.
Des Keaney
