C-Forum

Sorry if that has been addressed too many times.

I bought an old royalex boat, the royalex looks good except for a couple of small delam pockets. I understand you can poke a couple of holes in the pocket and inject some type of adhesive to fill it. What kind should I use? G-flex?

Approach might depend on where those delamination pockets are located, and how high they stand.

If a pocket is in an area likely to get more stress, I might consider cutting them open in some way, so I could assess the state of the foam and then patch with glass or Kevlar and epoxy.

But if they are in a "trivial" area, you can try injecting adhesive.

G-flex is kinda thick. It will go through a dental syringe or a similar large aperture. Seamgrip, a urethane in a tube, might be worth considering.

Have a plan for whether you want to force those blisters down after the adhesive is inside. It's possible they will resist and have to be cross-cut or something. Then you're into glassing.

I just picked up a beater boat cheap and there is a "soft spot" under the knee. About the size of my palm it feels not unlike a bubble when I press on it. seams solid in the inside, but then there's padding there. Could this be delamination? there no cut or crack (there is some denting and scrapes in the outside layer) and if so: should I cut this blister open and attempt a repair or wait and see?

Probably you could wait until off season, but it is certainly a weak spot. Makes a person wonder, what is in there? What caused the blister to raise? It would make more sense if it was right under a d-ring pad because then one could understand what force caused it to raise.

I put holes in a 5" blister at the chine. Tried squirting Gorilla Glue, but found it too thick and then went to Seam Sealer. The SS was easy to inject and has set up hard. I haven't used the boat yet and wonder how long the repair will last.

ezwater wrote:Approach might depend on where those delamination pockets are located, and how high they stand.

If a pocket is in an area likely to get more stress, I might consider cutting them open in some way, so I could assess the state of the foam and then patch with glass or Kevlar and epoxy.

But if they are in a "trivial" area, you can try injecting adhesive.

G-flex is kinda thick. It will go through a dental syringe or a similar large aperture. Seamgrip, a urethane in a tube, might be worth considering.

Have a plan for whether you want to force those blisters down after the adhesive is inside. It's possible they will resist and have to be cross-cut or something. Then you're into glassing.

If the delamination does not have a hole DO NOT mess with it until it does. As soon as you start poking or cutting to make a repair there is potential for water to leak in and soak up in the foam core creating more delamination.

If the delam is aready taking in water cut it open and dry it out really good. (I've had a Zoom dry docked for a year) Then have at the repair.

off season????
whens that?
thanks!

i think Ill beat on it a little more before dry docking it.

jnorto01---- Yeah, I wouldn't cut a blister open until I was prepared to do a complete repair and seal it up again.

A person should have, or be prepared to get, everything needed to make the repair, and "git 'er done" right away to have the boat ready to use.

Tony B
I did not say off season. I just dry docked 1 boat out of my fleet. I've been almost exclusively in my C-boatSSS (notice the plural) for the last year, but am itching to get my Zoom back in action.