Zodiac Mk2C Classic

[Rapier]

Was given this sib that was on it's way to the local tip. Whilst the tubes / seams, etc are in great condition, it'd been stored with water still in it for a while and the transom had rotted at the base. I was surpised that the transom wasn't made more resilient, but guess it was redundancy built-in. So, there is enough remaining wood to make a pattern and I plan to do a complete transom repair with epoxy resin encapsulated plywood.

There seem to be quite a few posts here about how to do a transom repair, but my question is how much 2 part adhesive / hardener and other solvent would I need to make the repair?

I'd hate to get to the critical phase and then have too little to complete the job, or too much that it sits on the shelf going off...

[spartacus]

Can't believe that Zodiac was on the way to the tip? It's not even that old, just looking at the branding. The HD aluminium floor sections and stringers are worth a small fortune in their own right.

Few repair guides on the site. You probably won't use as much glue as you think. With these things, preparation is everything, degrease then thin coat of glue on PVC and on transom, wait, then second coat, wait then contact. I reckon you could get by with 500-750ml, so 2-3 250ml packs. Okay, so £45 or so.

You're working small sections anyway, so mix up what you need. Too much and it's wasted.

New, this SIB is still retailing for £3,500+ and worth every penny.
Chas Newens Marine, The home of Zodiac Nautic in London!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Rapier

Was given this sib that was on it's way to the local tip. Whilst the tubes / seams, etc are in great condition, it'd been stored with water still in it for a while and the transom had rotted at the base. I was surpised that the transom wasn't made more resilient, but guess it was redundancy built-in. So, there is enough remaining wood to make a pattern and I plan to do a complete transom repair with epoxy resin encapsulated plywood.

There seem to be quite a few posts here about how to do a transom repair, but my question is how much 2 part adhesive / hardener and other solvent would I need to make the repair?

I'd hate to get to the critical phase and then have too little to complete the job, or too much that it sits on the shelf going off...

Just be aware that epoxy isn’t particularly UV stable & will start to peel away from the timber after a couple of seasons.

[Peter_C]

Looks like a PVC boat? If so you are not going to want to hear this. The tubes for PVC are themo-bonded and the seams don't really fail. The transom and floor are glued on, and after so many years the glue fails which is shown at the top of the transom where it is separating from the tubes. The transom needs to be removed along with the entire floor. It is a BIG job that to me would be worth doing, as it does look in decent shape. Plus they are fun little boats I should have written an article on repairs long ago to point people to. I am sure there are some threads on here covering repairs though. I used 2 quarts of Bostick 2 part adhesive on a 4.2m boat.

[Rapier]

Thanks for the replies, they're a great help. I'd picked up a lot just by searching here, so is a very useful resource.

It really is better in the flesh too, as the resolution on the pics is low. Is a 2005 PVC model that had been used just a few times and stored in a dry garage. I pulled the seams away from the transom yesterday, so it looks like it's come apart already - will take a good look at the hull seams though - it's possible that the glue's reached it's natural life? I've used West System on old fibreglass transom repairs & plywood runabouts, as it soaks into ply well and doesn't allow water ingress; with proper varnish helps with the UV instability - I guess my question would be how well does PVC glue bond over epoxy (degreased / blush removed / keyed up)? I also need to understand how it's put together, so will hunt for a manual too.

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Rapier

Is a 2005 PVC model that had been used just a few times and stored in a dry garage.

Stored in a dry garage now - but that wouldn't explain the total failure of the transom? I've got a 1986 Zodiac MkII CGT stored and the transom is as strong as the day it left the factory in France.

I pulled the seams away from the transom yesterday, so it looks like it's come apart already - will take a good look at the hull seams though - it's possible that the glue's reached it's natural life?

The seams on these newer Zodiacs should be below the waterline. The older Zodiacs, then the seam on the sponsons ran under the rope lace cuff and a complete pain to repair. Used to cause issues with boats with countries with extremes of temperature as no pressure release valves.

I've used West System on old fibreglass transom repairs & plywood runabouts, as it soaks into ply well and doesn't allow water ingress; with proper varnish helps with the UV instability - I guess my question would be how well does PVC glue bond over epoxy (degreased / blush removed / keyed up)? I also need to understand how it's put together, so will hunt for a manual too.

I think the key here will be to sand the area where you're going to glue the PVC strips for a proper contact. Where the glue has failed on the transom - can you take some close up shots? You can mask off the prepared transom for a professional finish.

Good threads here (picture heavy): https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac...air-48320.html

Also interesting mod by simzpilot to reinforce the transom using bracket to connect with HD floor. https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac...ild-76038.html

Professional repair - sweet as a nut!
https://www.rib.net/forum/f8/proper-...air-60829.html

[Rapier]

Thanks for the previous links, two I hadn't seen before.

Previous owner let it sit in the warmth, with water under the deck, so the transom's rotted out from the bottom. Once it stops raining, I'll fully remove the transom and see the full extent of the rot.