A great open boat jedi-master named Oci-One Kanubi recently GAVE me a Dagger Phantom. The bottom and under the knees is pretty soft, but otherwise it is a great boat with good outfitting. Oci-One had covered the entire bottom with a thin sheet of clear plastic, but it was peeling off after my first run in the boat. So now I want to put some fresh ABS on the bottom but I would like to make it stiffer first. I have had good luck injecting Gorilla glue into cracks where the hull is already compromised and water has gotten into the foam. That does not appear to be the case with this boat since there are no cracks, just three voids where the Royalex has delaminated. I have also had good luck using two-part Locktite Marine Epoxy to fill in voids. So the questions:
Gorilla glue or Locktite Marine?
Will I be making a big mistake if I drill a small hole into the void to pump the glue in there? I would like to do this from the inside of the hull but the outfitting is covering where I would need to drill. I could also cut a very small slit in the outer layer of the outside of the hull to inject the glue, but I might regret it. Someone once told me never to do that. The other alternative is to paddle it until I tear a hole in the hull, then inject the glue, but that could end up being a big tear.
Appreciate any advice from other open boaters who have done similar repairs.
Question about filling voids in delaminated Royalex hulls.
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boatbuster
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Here's the $10.00 trick ! (all my royalex repairs are done that way on 6 of my boats).
Cut little pieces of ABS pipe (black plumbing pipe) $5.00 a lenght of 10'. Mix in a glass jar with acétone($5.00 a bottle). Let dilute for a day or 2 with the cover on the jar. Mix it'll make a paste, thickness is variable depending on the ratios of ABS/Acétone add one or the other to change thickness.
Remove the vinyl layer on your boat (belt sander works best or grinder but be carefull with this one, you can go deep in a flash).
Now your ABS is exposed on your boat, pour that magical mix on it, the acétone will attack the ABS on the boat at the same time it starts evaporating. This will blend the new and old ABS, beef up your boat in the vulnerable places. Let set a few days for it to harden(cure) and voilà ! You have a new boat that looks like a Holstein cow with black spots on it
This stuff is auto levelling, spread it once and leave it, if you try to mess around with it, it will mess up.
This trick is GREAT, I've fixed holes, dents, scrathes, name it and is still holding after a few years !
Good Luck !
Cut little pieces of ABS pipe (black plumbing pipe) $5.00 a lenght of 10'. Mix in a glass jar with acétone($5.00 a bottle). Let dilute for a day or 2 with the cover on the jar. Mix it'll make a paste, thickness is variable depending on the ratios of ABS/Acétone add one or the other to change thickness.
Remove the vinyl layer on your boat (belt sander works best or grinder but be carefull with this one, you can go deep in a flash).
Now your ABS is exposed on your boat, pour that magical mix on it, the acétone will attack the ABS on the boat at the same time it starts evaporating. This will blend the new and old ABS, beef up your boat in the vulnerable places. Let set a few days for it to harden(cure) and voilà ! You have a new boat that looks like a Holstein cow with black spots on it
This stuff is auto levelling, spread it once and leave it, if you try to mess around with it, it will mess up.
This trick is GREAT, I've fixed holes, dents, scrathes, name it and is still holding after a few years !
Good Luck !
Forgot to meniton a few things:
Yes, I've used this on my old delaminating Probe 12.2, built up both sides and I have a +or- new boat.
We always bring a small jar of the stuff on our expeditions for emergency repairs and as long as the jar is tightly closed, the product remains usable for a few months !
I forgot the most important thing: ''Use the force''
(it can be a G-force if you C-1 )
Yes, I've used this on my old delaminating Probe 12.2, built up both sides and I have a +or- new boat.
We always bring a small jar of the stuff on our expeditions for emergency repairs and as long as the jar is tightly closed, the product remains usable for a few months !
I forgot the most important thing: ''Use the force''
(it can be a G-force if you C-1
)
incredible!
I've been hemming and hawing about how to fix a badly delaminating Probe 14 . . . this sounds great.
