I asked this on the Wave forum and was told nothing will work for long so I decided to try the wizards here.

Is there any way to repair divits in a rotomolded hull?

TIA

Try at heat gun, but be careful

I talked to a dealer today. He suggested using a heat gun to melt scrap hull material into the wound.

I'll wait to see if anyone else has some good ideas.

A rotomoulded hull has divots!!! Is that dints (chunks missing) or "bruises" (ie. knee marks)?

On the very early Waves, you could do this. However, they've switched to a cross linked polymer - nothing sticks to it...not even the same plastic -there are no open chains to bond to.

Chunks.

Chunks missing on our six Waves also. Monitoring with interest.
We do clean up scars and scrapes with a razor blade to trim off loose edges. So far no thru holes.

Caleb Tarleton
www.sailsandpoint.org

There's gotta be a mad chemist out there that knows what the fix is. With all the plastic boats being sold someone could make a killing.

Wha'd you do to the poor thing 1616? I'd post the video of my mad 'divit repair experiment' but it's too unorthodox to be in public view...but here's the gist. You didn't hear it from me!

My Getwaway was left on a single roler trailer in the Central Valley(CA) for 4 years where it can reach well over 100F. It had 2 of those fatty yellow trucker straps cinched down with a death grip on the poor boat. Needless to say, I got a few 'divits' in the keel area. I fired up the compressor and heat gun, filled up the hulls with 4PSI and started heating the area. It worked a little. Then I added more heat and 10 PSI. The hull got bigger and the divit came out a bit. This kept going until I had 60 PSI and a torch. Not perfect, but the divit came out. There's a big brown burnt area though. The plastic never really did melt. It kind of caught on fire. With the hull full of 60 PSI, I kept waiting for a seam to pop, so I wore some safety goggles. The hull got at least twice the size at 60psi. It was pretty scary. I would say this technique would probably work with a little patience, but leave the torch in the garage.

Again, you didn't hear this from me. And...my Getaway is tweaked and I use it for experements like trying to surf Steamers when 3rd reef is cranking and the like. So if you care about the boat go easy.

Jakes right though, nothing will really stick to it. If it's chunks, I don't know...Just don't look at them.

post of the week

someone give jeromy some bomb disposal clothing, a bigger torch and a better compressor

then start filming

We just took delivery of four Open Bics for the LYC junior sailing program (I know, I know, why didn't I get Waves). The guy who picked them up used a landscaper's trailer to haul them across the island. There was a bolt facing inwards that gouged a pretty good divot in one hull. If he had gone ten miles further it probably would have punched a hole in a virgin hull.

Anyway, that's why I'm asking.

Jeremy, Dude, if you ever decide you would like a young, old man as an apprentice, e-mail me. I'd love to work with someone with a sense of adventure like yours. Just in case you're free this weekend, come join us at the 44th Annual Whiskeytown Regatta, we're just outside Redding in Northern California. Straight up I-5!!!! If you can come, look for the webmaster, that's me.

Thanks for the invite Ryan. I'd love to come and sail with you guys up there. How about I send my proxy Crackhead Rob? He's really a nice guy and sails the heck out of a 17. I think my friend Sean will be there on an 18, and possible Rich on his Tiger. I'd really love to come up there, but I have to sit around the shop selling tourist trinkets to fund my sailing addiction.



Yep, no shortage of adventure around here at Surf City. I actually try to fix some of the stuff boatwise that people have given up on. I attempt to repair the stuff that I use and sell. I feel it makes me a better, more well informed boat dealer. If you want to know the wrong way to try and fix something on a boat give me a call. I'll tell you how to light your garage on fire, create a mass of uncured fiberglass, permanently ruin a perfectly good hull, and get really hurt by doing something stupid. Conversly, because I've seriously jacked some stuff up, I can tell you how to properly repair it (usually)

Gotta have some fun. That's what life's all about!

Sorry I can't help out with your Bic 1616. If you want it really messed up get ahold of Vinnie. He's worse than me by far!

Are we sure the O'pen is the irrepairable, cross linked material? I know they're both polyethylene, but I recall something being different...can't find it now <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Are the Bic's foam cored? I've heard some of the rotomoulded stuff is...

It doesn't appear to be.