2011 revolution drive well

My Revolution finally developed the crack/leak in front portion of the drive well, I will attempt to repair with AA-3035.
My question concerns the bronze insert under the white plastic button just forward of the well on the bottom, can this be removed for resealing?

I would not remove the brass part.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Thanks Matt

My local certified dealer said there wasn't much they could do.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@ ... ed-public/


They suggested I try a little epoxy, so I sourced some AA3035, some G-Flex 650, 1/8 sheet HDPE and some fine weave fiberglass cloth.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@N07/51305109241/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@N07/51304314677/in/dateposted-public/

I started off by cutting the HDPE to a likely shape and using the AA3035 to bond it to the outside.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@ ... ed-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@ ... ed-public/

On the inside I used the G-Flex to laminate some fiberglass cloth to the hull just forward of the well. I then used some G-Flex thickened with wood flour and fumed silica to reinforce the area just above the crack ( brown area in photo)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@ ... ed-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32491824@ ... ed-public/

I sanded, flame treated, and alcohol wiped the G-Flex areas, but only used an alcohol wipe on the AA3035 bond.
The G-flex was $26 and the AA3035 was $46, so this is not an inexpensive experiment.

Hopefully next summer I can report the repair has held up.

I can report that after a 24 hr cure time, the hull will hold water.

About 10 hours on repair, 8 in protected water, 2 out in the bay. Repair seems to be holding, no water leaking in at drive well.

My season is just about over, repair is holding up well. I have also changed from turbo to st fins, so hull stresses are likely less.



I'm in the northeast, temperature will start dropping soon, we'll see if the loc-tite and G-flex can handle the expansion contraction cycles.

A full season on this repair, it seems the AA3035 is doing a fine job, the HPDE bond to the outside of the hull is strong and watertite.

The G-flex did not stay bonded to the inside.

I know it's been a couple years, but if you're still on the forum can you let me know if the repair is still holding? I've struggled for some time with cracks in these ~2010 Hobie Kayaks (both an Outback and an Adventure) and haven't had anything that lasted more than a few months.

Reading your post sounds like the AA3035 compound with a shaped piece of HDPE is the way to go? And don't bother trying to patch the inside?

One conclusion I've reached -- you should never use Turbo fins on these boats. The stress is just too much on the drive well -- maybe that's changed with later models.