Repairing Guides

how to repair a plastic boat

by Ayana Gusikowski Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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plastic boat????

  1. Begin the repair by forcing the damaged section of hull back to its original shape
  2. Clean the area with solvent and paper towels well beyond the break. Solvents will remove oil, wax or other contaminants that would inhibit bonding.
  3. Sand an area several inches beyond the break in all directions with 60 or 80 grit sand paper. ...
  4. Flame treat the surface. (See Flame treating a plastic surface for bonding below.) Flame treating will burn off contaminants and weak boundary layers and produce surface oxidization. ...
  5. Apply a coat of clear epoxy to the surface within an hour or two of the flame treatment. The best bonds are formed soon after flame treatment.
  6. Cut the fiberglass patches, making certain each layer is staggered in size from any other layer on either side of the repair. ...
  7. Position the largest fiberglass patch into the wet epoxy and apply more epoxy to thoroughly wet out each layer prior to positioning each additional layer. ...
  8. Repeat steps 27 on the backside of the hull. Stagger the ends of fiberglass patches on each side of the repair so they don't end in the same place ...
  9. Sand the fiberglass to smooth out the edges of the fiberglass steps.
  10. Fair the stepped layers of glass with an application of epoxy thickened with a fairing filler if you wish to dress up the repair prior to painting. ...
  11. Wet sand with 220-grit paper to prepare the surface for paint. Apply an automotive or other matching paint to finish the repair.

Full Answer

How do you repair fiberglass damage to a boat?

How do you repair fiberglass damage on a boat? Fill any deep gouges and spend your time sanding out scratches while the filler sets up. Apply gel coat to the filled gouges and finish to the scratches and then final-sand the filled gouges. Buff all the repaired areas and then the rest of the boat. Apply any graphics to finish up.

How to repair a PVC inflatable boat?

  • 2903 PVC & Hypalon primer, cleaner.
  • 3026 Polymarine two part PVC adhesive
  • Paint brush (cut down to 20-25mm bristle.)
  • Lint free cloth
  • PVC material
  • Masking tape
  • Polythene
  • Smoother (for rubbing down)

How to repair a plastic boat gas tank?

How to Repair a Plastic Fuel Tank

  1. Empty out the tank. There cannot be any fluid in the plastic fuel tank while trying to repair it.
  2. Cut a few pieces of plastic for the fuel tank using wire cutters. ...
  3. Use the heat gun to heat up the edges where the fuel tank needs repair. Begin with one piece at a time.
  4. Get the hot knife and smooth out the softened plastic. ...

How to repair vinyl upholstery on a boat?

  • captain’s chair with or without arms – $650
  • armrest with cup holder – $100
  • front sleeper-lounge – $150
  • 24″ x 24″ seat/back – $100
  • 24″ x 36″ seat/back – $150
  • 24″ x 48″ seat/back – $200
  • 24″ x 60″ seat/back – $250
  • 24″ x 96″ seat/back – $300
  • flip flop seat back – $100
  • captain’s chair with arms $540

More items...

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How do you fix cracked plastic on a boat?

2:186:06Plastic Canoe/Kayak Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI'm going to use the heat gun to apply heat and just heat up the whole general area the plastic hasMoreI'm going to use the heat gun to apply heat and just heat up the whole general area the plastic has started to heat it heat up and it's become shiny. Now I'm going to lay down a piece of metal.

How do you repair a polyethylene boat?

2:226:43Plastic Welding Repair and Recycling - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd I wasn't really concerned too much about how it looked. So I just slathered on some 5200 aroundMoreAnd I wasn't really concerned too much about how it looked. So I just slathered on some 5200 around the perimeter dropped. This stainless steel cup in place and it worked for a long time.

How do you repair plastic hulls?

2:1314:12MOST SIMPLE way to repair cracked or damaged KAYAKS! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAny any heat gun will do you just want to run it on its low setting this is a inexpensive heat gunMoreAny any heat gun will do you just want to run it on its low setting this is a inexpensive heat gun around Walmart. Sure you have one of those laying around in your garage.

How do you repair a polyurethane boat?

1:153:10How To PVC and Urethane Boat Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipApply one thin coat on the patch on the boat. Let this coat dry for three to five. Minutes. OnceMoreApply one thin coat on the patch on the boat. Let this coat dry for three to five. Minutes. Once three to five minutes have elapsed apply a second coat to the patch in the boat.

Can you fix a hole in a plastic boat?

0:594:54How to fix a hole/Leak in your plastic boat (Jon boat, kayak, sun dolphin ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHot we're going to start out by heating the the hole without using our piece okay we're gonna meltMoreHot we're going to start out by heating the the hole without using our piece okay we're gonna melt the hole down a little bit get it nice and soft try and fuse a little bit bit of that together.

Will JB Weld stick to polyethylene?

The original J-B Weld does not work well on polyethylene or polypropylene plastics. In many cases, these plastics are identified by the recycling codes on them. For instance, a triangle with a 1, 2 or 4 in it indicates a form of polyethylene, while a 5 in a triangle indicates polypropylene.

How do you weld a plastic boat?

2:335:04Boat Welding - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOnce you start seeing the plastic get a shiny glossy look you can touch your welding rod is going toMoreOnce you start seeing the plastic get a shiny glossy look you can touch your welding rod is going to start sticking. That time that's what you need to start welding.

How do you fix hard plastic?

2:028:11How to Fix Broken or Cracked Plastic or Weld Plastic - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what I want to do is build up plastic on top of this whole area okay and when I do this I'm goingMoreSo what I want to do is build up plastic on top of this whole area okay and when I do this I'm going to squeeze that gap together. So it doesn't leak through so to do this I'm using superglue.

How do you fix a large hole in plastic?

