Crack repair on Dagger Cascade?

[OC One Blade]

I have a Dagger Cascade C-1 that has a +2"crack just under the lip of the cockpit rim (front/left if sitting in the boat). This boat was to be my inroduction to decked boating a few years ago, but I noticed/heard the crack while trying to remove a very tight-fitting spray skirt soon after purchasing it (used). I think the crack was already there but was exacerbated by the tight sprayskrt. Although the arrival of kids and a couple of job promotions were good things, thiis put the hurt on my paddling time for a few years. I'm now ready to hopefully get this boat in action.

Can someone spare a little advice regarding the best methods to make this repair? Plastic welding vs. some type of patching? I'm not very familiar with plastic welding, but I've heard of it being done. The crack is in a bad spot and will likely be exposed to stress fairly often.

Any ideas or comments will be appreciated.

Also, I've only paddled it once in mild whitewater, so I am not yet aquainted with the boat. Any tips on handling characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses would be welcome as well. It seems like it would be good river runner- not so hot at play- which is probably what I need at this point.

Thanks.

[Eric Nyre]

If you have a shop nearby that sells whitewater butt boats, they'll be able to weld it for you. For where the crack is and how it's going to be subjected to stress, I wouldn't do any of the homemade weld tricks like melting a cutting board into it.

For what you describe, you're looking at around $25 to have a specialty shop fix it. Done properly the weld will be as strong as the rest of the boat.

[ezwater]

I would try the weld first, and if it worked, I would consider backing it up with a cloth and epoxy combination. West G-flex will stick to poly (linear or crosslinked) if the poly is flamed first.

This is a tough spot to have to do a repair.

[OC One Blade]

Thanks so much for the replies guys. I have a friend with a plastic welder, but he only bought it to repair a gas tank on a riding lawn mower. I wouldn't really trust the job that either of us would do on it.

Anyone know of any shops in the north Alabama area that could give it a try? I was hoping philcanoe might respond with a recommendation. I read a post of his recently mentioning that he was getting a crack welded on a boat. He's in South Central, Alabama according to his profile- and on "Top of the boat" at that. Also, I'm headed to Bryson City at the end of this month for a week's vacation. I could drop it off along the way somewhere and hopefully have it repaired during my stay.

I examined it again this afternoon after returning from some low water padddling/dragging (in the Probe 11 - not the Cascade). The crack is a real booger. If you flex it a little you can see it's closer to 4" and is going to grow each time the skirt is popped.

EZ- Good idea with the "insurance" patch. It will probably need it where it is. I can't get too bulky with the repair or it will affect the sprayskirt seal, but I can probably work the patch from the inside of the cockpit and be OK.

Does polyethelene affect "weldability"?

Many thanks!

[philcanoe]

oops - didn't notice you were in my neighborhood.

There are a several guys in the area. Jason Jackson (jejjackson via Alabamawhitewater.com) in Susan Moore. Bob Britt here at (horizongfx) is from Chattanooga, and does really pretty work. I've been using Mark Cumnock (also in Chattanooga) to do all my welding, he's got years of experience patching STEEP creek boats. You can reach him at waldensridgewhitewater.com (or here). I'll PM you a phone number... talked to him last week, and his shoulder is healed enough (surgery) to start welding again.

(BTW clicking a link - should get you to their profiles)

[OC One Blade]

Thanks to all for taking the time to help me out with this.

Phil - got the PM. I think I'll go with your primary suggestion if I can get it arranged.

Thanks again.

[Sir Adam]

Given your description I'd say having someone else do the work (who has a lot of experience welding boats) will be money well spent....

[OC One Blade]

Agreed!

[dmecsas]

Anybody know some one in the New England area that does plastic welding? The closer to Boston the better.

I've got two cracks in the cockpit room of my Dagger Cascade. Just read a very helpful thread titled "Crack repair on Dagger Cascade?" and want to follow their advice and have someone experienced do it.

Thanks,

-=David=-

[griffen_williams]

I have the same crack situation is yours in the back of the cockpit rim or is it spread around? I first noticed mine in the back and the more i looked at it the other day i realized that it is hairline cracked around the right side too.

[RodeoClown]

I could be wrong, but I remember hearing the Cascades were crosslink (not weldable). If it's not structural, and it sounds like it isn't, I'd just tape it up really well on the inside.

[griffen_williams]

I just patched mine the same way you would patch a raft. Raft glue and a little strip of hapylon or similar stuff. I've done it on hulls before and there still holding after a couple years. Ive never welded a boat before or had a experience with a welded boat so can't really compare. But I think this works really well since it allows the boat to still flex naturally.[/list]

[Smurfwarrior]

If anyone is interested in a Teal Cascade (hull only) for $100 I can bring it to ALF. Great shape.

[Shep]

Smurf, When and which way ya driving? I can't make it to ALF this year, but I'll be somewhere between Fort Worth and Northwest Arkansas the week before ALF starts. I'd be interested in taking that hull off your hands.

Thanks,
Shep

[Smurfwarrior]

Shep- Haven't nailed down the actual day that I'm leaving UT but I'll be travelling east on I-80...then dropping down through Jefferson City and Nashville.