Re: [Paddlewise] Modifiying Plastic boats

Stephen Huskey wrote:
> 
> I would like to upgrade my seat and rudder peddle system and possibly add an
> optional down wind sail.  The problem is that my kayak is a plastic
> Perception Eclipse.  These these modifications require drilling new holes
> and filling existing ones.  I am very very concerned about the hull
> cracking, or getting too spongy after too much sugery.  Have any experience
> or ideas about this?
> 

I did quite some modifications on plastic boats, both drilling holes and
filling them. Drilling is easy enough, I don't have to go into that.

Closing holes is not that difficult, but the result will never be as
strong as the original. I suggest you find some piece of plastic to
practice on: in your kitchen you will find a bucket, tray or something
else of soft plastic. Probably it will be PP instead of PE, but it
handles the same.

To fix a hole: Put a support under the hole, with a piece of wood,
metal, wet towels or whatever. Heat up a strip of plastic till it is
melting/burning/vaporizing/dripping. Really hot. While keeping this
strip hot, heat up the edge of the hole, so that too is melting. Use a
cold knife or other tool to push part of the melting strip in the hole.
Push in as much as possible without pushing out the support. Let the
plastic cool down, then heat up the knife and use it to smooth the
surface, on both sides of the repair. Done! Test the strength, if you
can push out the repair too easily just try again. Heat the plastic a
bit more or less, use more pressure, use a hotter knife to give the
finishing touch. Holes up to 8 millimeters can be closed quite nice in
this way. It does take practice!

I always first seal the old holes before drilling new ones. If I can't
manage to close the hole, I can bring the boat back in its original
state.

Finding a strip of plastic to make the repairs can be difficult. Maybe
you can find a rim on your boat, on the cockpit rim or the hatches, that
has no use anyway. Cut it away and use that. I never throw away leftover
material: I got parts of rims, footrests and various kitchen tools to
make all my repairs.

The first hole to drill is the hardest, psychologically. On a brand new
boat, I usually start on the seat. A typical plastic seat is a hollow
shape, with one or two holes, needed for the molding process. Through
these holes the seat will easily fill up with water, but it can be hard
to get that water out. I always start by taking the seat out of the
kayak and drilling large holes on all corners and bends of the shape.
Knock yourself out: A seat NEVER has too many holes. After that,
drilling holes in the hull is much easier.

If you want to put a mast through your deck, you'll probably need a big
hole, larger then you'll ever be able to repair. I found a solution for
that too: I drill a little hole (say 8 millimeters), heat up the
surrounding area, then push a pointed wooden stake through the hole. The
material you push away will form a rim inside. If you want to close it
back up, reheat it: The material will go back to its original shape
(with some help) and you're left with the original small hole, that's
easy to fix.

In my club, people can't understand the need to drill holes in any boat.
I did find an explanation to shut them up: I explain it's a kind of male
territorial behavior: A way of marking your property. Other people may
piss on their boats to get the same results, I prefer to drill holes.

Happy drilling,

Niels.
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************