Repairing 2 big holes in an XL13
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XL13
Repairing 2 big holes in an XL13
My XL13 has 2 new holes in the bow and stern from last weekend. Any advice on what expoxies to get that will stick to the ABS and have it somewhat strong enough to withstand hits on rocks would be appreciated. That boat has a lot of sentimental value...
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dixie_boater
- C Guru
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 6:46 pm
- Location: Lilburn, GA USA
Royalex Hull Repair
It may be possible to repair your canoe so that it can withstand rock hits. I have canoes with sentimental attachment that I've repaired and still paddle occasionally. One thing to keep in mind is that older royalex hulls beome brittle and the likelyhood of the hull cracking beyond the repair is very high.
I use ABS sheet stock in 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8" thicknesses to make my repairs. The formed plate is bonded to the hull with a methacrylate adhesive which provides an elastic bond which will not yield when the repair hits a rock. This is not a repair that is easy to perform. I'll give a brief description and if you want to pursue fixing your canoe we'll get into more detail. I do perform these repairs for friends, but they can transport the boat to my house and accept that the cost will usually be in the $100 to $175 range.
The area to be patched must go at least two inches beyond the damaged area. You want the patch to bond to the strong area of the hull around the damaged portion. The hull must be prepared by roughing the surface with a sander using a 30 or 40 grit disc. after that is done a pattern can be made by laying a piece of paper or cloth over the roughed-up surface and cut to the correct size. For exterior surfaces I prefer 3/32" thick ABS. Cut the plastic with the pattern and place the plastic patch on a cookie sheet covered wiht tin foil. Heat in the oven at 250 to 270 deg. F. (experiment with a scrap first!) until the plastic is soft enough to be formed and apply to the hull with protective gloves. Don't overheat or the plastic will bubble and become too brittle. Welders mitts are ideal for this step. After it cools grind the top edges to make a smooth transition from the surrounding hull to the patch. Rough up the inside face of the patch where it contacts the hull. Now you're ready to apply the adhesive to the hull and press the plate firmly until it bonds the hull. After it cures excess adhesive can be sanded off. Apply a good marine grade epoxy if you want to be really fancy or just use any spray paint that comes close to matching your hull color. The same technique can be used to repair the inside surface of the hull, but it is much more difficult to apply around the chines or stems of the hull.
Drop me note at mrmccurdy@comcast.net if you want more details and we can discuss how to repair your Mohawk XL-13. I have done these repairs to playboats and they have lasted for years.
Michael
I use ABS sheet stock in 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8" thicknesses to make my repairs. The formed plate is bonded to the hull with a methacrylate adhesive which provides an elastic bond which will not yield when the repair hits a rock. This is not a repair that is easy to perform. I'll give a brief description and if you want to pursue fixing your canoe we'll get into more detail. I do perform these repairs for friends, but they can transport the boat to my house and accept that the cost will usually be in the $100 to $175 range.
The area to be patched must go at least two inches beyond the damaged area. You want the patch to bond to the strong area of the hull around the damaged portion. The hull must be prepared by roughing the surface with a sander using a 30 or 40 grit disc. after that is done a pattern can be made by laying a piece of paper or cloth over the roughed-up surface and cut to the correct size. For exterior surfaces I prefer 3/32" thick ABS. Cut the plastic with the pattern and place the plastic patch on a cookie sheet covered wiht tin foil. Heat in the oven at 250 to 270 deg. F. (experiment with a scrap first!) until the plastic is soft enough to be formed and apply to the hull with protective gloves. Don't overheat or the plastic will bubble and become too brittle. Welders mitts are ideal for this step. After it cools grind the top edges to make a smooth transition from the surrounding hull to the patch. Rough up the inside face of the patch where it contacts the hull. Now you're ready to apply the adhesive to the hull and press the plate firmly until it bonds the hull. After it cures excess adhesive can be sanded off. Apply a good marine grade epoxy if you want to be really fancy or just use any spray paint that comes close to matching your hull color. The same technique can be used to repair the inside surface of the hull, but it is much more difficult to apply around the chines or stems of the hull.
Drop me note at mrmccurdy@comcast.net if you want more details and we can discuss how to repair your Mohawk XL-13. I have done these repairs to playboats and they have lasted for years.
Michael