A makeshift cement from super glue and baking soda can fill small holes in a pinch. Larger holes in plastic can be filled with melted plastic or epoxy. No matter which method you use, you'll be able to plug the hole and pretend it never even existed.

How do you repair a PVC inflatable boat?

1:253:10How To: PVC and Urethane Boat Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipApply one thin coat on the patch on the boat. Let this coat dry for three to five. Minutes. OnceMoreApply one thin coat on the patch on the boat. Let this coat dry for three to five. Minutes. Once three to five minutes have elapsed apply a second coat to the patch in the boat.

How do you repair plastic fiberglass?

2:018:17STRONGEST! Plastic Repair YOU CAN DO! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipReal simple way to do it you just take your fiberglass trim it down what we like to do is take aMoreReal simple way to do it you just take your fiberglass trim it down what we like to do is take a little superglue glue the piece on so it's at least set wrap.

How do you fix a hole in polyethylene?

0:061:24REPAIRING holes in polyethylene or poly propylene plastic ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis into like a liquid. And just filling that hole with it. So just keep both sides molten.MoreThis into like a liquid. And just filling that hole with it. So just keep both sides molten.

What is the most common plastic used in boats?

The most common plastics used for molded boats and other toys are low surface energy plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Characteristics that make them desirable for the manufacture of small boats also make them difficult to bond to.

How to burn plastic?

To flame treat a plastic surface, hold a propane torch flame about 4″ to 6″ from the plastic (with the tip of the flame just above the surface) and move it across the surface at a rate of 2 or 3 inches per second overlapping the previous pass slightly. Keep the torch moving and only allow the exhaust gases to hit the surface. If done correctly, the surface will not discolor or burn in any obvious way. This technique oxidizes the surface and improves adhesion. For best adhesion, bond to the surface within 30 minutes of treatment.

How far beyond the break in the hull should you cut a fiberglass patch?

Cut the largest fiberglass patch to extend several inches beyond the actual break in the hull and at least two inches beyond the next smaller fiberglass layer. (See the comments on fiberglass preparation below.) It usually isn’t necessary to bevel the repair area.

Do you have to bevel fiberglass patch?

It usually isn’t necessary to bevel the repair area. Position the largest fiberglass patch into the wet epoxy and apply more epoxy to thoroughly wet out each layer prior to positioning each additional layer. Allow this repair to cure before repeating the process on the other side.

Is low surface energy plastic porous?

Low surface energy plastics are not able to overcome the surface tension of adhesives and therefore inhibit the spreading and wetting of the adhesive on the surface. These plastics are not porous and provide little opportunity for a mechanical bond. They are unreactive, or chemical resistant, inhibiting a chemical bond.

Is a boat repair a functional repair?

The repair method I’m about to describe overcomes some of these drawbacks and produces a functional repair. However, it will be fairly obvious that the boat has been repaired. In other words, it may not be pretty. Surface preparation, bonding area, and fiberglass preparation and placement are key to the success of this repair.

Why is a plastic boat hull thin?

When repairing small plastic boats, the relatively thin hull helps reduce the stress in the repair because the entire bottom or side will often deflect a significant amount under a small load. Although the plastic hull shell has deflected significantly, the overall stress in the material is low.

Why do we need fillets on butt joints?

Fillets are used to increase the surface area of the joint and reduce the stress concentration, which in turn helps handle off-axis loads that can cause the joint to cleave apart. We recently performed a tensile test on polyethylene butt joints by pulling apart samples with and without fillets.

Can plastic joints be treated like plywood joints?

Plastic joints should be treated much like plywood joints. The WEST SYSTEM Fiberglass Boat Repair and Maintenance Manual covers the importance of grinding the proper bevel when repairing a hole or major crack in a fiberglass skin.

Can plastic be used as mold release?

Plastics historically have been used as mold release surfaces for epoxy, allowing it to release from the plastic when cured. While developing G/flex, we tested adhesion to a number of plastics with a variety of surface prep methods. We discovered that some plastics need only be abraded for good adhesion to take place. Other plastics required additional surface prep involving a flame treatment to form dependable bonds. We discovered that a few plastics, like polypropylene and acrylic and their molecular cousins, are difficult to glue reliably no matter how we prepared the surfaces.

How to flame treat plastic?

To flame treat a plastic surface, hold a propane torch flame about 4" to 6" from the plastic (with the tip of the flame just above the surface) and move it across the surface at a rate of 2 or 3 inches per second overlapping the previous pass slightly.

What happens when a plastic has low molecular weight?

Molecules with low molecular weight have low tensile strength, resulting in a weak boundary layer at the surface. The repair method I'm about to describe overcomes some of these drawbacks and produces a functional repair.

How far do you cut a fiberglass patch?

Cut the largest fiberglass patch to extend several inches beyond the actual break in the hull and at least two inches beyond the next smaller fiberglass layer.

How long does it take for fiberglass to bond to a surface?

For best adhesion, bond to the surface within 30 minutes of treatment. Fiberglass preparation. Use lightweight fiberglass fabric for the repair. One reason this repair works is because a single layer of 2 to 4 oz fiberglass and epoxy is flexible enough to bend to a fairly tight radius when cured.

How to repair cracked deck pad?

CRACKED SPIN WELD CAPS AND LARGE CRACKS . STEP 1: Identify leak area and mark location visually or by filling up sled with water and see where water leaks out . STEP 2: . Using a utility knife or blade, cut away deck pad material around damaged site; and, using a paint scraper, flathead screw driver or chisel, scrape away glue on ...

What is a sled hull made of?

Your sled hull is made from either LDPE, HDPE, or SUPERLINEAR PE plastics. You can make repairs to your sled hull using any of these plastics and they will bond with each other.

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