C-Forum

I've finally destroyed the hull on my Paradigm (the way I paddle, it had to happen eventually). I'd like to turn it into an organ donor, so to speak, and take out all the outfitting. What's the best way of getting the saddle unstuck without damaging it? Thanks.

If the hull is truly reduced to rubble, why not cut the Rx around the saddle and then separate it with it out of the "boat". Otherwise, small putty knives, trowels, hacksaw blades, etc. If you do mess up the bottom pretty badly getting it out (and you probably won't), the worst that could happen is you'll need to cut a clean 1" slice off the bottom and then contact cement a new 1" piece of minicell back on.

Careful work with a plastic putty knife has worked for me when I cared about both the boat and the outfitting. I've always been able to reglue the outfitting into a different or the same boat without cutting anything off its bottom for a clean surface. If I didn't care about nicking the boat's vinyl, I'd probably use a sharp metal putting knife.

Take a piece of dental floss and saw through it as close to the hull as possible, and that will be good enough.

While paddling in the ocean I have always marveled at the way salt water and beach sand is able to cleanly remove well-attached minicell outfitting. Thinking it was the sand, I tried putting fine sand in the bottom and basically jamming it in while removing outfitting. It didn't work any better than it would have without the sand. But I should have added the salt and the water also. I've got to try that sometime, if I remember. Yea, it sounds dumb I know. But the only time I get loose outfitting is in the ocean.

Use Toluene to soften the contact cement. It eats up the contact cement much faster than Acetone or MEK without destroying the boat. I just pour in some Toluene while working a long flexible blade under the saddle.

I have used a hacksaw blade flat on the bottom of the boat with gloves to protect my thumbs and the whole operation took about two minutes, so that should be all you need. A serrated bread knife also works but better to use one without a handle, just the blade, to keep the cut flush with the bottom.

Take out all the support structure (thwarts etc.) fill with water and let sit. saddle will want to float and will detach with time. You can speed up the process but putting stress on the saddle - gently of course.

If that fails - hacksaw , dental floss, etc. all work too. Good luck.

Take out all the support structure (thwarts etc.) fill with water and let sit. saddle will want to float and will detach with time. You can speed up the process but putting stress on the saddle - gently of course.

That's what I call working smarter, not harder. And salt water would make the saddle even more buoyant .... hmmm

Pull up! That's it. But slowly. The glue is not very resistant to pulling forces. You can start at one end and work your way to the other, or just let the water do it as suggested before if you have the time.. ;D