crack in plastic boat

[Remko]

If you have a crack in your thick plastic canoe. I'm not talking about glassfibre here but the real deal that was used to make boats twenty years ago and is still used for whitewater boats.
The crack is hard to reach and the duct tape keeps coming off. Does anyone have experience with repairing plastic boats (did one ever break before) and did you find a miracle cure?

[mrkeeg]

I have no experience... but I have heard that you can use 2-part epoxy putty.
Another option is to take it to a shop that does plastic welding.

Keegan

[KeithWraight]

There are a few DIY options:

1. If you can reach the crack with a knife and a heat gun. Make the crack into a V shape (preferrably on the inside) and then melting in the surrounding plastic with a knife and the hot gun. If you get the temperature right it will work really well - if not the plastic will bubble and burn.

2. As above make the crack into a v shape and melt in some other plastic. Ideally from a boat of the same age but you could use any plastic - the older the better.

3. Seal the outside of the crack and fill it with 2 part epoxy resin.

4. Sell the boat.


Have fun

If you have a crack in your thick plastic canoe. I'm not talking about glassfibre here but the real deal that was used to make boats twenty years ago and is still used for whitewater boats.
The crack is hard to reach and the duct tape keeps coming off. Does anyone have experience with repairing plastic boats (did one ever break before) and did you find a miracle cure?

[Jo Dovey]

I have seen an old school Bandit that was taken to a panel beater, who welded it up. Seemed to work OK but the boat has since been retired from general abuse! Not sure what sort of milk bottles you guys use but have heard of people melting NZ ones into boat holes... sounds messy.

Hope that helps! :)

[richk]

You can olso use a soldering iron to melt the plastic, and an old plastic chopping board if you need more plastic to fill any holes.

[Juno]

You can usually cut a stick of excess plastic from the inside of the cocpit rim, that way you know you have the same time of plastic. V out the crack as below heat the boat and plasic stick as you put the stick to the boat twist it so you pull the boat plastic and the stick plastic together. Takes a little bit of skill but you end up with a strongger repair.

[michielv]

If you have a crack in your thick plastic canoe. I'm not talking about glassfibre here but the real deal that was used to make boats twenty years ago and is still used for whitewater boats.
The crack is hard to reach and the duct tape keeps coming off. Does anyone have experience with repairing plastic boats (did one ever break before) and did you find a miracle cure?

Remko, I take it this is about the plastic Natsec boats?

Last year I fixed my old perception whiplash (before giving it away to a young kayak surfer in need for a boat) which had a crack in the hull. Worked like a charm and cost me about 2 euro's (including the coffee ;) ).

What I did was this: I made an aluminium plate (thin), cut to size, and drilled some holes through both the plate and the boat. Next, I took a piece of neoprene (use any type of rubber, for instance the inner tire of a bike is good too) and cut it to size with holes in the correct places. I mounted the plate on the hull (inside!) by taking small woodscrews and screwing the whole lot (rubber/neoprene between the hull and alu plate) together. Next, take a saw blade and cut down the extending screws. Us a file to smoothen it. Use a piece of ducttape over the alu plate if you could possibly damage/cut yourself.

Basically what you do is apply a washer over the hole. Works fine, is very easy to do, the alu plate can be bent to follow the lines of the boat. Not sure how impact-resistant it will be but there's only one way to find out :D

In case you need any help: you've got my phone number :wavey:

[RABO]

Hi

I think if you have a problem with a boat like this, ask the specialist.
Try to ask Mr. Jürgen Prijon in Rosenheim, Germany
WWW.prijon-shop.com (http://www.prijon-shop.com)
He and his Father hav e lot of experience with PE boats.
(Lettmann also)

:wavey: regards:wavey:

rabo