Esquif Royalex
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Royalex
All Royalex is made by only one manufacturer. It doesn't matter if the boat is Bell, Esquif, Mohawk, or whomever, the Royalex that the hull is made of came from Warsaw, Indiana from the UniRoyal factory. So it really comes down to hull shape. Esquif has no control over the quality of the Royalex.
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ChrisKelly
- CBoats Addict
- Posts: 300
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:27 pm
- Location: Columbia, MO
repair thoughts
I have done two things recently that seem to work well.
For cracks on the inside, which I seem to get because I roll the boat a lot therby flexing and stressing the hull, I have had good
luck sanding the crack, stopping the crack with a small drill hole at each end, (not all the way through), filling the crack with Gorilla glue and covering with either kevlar or ABS melted in MEK.
On the outer hull I have been painting on melted ABS.
I am pleased with the melted ABS because it flexes with the boat and seems to work well. So well in fact that I took the old, repaired boat on the Grand Canyon. None of my three big ABS patches came loose at all. Of course, in the canyon you are unlikely to hit many rocks.
The melted ABS will last a long time in a paint can if covered. Do not make it too thick because once you apply it drying will occur right away and you want to be able to spread it evenly. I do sand the hull very clean and go over it quickly with a cloth damp with MEK. Be careful abouit the fumes, else you will end up like Decker.
The Gorilla Glue works well because it activates when it comes into contact with the water inside the hull. The excess oozes up and out. I sand it down and cover it. After 18 days on the Canyon none of the cracks broke open. I will bring this boat to ALF if anybody want to see the many patches on it.
I think that the Royalex used today is generally not as thick as it used to be but I am not sure I am right about that
The Spark is Royalite, not Royalex but the two repairs I mention above were made to my Royalite Rival.
Chris Kelly
For cracks on the inside, which I seem to get because I roll the boat a lot therby flexing and stressing the hull, I have had good
luck sanding the crack, stopping the crack with a small drill hole at each end, (not all the way through), filling the crack with Gorilla glue and covering with either kevlar or ABS melted in MEK.
On the outer hull I have been painting on melted ABS.
I am pleased with the melted ABS because it flexes with the boat and seems to work well. So well in fact that I took the old, repaired boat on the Grand Canyon. None of my three big ABS patches came loose at all. Of course, in the canyon you are unlikely to hit many rocks.
The melted ABS will last a long time in a paint can if covered. Do not make it too thick because once you apply it drying will occur right away and you want to be able to spread it evenly. I do sand the hull very clean and go over it quickly with a cloth damp with MEK. Be careful abouit the fumes, else you will end up like Decker.
The Gorilla Glue works well because it activates when it comes into contact with the water inside the hull. The excess oozes up and out. I sand it down and cover it. After 18 days on the Canyon none of the cracks broke open. I will bring this boat to ALF if anybody want to see the many patches on it.
I think that the Royalex used today is generally not as thick as it used to be but I am not sure I am right about that
The Spark is Royalite, not Royalex but the two repairs I mention above were made to my Royalite Rival.
Chris Kelly