Rhino repair

[b16rde]

Hi<Hopefully someone can help me here, I have an Rhino rib ( made by Quicksilver) is has a polythene (I think) hull, I have managed to score the bottom, creating a small leak, I wonder what would be the be the best way of repairing this ?
All advise welcome.
Thank you

[Polwart]

Assuming its the PE hull itself that is leaking and not the join between the hull and the tubes - then this info on fixing PE kayaks might be helpful?

http://www.windriderforum.com/smf/in...pic=832.0;wap2

[jyasaki]

Polyethylene?

There are a few new epoxies that will adhere to PE, though I don't know if they will be suitable for your application.

Many of them require "flame treatment" of the base material, which involves passing a propane flame across a couple of times (modifies the molecular structure somehow.)

One I know of does not require pre-treatment: 3M's Scotch Weld DP 8005 is a use-as-supplied acrylic epoxy that supposedly does not require anything other than application.

A web search for "gluing Polyethylene" or "gluing Polypropylene" should get you more info. (Both are low energy plastics that, due to their rather unremarkable molecule, have both been pretty much impossible to glue until fairly recently.)

Luck;

jky

[Ribshop]

Our repair kits come with instructions: http://rib-shop.com/prodtype.asp?PT_...ageHistory=cat
or you could pop it in in you are in Southampton we are just up the road.

[b16rde]

Hi Ribshop, I have used you before, really happy!
The bit I'm trying to repair is the hard polythene hull, do you do something for that?
cheers
Roy

[Ribshop]

Hi are you talking about the GRP hull of a Rib or is it the floor of an inflatable?

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by Ribshop

Hi are you talking about the GRP hull of a Rib or is it the floor of an inflatable?

No I think Rhino's hulls are made from Polyethylene like many kayaks, sailing dinghies (and my entire boat!).

[b16rde]

Yes the hull is like a hard polythene, not very flexible, it doesn't crack, but has a deep score in it, that has gone in all the way, causing a very small leak, letting in water !
Hope this makes sense !!!"
Roy

[bedajim]

We used to use a plastic welder on topper dinghies to fix holes etc

It was like a hot air gun but very focused heat and you fed in some plastic strip as you applied the heat

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by b16rde

Yes the hull is like a hard polythene, not very flexible, it doesn't crack, but has a deep score in it, that has gone in all the way, causing a very small leak, letting in water !
Hope this makes sense !!!"
Roy

Roy, makes sense to me. You have a long deep gouge out the hull which has penetrated through the thickness of the hull for some or all of its length. You need to get this polyethylene welded then, the link I provided earlier does provide DIY instructions, but if it were me I would be tempted to call any local kayak/dinghy centre (school, hire place) most of which will have lots of these sort of boats and see if they can suggest someone who can professionally weld it for you locally.

e.g. probably not local these folks claim to do it http://www.hop2sailing.com/page/29/S...d-Repairs.html

When I bought my boat I investigated how complicated it was (because even although "indestructable" - I am incompetent!) and there are "plastic welders" around (which look like a fancy soldering iron) for something like £50, but it was suggested (like all welding) the tricky bit was in getting it all to stick together as one "fused" component rather than just a bead of weld material - without overheating anything.