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After reading Pinch's report that he used Marine Goop as an adhesive, I thought I would share a repair job I completed yesterday using Goop as a main component.
Two years ago, my daughter and her friend used my two kayaks to do a short paddle around Weems Creek. When they came back to the ramp, we pulled both boats onto the shoreline. My old OK Drifter was really heavy to pull. Upon closer inspection, I found a hole the diameter of a pencil in the very back of the keel, and at least 5 gallons of water came out. The hole must have rubbed away from too many times dragging the kayak over a paved surface.
Initially I inserted a metal bolt of similar diameter to the hole and applied a bit of sealant. It worked poorly and still allowed some water to enter the hull. Later, I added a heavy steel plate with a U-cross section. I Gooped it in place. It definitely sealed the hole, and provided very sturdy protection against additional scraping of the keel. However, the edges of the metal plate would catch on the grass and dirt as I dragged the kayak from the rear of the house up to the driveway. My choices were to build a cart or to redo the repair. I chose the latter approach.
For those of you who question the adhesive strength of Goop, I can assure you it is very strong, and it adheres tightly to the plastic used in kayaks. It took some serious prying and banging with a hammer and chisels to get the metal plate free. I then sanded the area and cleaned the surface with rubbing alcohol. I found a nylon bolt in my workshop. I think it had been part of a toilet seat that is no longer in use. It fit inside the hole nicely. I added two thin nylon washers between the bolt head and the hull for additional strength and used Goop to seal between each layer.
Next I ran a thick line of Goop along the rear of the keel area. As gravity pulled it down to either side, I used my finger to push as much Goop as possible back up to the edge of the keel. That first layer hardened to the touch in a few hours, but I waited until the next day to add more. Each day this week, I added another layer of Goop to thicken and strengthen the keel. After the second coat, I found an aluminum knitting needle that my wife did not use any more. I cut and bent it to fit as an additional keel guard. I kept adding thin layers of Goop to completely enclose the needle so no metal edges are exposed.
I have not yet used the kayak since the repair. This is my old, back up boat that gets used primarily when I visit the South River headwaters, where the water is very shallow and access is not easy. The Drifter is very stable and lighter than my Manta Ray. I also use it as my guest boat.
I bought the tube of Goop at Home Depot last year. Note that Goop is about half as expensive when bought at Home Depot as compared to West Marine. I have found no need to use the Marine version of Goop. The regular works just fine.
I had the bolt, washers, and knitting needle sitting in my workshop already. So my total outlay for this repair was less than $5. Admittedly, it is not a professional, attractive repair. But for the occasional use this boat gets, I think it is suitable.
Two years ago, my daughter and her friend used my two kayaks to do a short paddle around Weems Creek. When they came back to the ramp, we pulled both boats onto the shoreline. My old OK Drifter was really heavy to pull. Upon closer inspection, I found a hole the diameter of a pencil in the very back of the keel, and at least 5 gallons of water came out. The hole must have rubbed away from too many times dragging the kayak over a paved surface.
Initially I inserted a metal bolt of similar diameter to the hole and applied a bit of sealant. It worked poorly and still allowed some water to enter the hull. Later, I added a heavy steel plate with a U-cross section. I Gooped it in place. It definitely sealed the hole, and provided very sturdy protection against additional scraping of the keel. However, the edges of the metal plate would catch on the grass and dirt as I dragged the kayak from the rear of the house up to the driveway. My choices were to build a cart or to redo the repair. I chose the latter approach.
For those of you who question the adhesive strength of Goop, I can assure you it is very strong, and it adheres tightly to the plastic used in kayaks. It took some serious prying and banging with a hammer and chisels to get the metal plate free. I then sanded the area and cleaned the surface with rubbing alcohol. I found a nylon bolt in my workshop. I think it had been part of a toilet seat that is no longer in use. It fit inside the hole nicely. I added two thin nylon washers between the bolt head and the hull for additional strength and used Goop to seal between each layer.
Next I ran a thick line of Goop along the rear of the keel area. As gravity pulled it down to either side, I used my finger to push as much Goop as possible back up to the edge of the keel. That first layer hardened to the touch in a few hours, but I waited until the next day to add more. Each day this week, I added another layer of Goop to thicken and strengthen the keel. After the second coat, I found an aluminum knitting needle that my wife did not use any more. I cut and bent it to fit as an additional keel guard. I kept adding thin layers of Goop to completely enclose the needle so no metal edges are exposed.
I have not yet used the kayak since the repair. This is my old, back up boat that gets used primarily when I visit the South River headwaters, where the water is very shallow and access is not easy. The Drifter is very stable and lighter than my Manta Ray. I also use it as my guest boat.
I bought the tube of Goop at Home Depot last year. Note that Goop is about half as expensive when bought at Home Depot as compared to West Marine. I have found no need to use the Marine version of Goop. The regular works just fine.
I had the bolt, washers, and knitting needle sitting in my workshop already. So my total outlay for this repair was less than $5. Admittedly, it is not a professional, attractive repair. But for the occasional use this boat gets, I think it is suitable.
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