If bubbles have formed in the outer layer of ABS, but not cracked open, yet, do you then remove the delaminated sections and pour the glorious goo directly onto the foam core? (It seems like the acetone might do a number on the core, but I can't pretent to know anything about repairs.)
I'm quite interested in any and all details you might be able to offer on repairs using this technique. Thanks very much for sharing it.
- Jon
If bubbles have formed in the outer layer of ABS, but not cracked open, yet, do you then remove the delaminated sections and pour the glorious goo directly onto the foam core? (It seems like the acetone might do a number on the core, but I can't pretent to know anything about repairs.)
I'm quite interested in any and all details you might be able to offer on repairs using this technique. Thanks very much for sharing it.
- Jon
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Mike W.
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I had a Sequel that had a bubble on the hull. I was told to drill a small hole in the bubble, inject it w/ epoxy via a syringe & it would lay back down. In order to bubble, the outer layer had to expand, that meant that there was too much material to lay back down 
I took my dremmel to it & removed the outer layer, thickened epoxy w/ silica filler & filled in the void. Then, as that was beginning to go off, I added a couple of layers of s-glass which overlapped the void. The hull was black, so I then did a fill coat with black pigment. The rocks scratched up the pigment, but the repair seemed solid. I didn't keep the boat long after the repair, so I don't know how long this type of repair will last.
I took my dremmel to it & removed the outer layer, thickened epoxy w/ silica filler & filled in the void. Then, as that was beginning to go off, I added a couple of layers of s-glass which overlapped the void. The hull was black, so I then did a fill coat with black pigment. The rocks scratched up the pigment, but the repair seemed solid. I didn't keep the boat long after the repair, so I don't know how long this type of repair will last.
Lego
I havn't tried it, but I understand that Lego is made from ABS (and is coloured) Steal some for a kid and it may allow you to colour match the outside of your boat. I have seen the black ABS trick done on a few boats, and it's not pretty.
Re: incredible!
Hi Jon,Walsh wrote:I've been hemming and hawing about how to fix a badly delaminating Probe 14 . . . this sounds great.
If bubbles have formed in the outer layer of ABS, but not cracked open, yet, do you then remove the delaminated sections and pour the glorious goo directly onto the foam core? (It seems like the acetone might do a number on the core, but I can't pretent to know anything about repairs.)
I'm quite interested in any and all details you might be able to offer on repairs using this technique. Thanks very much for sharing it.
- Jon
Note sure what it wil do to the foam core but I if that's what you're down to...I would sand those bubbles to expose the void/foam in the back, pour a mix of thick goo for starters ot fill the void. Prep and do the same on the interior. And finish with leaner mix for levelling the exterior.
What do you have to lose ? Boat integrity is gone anyways, repair in a shop will cost mucho dinero$$$. If the repair is not good enough(it doubt so), add some more, if it breaks, your know how and how much to fix it. And mostly you can now give your canoe a cow name
Good luck and keep us posted on those repairs !
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boatbuster
- CBoats Addict
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- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:26 am
- Location: Western North Carolina
Thanks all for your input. Warning re Devcon plastic welder
Don't try to use this stuff to fill voids or repair Royalex. I did and it melted the outer layer in a couple of spots and did not relaminate the ABS. I had to then strip off the outer layer and the very nasty smelling Devcon plastic welder before starting over.
I am trying Gorilla Glue first to fill the void and bond the new ABS onto the hull, but if that does not hold I will get something stronger like 3M structural adhesive. Gorilla Glue seems a good bet for filling voids because it is water activated and if you have a void, you probably have some moisture in there. It also creates a waterproof foam barrier, although I have my doubts whether it will be strong enough to hold an ABS patch on. I will find out soon.
I am trying Gorilla Glue first to fill the void and bond the new ABS onto the hull, but if that does not hold I will get something stronger like 3M structural adhesive. Gorilla Glue seems a good bet for filling voids because it is water activated and if you have a void, you probably have some moisture in there. It also creates a waterproof foam barrier, although I have my doubts whether it will be strong enough to hold an ABS patch on. I will find out soon.