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| kayak hull repairable? http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=70183 |
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| Author: | hiltxan [ Mon Aug 15, 2022 5:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | kayak hull repairable? |
Hi, I have a hobie mirage tandem. It’s about 12 years old and developed a crack after my last use. See pic for details. Do you think it’s repairable with a plastic welder? What would you recommend? https://imgur.com/a/9DeFzyC |
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| Author: | plfinch [ Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: kayak hull repairable? |
Many would say that is not repairable but it I think it is is worth attempting. I have successfully done several under-the-waterline crack repairs but none quite this large. Look for my post in this thread for detailed repair steps: https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=69923 Peter |
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| Author: | jclarkdawe [ Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: kayak hull repairable? |
I usually work with fiberglass and don't know a lot about plastic. But my initial thought is wanting to know what happened. This looks like a collision with a somewhat pointy object that pushed the hull in. Question is what sort of force caused the hull to puncture. If this was a slight bump and the hull popped, I'd be nervous of the remaining hull. (Plastic breaks down in the sun, although I don't know at what rate. But sun damage causing other damage can be very difficult to fix as large areas of the boat may be effected.) Second question is if you apply some heat to it, can you bend it back into a position where it is approximately flush with the rest of the hull. If the plastic wants to curl back from the hull, any repair you make is going to be under pressure and probably won't last. If you can get the plastic so that there is no pressure on it, your chances of repair are a lot better. I'd be looking at a backing plate for this repair. It seems large enough to warrant an extra level of protection. Jim Clark-Dawe |
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| Author: | hiltxan [ Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: kayak hull repairable? |
I don't particularly remember hitting anything hard or sharp that day when I took the kayak out. I mainly use it for sea urchin picking along the California coast and store it mainly in the shaded area of the house. I'll probably still attempt to repair it. First with plastic weld and then something like a gator patch (https://www.amazon.com/Gator-Patch-GP91 ... 148&sr=8-2) If I can, i'll try to put a back plate on it too. I don't think there's any downside to even trying.... |
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| Author: | plfinch [ Mon Aug 22, 2022 4:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: kayak hull repairable? |
As I mention in the referenced post you'll want to drill a small hole at each end of the crack to terminate it. If the cracked part won't stay in place when pushed back, have a friend hold it in place while you drill a small hole at the point in the middle of the crack where it turns. Now you can insert a small screw and nut with a couple fender washers to hold everything in place while you weld the ends of the crack. When cool, remove the screw bits and finish welding the middle section. if you are going to use any kind of adhesive to patch the inside of the hull, first rough the surface up with fine-grit sandpaper and clean good with alcohol. Peter |
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