Zodiac MKII C FR - material?

[Right Turn Clyde]

Howdy,
We recently added this little vessel to the fleet. It is generally in great shape, but needs valves redone, and fabric needs re-glued to the transom (interior).

I haven't found a catalog/spec sheet from this era (2001, if I read the HIN correctly). To my eye it's presumably PVC. Can anyone verify?

I was planning to use GFlex 650 to do the glueing. If PVC fabric, then presumably that's fine.

Overall, the boat looks to be in great shape. One speed tube is leaking (valve??). It was used occasionally for fisheries biology. For $200 it will be the best bang-for-the-buck boat I've ever bought. Plan is for a 20hp Tohatsu to go on it, and the whole affair to get stashed in the back of our van for trips down Baja etc.

TIA for any help.

[spartacus]

Yes it will be 2001. More details here: https://www.zodiaconlineshop.nl/en/a...flatable-boat/

Regards material - it will be Strongan Duotex - basically Zodiac's own PVC. For gluing preparation is everything. Haven't heard of GFlex - quick search suggests it's an epoxy, but I'm sure there's a Bostik equivalent for PVC. In the UK we'd use a 2-part glue from Polymarine. Zodiac also sell glue Z7096 with hardener.

[Right Turn Clyde]

Thx, spartacus. Much appreciated.

GFlex is pretty versatile. It has a couple formulations, and allows for adding substrates. For those in N America it may be of interest. Here is some info:
https://www.epoxyworks.com/gluing-pl...h-gflex-epoxy/
https://www.westsystem.com/products/...ughened-epoxy/

[Peter_C]

Think of your boat as rubber fabric that can perform a 180* bend in materials. A 2 part type of "rubber cement" is the right glue. Poly Marine is one brand, and StaBond is another, and my preference, with NRS being an excellent supplier. They handled a mistake on their end perfectly. https://www.nrs.com/stabond-adhesive/pkjz

I had the slightly bigger, aluminum deck version of your boat. That boat will need more than just the transom reglued. You will go thru about 2 quarts min. The main hull is thermo bonded and plenty strong. The floor, transom, and all the handles along with attachment points are glued and will fail. Careful how you anchor up if leaving the boat unattended. Make a bridle for the bow, using big knots so they can't pull through the front bow eye giving you three points of connection.

Get a garden sprayer and fill with water and dishwashing liquid. Pump the boat up hard using a gauge to confirm pressures, and spray away. It can take awhile to find some of the smaller leaks with tiny bubbles.

Valves are available. Don't trust the scuppers to work properly, keep them plugged.

Your engine choice may come down to whatever awkward sized outboard you can move around. Sometimes it feels like trying to wrangle a slippery fish.

[Right Turn Clyde]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

Think of your boat as rubber fabric that can perform a 180* bend in materials. A 2 part type of "rubber cement" is the right glue. Poly Marine is one brand, and StaBond is another, and my preference, with NRS being an excellent supplier. They handled a mistake on their end perfectly. https://www.nrs.com/stabond-adhesive/pkjz

I had the slightly bigger, aluminum deck version of your boat. That boat will need more than just the transom reglued. You will go thru about 2 quarts min. The main hull is thermo bonded and plenty strong. The floor, transom, and all the handles along with attachment points are glued and will fail. Careful how you anchor up if leaving the boat unattended. Make a bridle for the bow, using big knots so they can't pull through the front bow eye giving you three points of connection.

Get a garden sprayer and fill with water and dishwashing liquid. Pump the boat up hard using a gauge to confirm pressures, and spray away. It can take awhile to find some of the smaller leaks with tiny bubbles.

Valves are available. Don't trust the scuppers to work properly, keep them plugged.

Your engine choice may come down to whatever awkward sized outboard you can move around. Sometimes it feels like trying to wrangle a slippery fish.

Good tips, Peter. Thx.

We lived in Moscow previously, and NRS was a siphon for our spare funds (Lochsa/Salmon rig). I appreciate the StaBond tip for those other seams. The boat so far seems to be in great shape. Testing to continue after the valves arrive. Was surprised it's 3.4psi.

The 20hp Tohatsu is only 5 or 8lb heavier than the 10hp we had on a 10' Avon. That boat was a tad small, so looking forward to this one. Same beach tires will get swapped over to the MK2.

There are no oar mounts on this boat, which is giving me some pause. How best to attach oar locks? The glue on ones from Boat Specialists run $70 apiece.

Also, can anyone school me on the concept behind these Fastroller floor straps? Are they to tension its shape or ???????