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Jut copied this re-print from Kayak Angler Magazine online. Link to article
http://www.rapidmedia.com/boats-kaya...-patch-up.html
Plastic Patch Up
Monday, 01 October 2012 Written by Ric Burnley
Holey kayak? Learn to fix it yourself.
Kayak anglers are tough on their boats. Dropping, dragging, banging, bouncing, rocking and rolling are all part of the game. Fortunately roto-molded kayaks are nearly indestructible. Even if one happens to get damaged, polyethylene plastic can easily be repaired. The job requires only basic tools and a few simple skills. Just heat up the plas*tic, melt in a new piece, and sand it smooth. Like a phoenix, a plastic kayak is wrought from fire and from fire it will rise again!
TOOL TIME
As with any job, the right tools are the key to a successful final result. They are readily available; purchase them online or at a well-stocked hardware store. The two most im*portant implements are a plastic welding rod and a variable temperature heat gun. For big repairs, a piece of stainless reinforcing mesh fortifies the patch. A rasp and some 400 grit sandpaper will prep and clean up the repair. For the best results, order matching plastic from the manufacturer. If you don’t need very much, trim a piece from inside a hatch rim. Be sure to wear heat resistant gloves and eye protection. Use a pair of long-nose pliers to hold the hot plastic.
TURN ON THE HEAT
This project depends on heat. Polyethylene plastic softens at 100 to 120 degrees. Past 135 degrees, the plastic starts to melt. To achieve the perfect temperature, use a plastic welding rod and a heat gun. The welding rod is designed to hit the optimum temperature for melting plastic. Fit the heat gun with a re*ducing nozzle and it will direct a stream of hot air to the plastic. Before getting started, wash the kayak and thoroughly clean the area to be patched. This job really requires three hands. To make things easier, have a buddy help out.
First, heat the patch and the damaged area until both pieces of plastic turn waxy and start to sweat. Continue to apply heat to the hull with the heat gun. Have your bud*dy hold the patch plastic against the kayak while you use the welding rod to melt the two pieces of plastic together. To fill a large hole, add stainless steel mesh between the repair plastic and the hull. Work from the outside of the crack to the center building up layers of plastic. Finish off by using the heat gun and welding rod to spread and shape the patch.
FINISHING TOUCH
Let the plastic cool until it is hard. Check the strength of the repair by trying to pry the patch off with a flat-edge screwdriver. Rough shape the plastic with a rasp, then finish with sandpaper. Use the plastic
welder to smooth out any irregularities. Fill the kayak with water, let it sit for a few hours and then check for leaks.
This article originally appeared on page 26 of the Summer/Fall 2012 edition of Kayak Angler magazine. To read the full article click here. http://www.rapidmedia.com/ka/kayakanglermag_fall12/
http://www.rapidmedia.com/boats-kaya...-patch-up.html
Plastic Patch Up
Monday, 01 October 2012 Written by Ric Burnley
Holey kayak? Learn to fix it yourself.
Kayak anglers are tough on their boats. Dropping, dragging, banging, bouncing, rocking and rolling are all part of the game. Fortunately roto-molded kayaks are nearly indestructible. Even if one happens to get damaged, polyethylene plastic can easily be repaired. The job requires only basic tools and a few simple skills. Just heat up the plas*tic, melt in a new piece, and sand it smooth. Like a phoenix, a plastic kayak is wrought from fire and from fire it will rise again!
TOOL TIME
As with any job, the right tools are the key to a successful final result. They are readily available; purchase them online or at a well-stocked hardware store. The two most im*portant implements are a plastic welding rod and a variable temperature heat gun. For big repairs, a piece of stainless reinforcing mesh fortifies the patch. A rasp and some 400 grit sandpaper will prep and clean up the repair. For the best results, order matching plastic from the manufacturer. If you don’t need very much, trim a piece from inside a hatch rim. Be sure to wear heat resistant gloves and eye protection. Use a pair of long-nose pliers to hold the hot plastic.
TURN ON THE HEAT
This project depends on heat. Polyethylene plastic softens at 100 to 120 degrees. Past 135 degrees, the plastic starts to melt. To achieve the perfect temperature, use a plastic welding rod and a heat gun. The welding rod is designed to hit the optimum temperature for melting plastic. Fit the heat gun with a re*ducing nozzle and it will direct a stream of hot air to the plastic. Before getting started, wash the kayak and thoroughly clean the area to be patched. This job really requires three hands. To make things easier, have a buddy help out.
First, heat the patch and the damaged area until both pieces of plastic turn waxy and start to sweat. Continue to apply heat to the hull with the heat gun. Have your bud*dy hold the patch plastic against the kayak while you use the welding rod to melt the two pieces of plastic together. To fill a large hole, add stainless steel mesh between the repair plastic and the hull. Work from the outside of the crack to the center building up layers of plastic. Finish off by using the heat gun and welding rod to spread and shape the patch.
FINISHING TOUCH
Let the plastic cool until it is hard. Check the strength of the repair by trying to pry the patch off with a flat-edge screwdriver. Rough shape the plastic with a rasp, then finish with sandpaper. Use the plastic
welder to smooth out any irregularities. Fill the kayak with water, let it sit for a few hours and then check for leaks.
This article originally appeared on page 26 of the Summer/Fall 2012 edition of Kayak Angler magazine. To read the full article click here. http://www.rapidmedia.com/ka/kayakanglermag_fall12/