-- Last Updated: Jun-17-07 11:12 PM EST --
I need some advice on the polyethlene repair of a keel. A friend of mine dragged his WS Tarpon yesterday and developed a hole in the keel and I would like to help him repair it.
I canāt believeā¦
people actually do thatā¦
1 Like
I am not sure where you can get itā¦
ā Last Updated: Jun-17-07 7:31 PM EST ā
but I have a stick of plastic that is made for repairing poly boats, and I have used in on several.
You light the end and let the melting plastic drip in the hole, crack or whatever you are repairing, and as it is hardening you smooth it out with a wooden spatula or popsicle stick.
I bought it about fifteen years ago.
It works good but naturally you can't match the color.
I have heard that you can do the same using plastic milk jugs, but I have never tried it.
If you can't find the repair stuff, and can't find someone who does plastic welding, why not experiment with using any old plastic stuff.
Good Luck.
If that is the same guy that I saw dragging the poly boat on the concrete prior to the Chat. race., tell him that I said he should be ashamed of himself.
Cheers,
JackL
Different guy
ā Last Updated: Jun-17-07 8:33 PM EST ā
This guy is a professional video photographer who film the trip I took down the river yesterday. We started at the point where the race ended and paddled down tothe dam, portaged it and paddled 9 more miles down stream.
The girl who won the kayak in the drawing was on the trip. It was a yellow Jackson kayak. Terrible boat and best use as a planter.
Anyhow he dragged his kayak on the boat ramp at the dam. It is a SOT and the keel is hollow. The boat shell was filling with water. Duct tape saved the day but he needs to use the kayak this Friday for a week long trip and I'm trying to help him out. He isn't answering his phone so I'm really not sure what kind it is but I think all rotomolded kayaks are about the same.
I thought someone here could help me. I'll find out who the mfg is and give them a call tomorrow.
I'll try the milk jug trick.
Thanks Jack
Which Jackson was so terrible?
Careful judging by eye. They have a top flight designer. I know their new rec boat design was ridiculed by some, but that designer is so good, I would not write off anything he does without trying it.
welding
I recently fixed some shipping damage on a HDPE kayak with a soldering iron, with decent results, here is the thread at KFS (with pics):
http://kfs.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/220603834/m/5651095983
For filler, I used scrap plastic I got from the factory.
The kayak was a different class
ā Last Updated: Jun-17-07 11:29 PM EST ā
The kayak is too big for a kid. Not made for white water and not made for rivers. Perhaps it was made for a lake with small waves. Wait until you see one. They can't make a spray skirt for it because it alone would drown someone. It has the biggest one man cockpit I have ever seen. It's a long tub looking thing, strange in design and doesn't belong in a kayak/canoe shop.
There is nothing close to the kayak shown on their website. I'll call her tomorrow and see if it has a name or if there was any paper work with it.
I was shocked when I saw the Jackson name on it but if the Jackson Company donated it, my hat is off to them for the contribution.
A friendā¦
"A friend of mine dragged his WS Tarpon yesterday and developed a hole in the keel "
Sureā¦ itās always āa friendāā¦ 
1 Like
I donāt have enemies.
Auto-Body Shop!
My buddy has his ticket for autobody work. All sorts of components on cars are going plastic.
I, too, had a to have a repair done to my sonās polyethylene kayak. My buddy had a special type of two-part āepoxyā (note the quotes around āepoxyā, as it is OBVIOUSLY intended for plastics, not your normal type epoxy). Hole was right on the keel at the stern (from dragging across dock), almost 3 inches long, 3/8" wide.
He spent about half an hour on it, and it came out BEAUTIFULLY. Donāt know if you can colour match (this product was black), but when he sanded it down it was nice and flush and smooth and VERY strong. Well, worth the time to get it done well.
May sound odd, but yeah, ask an autobody shop; theyād probably do it for you.
-Brad
good info
Thoā Iām not the original poster, thanks to all for the hints/tips/links. I recently had to do a PET repair on my truckās windshield washer fluid tank. None of my web-searches pulled up this type of info. I ended up using hot glue, and it has held for the past 7 weeks. Now I know what to do if it fails, or if one of our 'yaks springs a leak.
PTEX STICKS?
What about using some of the PTEX sticks for snowboard base repairs? Light the stick, let it drip, smooth it and sand if neccessary:
http://www.tognar.com/base_repair_tools_iron_ptex_gouges_damage.html#SHP-200
repair
Yea, p-tex works well. Go to a ski shop and have them do it. It is not expensive.
P.S. GK-donāt lose that bet for me. I am not a wealthy man.
Same here
Why fo people abuse their babies?? Thats kayak abuse!! there should be a law against that.
G-K You have mailā¦
ā Last Updated: Jun-20-07 3:03 PM EST ā
Kayak Welding in B'ham AL.....
corrected Email:
plasticweldingservices@earthlink.net
Thanks
You money is as safe. I wonāt let you down. Challenge is set for next weekend.
plastic epoxy
I think I saw a recent ad in canoe & Kayak magazine for some kind of epoxy for poly and/or aluminum boat repairs. Donāt know the name of the product, but did find this on the web.
http://www.boatbandit.com/marine-tex-poly-durakit-5607.aspx
POLARIZATION and PTEXā¦
Almost forgotā¦
Suposedly POLY is a āpolarized materialā, which needs to be directly flame treated before it can be patched (according to OLD TOWN anyway).
Run a torch over the damaged area before you drip the PTEX into the gash.