Dinghy glue repair at transom

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by farmall.dude

I'm surprised no one mentioned this... Contact the manufacturer and ask them what to use...

Yeah, I was thinking something along the lines of: contact Zodiac and send them a link to this thread.

[CaptFigmo]

Wooden glued transom big mistake.
Sooner or later problems.
I got a Carib with a molded transom. 30 years old still going. You get what you pay for.

[sparty]

West System has a version of their apoxy that can be used on hypalon. I used it to attach a new tow point on my Avon with good results.

[sparty]

West System has a more flexible version of their apoxy that works on Hypalon. I used it to attach a new tow point on my Avon with good results. West Marine carries it.

[dcorbert]

I have 25 yrs of experience keeping old inflatables going. by trial & error have learnt the following.
For PVC : StaBond For Hypalon Rema SC 4000 ( until recently was SC 2000 but don't know if they make that anymore. 4000 is the CFC free version). Supposedly StaBond also works for Hypalon but have not tried that.( both are 2 part)
Sand & then clean with acetone right before applying first layer of glue. Let dry completely, apply 2nd coat < let dry but not too much, stick together. Best if you have a roller but if not a screwdriver handle or something similar will do.

5200 works but need to keep pressure on it( which can be difficult depending where u r glueing) & need to let dry for a couple of days and better if you can leave for a week.

[Jerry45]

I have used West System G/flex 650 Toughened Epoxy with outstanding success to repair my dinghy. Would almost guarantee good results. It is a two part system with epoxy resin and hardener mixed in equal portions. Available on Amazon. Good luck.

[KD8NPB]

Originally Posted by wingssail

As far as tender maintenance goes, always keep the dingy clean and covered. When not is use it should be rolled properly and stored in a bag (usually not the original bags which do not last very long). Do not keep the dingy in the water. Avoid getting sand in the bottom and if it does come in, wash it it out promptly. Attend to any issues which are found immediately (as you would expect when one depends on the tender for daily transportation.) Always glue back the parts that fall off even if they are not needed (such as Zodiac labels). Make a new bag after the first 6 months of buying your Zodiac, and then after every 2-3 years. I don't know what other maintenance you would expect people to be doing.

Our first Zodiac was an 1984 Mark II Hypalon which, by 1988 was coming totally unglued. it was re-glued by a Zodiac dealer for $450, but that did not stop the problems. Then we had an Avon 3.41 with the air deck. This dingy was good for over 13 years although we initially had problems with the air-deck which were resolved over time. When we needed a replacement in 2009 Avon no longer sold a 3.41. So we bought a Zodiac PVC 3.6 Active-V (I will say that we prefer the inflatable floors because they allow us to store the tender below when we are at sea). Limiting my comments regarding this boat to the issues of parts falling off and seams opening up, all I will say is that we had trouble right away and within 5 years we were in complete repair mode on a monthly basis. There were (and still are) design issues with this boat as well and we had an unsatisfactory response from Zodiac USA to an inquiry, however we still have it and still use it. I may need to replace the floor this winter before next year's cruise.

I hope that resolves for you any doubts you have about a good maintenance program or our expectations.

If you would care to, we'd all still like to hear your response to the choice of products to repair our failing Zodiacs, considering that we are often doing it in far away places where there are no dingy repair facilities or even a marine store, let alone a climate controlled repair environment. Should we carry a case of proper two part glue so that we can have a newly opened can each time we need a repair? Should they be in the refer until needed? (necessitating a separate refer just for glue?) or would you agree that we should use whatever we can get to keep our Zodiacs together until we get back to civilization?

Your daily wash regime is fair.

However, adhesive only has a longevity of up to about 15 years. The number I tell people frequently is 8 to 15 years before adhesive has lost a considerable amount of strength, so regluing may be expected.

Your 360 Acti-V is 9 years old, so it's within the life expectancy. Although the only bits I think glued on that model are the oar buttons, logos, and the bottom of the transom?

I won't remark on 1980s Zodiac products, they were trying some new things and were mislead by BOSTIK. Your boat probably was a hybrid. CSM/CR (hypalon) + PVC glued together in many spots without halogenating primer. This causes a short longevity of adhesive bonded connections. By the early 90s, they got it right and phased in the halogenation primer.

The correct two part adhesives can be used outdoors without climate control as long as some special precautions are taken. Procedures are outlined in Section IV "Repairs" of the US Military "Futura Combat 420 / 470 / 530 / MK 4 / MK 5 / MK 6" field service manual.

I do teach professionals how to repair inflatables. Two day course is about $400.

[Boatguy30]

The OPs dingy is probably a mostly list cause. Get a nice used Achilles.

But, the Gflex epoxy does do a nice job on these repairs. If you really want a project, Gflex is also probably cheaper than the 2 part inflatable glues and can be used for other things as well

[surazo]

Hi , interesting discussion and very useful but I have an old ( 20 years) dinghy PVC auxiliary boat which loose thei pressure in the tubes due to micro porosity for longer wear.
The replacement is expensive and some sailor toll me that exist a product to paint the tubes as a continuous layer ,flexible UV resistant and capable create a new coat over the tubes and stop the filtration .Unfortunately they don't remember the product .Any suggestion about the product or any way to do the same .Thanks

[Chuck Hawley]

Inland marine has a variety of products to solve this. I can't vouch for them, but try this search. https://www.google.com/search?q=inla...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Chuck

[dancor01]

Originally Posted by surazo

Hi , interesting discussion and very useful but I have an old ( 20 years) dinghy PVC auxiliary boat which loose thei pressure in the tubes due to micro porosity for longer wear.
The replacement is expensive and some sailor toll me that exist a product to paint the tubes as a continuous layer ,flexible UV resistant and capable create a new coat over the tubes and stop the filtration .Unfortunately they don't remember the product .Any suggestion about the product or any way to do the same .Thanks

I have a can of it actually. Called Liquid Rubber.
You can also use that green goop that you use to fix slow leak in tires.

[dcorbert]

I and someone else I know have used the Inland Marine sealant that you put inside the tubes then roll the dinghy around at all different angles as much as you can. it worked for porous skin and pin holes. however we both had Hypalon dinghies so you might want to check for pvc

[mvmojo]

Originally Posted by surazo

Hi , interesting discussion and very useful but I have an old ( 20 years) dinghy PVC auxiliary boat which loose thei pressure in the tubes due to micro porosity for longer wear.
The replacement is expensive and some sailor toll me that exist a product to paint the tubes as a continuous layer ,flexible UV resistant and capable create a new coat over the tubes and stop the filtration .Unfortunately they don't remember the product .Any suggestion about the product or any way to do the same .Thanks

I used ToobSeal from Inflatable Boat Parts Inflatable Boat Parts. I bought two bottles thinking that since I have a 12' dinghy with large tubes I might need a double dose. In a later conversation with the guys at Inflatable Boat Parts (great customer service!), they suggested I try just one bottle. I took their advice and it worked fine. Prior to using, the tubes would get soft in a couple of days. After ToobSeal, they stayed rock hard for weeks. Great stuff (and they took the unused bottle back and issued a refund)!

[surazo]

looks like a really good product .I saw the description and seems easy to use .Your boat remain flexible after the treatment ? .thanks

[mvmojo]

Yes, absolutely, it has no effect on the flexibility of the material. ToobSeal is the consistency of water - I suspect it is some derivation of clear latex paint or something similar, but it works great. I used a similar product purchased from West Marine on another dinghy in 2001 and it worked equally well. I wouldn't hesitate to use ToobSeal again.