Avon Rover 280

[raymillard]

My lovely 280 needs a bit of TLC. The rubbing strake has cracked in half lengthways for a couple of feet either side of the bow, and the hypalon has rubbed through to the fabric under one tube where it rubbed on a trailer. It's had both these problems for a couple of years, but it's a grey calendared fabric one which holds air forever and has kept its shape well.

So I'd like to smarten it up this winter.

I'd like to replace the old yellow fendering, but I'm worried about getting the old off with a heat gun. Would I be likely to pull any seams if I take it off, or would I be better to open up the cracked bits by folding them and then glue the 2 edges and press them together?

For the rubbed tube, it's the look of it really, so would Polymarine lettering paint in grey work if I painted it over the exposed weave?

It's a nice old thing from 1989 and if I do these repairs it should last many more years.

Or I could put it on Ebay and look for another...........

[raymillard]

Just bumping it up.