BajaNomad

inflatables,(zodiac-avons-etc)...repair chemicals

cj5orion - 2-7-2013 at 08:56 AM

A bud of mine wants to come to Gonzaga and do some repairs on my inflatable,then return to SD.

question is......the repair chemicals he needs to bring.

OK to take into Baja ?
OK to bring back ?

(it would be much easier to repair at Gonzaga as opposed to returning the Avon to the US )

Thanx

RnR - 2-7-2013 at 10:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by cj5orion
A bud of mine wants to come to Gonzaga and do some repairs on my inflatable,then return to SD.

question is......the repair chemicals he needs to bring.

OK to take into Baja ?
OK to bring back ?

(it would be much easier to repair at Gonzaga as opposed to returning the Avon to the US )

Thanx


My past experience with inflatable repairs:

There are two types of inflatable boat material and three types of repair chemicals/glues.

For Hypalon boats - when applying patches the glue is rubber cement.

For PVC boats - when applying patches the glue is contact cement.

For overlaying worn spots without using patching material on both types of boats - the material is a two-part urethane that is mixed just prior to use, similar to two-part epoxies.

Can't see where the chemicals would be a problem but you should probably ID exactly what chemicals he is planning on using.

Why not just leave the chemicals for any future repairs? Once the boats start failing from age/exposure, the repairs are just an ongoing process.

sancho - 2-7-2013 at 11:37 AM

I had an incident a few yrs. back, had an inflatable
kayak for fishing, at the Military Checkpoint so. of
Ensenada this Army guy looking in my glove
compartmaet, pulls out this glue plunger with cement
for rapairs, this Mensa starts to question me as to what
it is, he thought because of the shape it was some sort
of hyperdermic to inject drugs, got tense for a bit
scrambling for the Spanish word for glue, he understood,
lesson learned, try not to confuse them

Islandbuilder - 2-7-2013 at 08:17 PM

As stated above, make sure you have the glue that is compatable with the material your boat is made from.
I over coat my inflatables with a polyurethane top coat. It has a stretch capability of about 400%, fills thin spots, is re-coatable when needed and protects the fabric itself from UV damage.
I use a product that is intended for solid decks and/or concrete surfaces. Way cheaper than the little kits you get from the inflatable boat specialists.
Good luck with your repairs!

Bomberro - 2-8-2013 at 08:07 AM

You have not described what you are trying to repair on you hypalon boat, different problems may use different materials. I have over the last 20 years used several different products on hypalon shore boats. The results were not always very long lasting, and very difficult to apply with the two part systems and you need to use a strong solvent to clean before applying. I stumbled across this product last year and tried it on a small tear using a overlay piece of hypalon. It was the easiest repair I have ever done and seems to be hold up with not problems. Does not require a lot of special techniques and comes in only one small double syringe. I like the company that makes it as I have used their patch material for years on fiberglass hulls. Link to a source. Good Luck http://www.nealsharbor.com/product/3071H.html

[Edited on 2-8-2013 by Bomberro]