How to glue to aluminum?

[stainless]

Hi guys,cool forum! Lots of good info on here! Im just starting a project where I'm cutting the floor out of a 3.8 meter hypalon boat and installing an aluminum hull/transom suitable for a jet. I was wondering if a 2-part hypalon glue will stick to aluminum?

[Tim M]

I assume so. Some older Avon Seariders had an aluminium strip screwed to the top of the transom for protection (I believe they use stainless now). There is a small area of hypalon which is glued to this strip. Bear in mind though that it is only a small bit, so I can't comment on larger areas. There are aluminium hull'd ribs out there so presumably their tubes are glued on in the traditional manner....

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by stainless

Hi guys,cool forum! Lots of good info on here! Im just starting a project where I'm cutting the floor out of a 3.8 meter hypalon boat and installing an aluminum hull/transom suitable for a jet. I was wondering if a 2-part hypalon glue will stick to aluminum?

Before using a 2 part Hypalon glue you will need to prime the Aluminium first. The primer which is available in the UK is Bostik 9252, but whether it is available locally to you is another matter. There might be an equivalent, and it would be worthwhile checking with the Bostik distributor.

[4str]

Originally Posted by Tim M

I There are aluminium hull'd ribs out there so presumably their tubes are glued on in the traditional manner....

An alternative: On my Al RIB the tube has a Hypalon strap that cinches the tube to the tansom. There is a rubber gasket that is glued to the transom tht the tube mates with, but there is no glue between the gasket and the tube.

I can send pictures if the above is confusing.

Steve

[jyasaki]

My polaris has the tubes attached with a screwed-on flange at the point where the floor hits the tube. I have no idea what else goes on between that flange and outer hull to tube joint, but that outer joint has a glued-on strip of hypalon that goes from the tube, across the joint, and onto the aluminum.

As far as I know, the aluminum is etched using an acid primer, then glued using the manufacturers standard hypalon glue, Bostik 2402.

If you want to make sure, you can e-mail him at info@polarisboats.com ; his name is Guy.

jky

[stainless]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll check into a few options for glue as I havn't found a source for bostic in Canada yet. It will be the hull only that I was going to glue to and leave 10 cm or so of the transom on each side and use bolts through the new aluminum transom. I had also thought of clamping the hull to the floor with a piece of flat bar and stainless screws for a more simple approch, but I have seen several small tenders with the hypalon glued to the aluminum and thought it looked like a better /cleaner way to go, Still weighing the options.

Thanks,Rod

[jyasaki]

Rod;

surf to polarisboats.com and contact Guy. He uses Bostik, and I believe will resell it as well.

They're in Langley, BC, just south of Vancouver (I think) which can't be all that far from you (though I have no idea where Terrace is.)

jky

[4str]

I should have mentioned that my boat is a Polaris as well. Guy is the man to talk to. The boats are well made and I've had no tube to aluminum interface problems at all.

Steve

Originally Posted by 4str

An alternative: On my Al RIB the tube has a Hypalon strap that cinches the tube to the tansom. There is a rubber gasket that is glued to the transom tht the tube mates with, but there is no glue between the gasket and the tube.

I can send pictures if the above is confusing.

Steve

[stainless]

I actually contacted Polaris about a year or so ago about building a rib for my 20 jet and they turned me away, basically jets can be finiky and I live 1300 km away so if there was an issue it would be difficult to resolve. I don't blame them,they just want happy customers. I plan on giving them a call as soon as I get off work at a decent time, hopefully they can hook me up with the goods!