MIG makes enhancement products for application to polyolefins (polyethylene). One of these products is called “Patch and Go” and is used by some kayak manufacturers to make small repairs to boats pre-sale. If you go to their website - www.moldingraphics.com - you’ll see an application of this product to repair a small hole on a kayak.
About six months ago, I spoke to a young woman at MIG. She told me that PNG was not available to the general public, only to manufacturers. As a few of you may recall, sometime back I had a friend with a hole in his PE canoe that needed fixing, and the recommended solution was fiberglass or kevlar patches. Seems to me that if a kayak company is using this product to fix a boat before it’s sold, why couldn’t it be used after the boat is sold. Or perhaps I’m being too logical, right?
Anywho, I’m curious as a cat… anyone ever use this stuff?
Are they aware…
…of the potentially large market for this stuff?
Perhaps they’re not selling it to the public due to the potential for people destroying their boats with a torch if they screw up while patching it.
Who recommended glass patches for
a PE boat? Is anyone that stupid?
Pardon my ignorance, but…
G2D, I’ve read several posts on this site (and others) where skid plates and small repairs recommended fiberglass and epoxy. Here’s one I found on a quick search:
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=29571
What exactly is the problem with fiberglass repair on plastic boats? And does this also apply to skid plates?
Terminology, Plastic in kayak terms…
Plastic refers to polyethylene (PE, Rotomold, think milk bottle) construction. Almost nothing will stick to it.
Composite refers to fiberglass, Kevlar, carbon fiber, wood, almost anything held together with resins.
Resins (epoxy, polyurethane) will not adhere to poly (plastic) boats.
Hope this helps... GH
That’s not exactly true
I’ve also seen articles on patching polyethylene boats with fiberglass and epoxy. It requires that you “activate” the surface with an open flame, then apply the patch. Apparently it works, but I haven’t tried it myself.