Zodiac MKII C GT - Transom Repair

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by MKII_CGT

I would like to put a 40hp on it but I'm not sure the added weight of a motor that size would be a good thing. Ultimately I want it to be a light package. A 2 cylinder 30hp could be the go. A 2 cylinder 40 would be good but most I have found are 3 cylinders.

You don't want a modern 40. Back when your boat was made 40hp was measured at the powerhead. Today its measured at the prop so a modern equivelant would be about 35hp. And that would be scary fast (and hard on the boat). I would go for a 25 or 30. At least around here its near impossible to find anything bigger than a 25hp with a 15" leg.

I would be very wary of removing material in your quest to take the glue off.

There's no practical way to reglue the tube seams so if you are worried about those stop now and find a boat in better condition. Although you could pressure test them, I don't know exactly how you to that, but our Coast Guard has a protocol. I believe its 125% (or 150%?) of design pressure for 15mins or something like that. I can't find the link unfortunately.

[MKII_CGT]

Originally Posted by captnjack

You don't want a modern 40. Back when your boat was made 40hp was measured at the powerhead. Today its measured at the prop so a modern equivelant would be about 35hp. And that would be scary fast (and hard on the boat). I would go for a 25 or 30. At least around here its near impossible to find anything bigger than a 25hp with a 15" leg.

Yep as I was thinking a 30hp would be the happy medium.

Originally Posted by captnjack

There's no practical way to reglue the tube seams so if you are worried about those stop now and find a boat in better condition.

I'm not worried about them. At all.

[MKII_CGT]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

When removing the glue I never used sand paper. I had almost no removal of material. First I softened the glue with Acetone, then used a scuffy pad to remove the glue, leaving the PVC intact. Removing material is bad, as there isn't much to begin with. It is more work, but well worth it to me.

Morning Peter!

Thanks for the info mate.

[SeanKent]

I've just bought the same boat, was told it is hypalon.

Looks like its in really good condition but there is a small area where the floor is attached to the transom that concerns me a little, looks like it might be where its been repaired and not quite lined up or the material has stretched, may take a quick picture, be nice to get some other opinions.

[niallinireland]

Hello All

I'm new to this forum looking for some help/advice. I've '06 PVC zodiac cadet with a broken/rotten transom board.
I'm just starting working on it after reading above thread along with several others website and speaking to professional who do this for a living.
I inflated the pontoons to start to remove the broken transom. I'm using a heat gun and scraper and tried some sample area first. I started at the bottom of the transom board where it is glued directly to floor. No problem, strip of floor lifted of the transom with very little heat or effort.
Then moved to the top of the transom where the rubber strip holds the transom to the pontoon.
Again attempted same method to separate: heated the rubber on the pontoon but dwelled with the heat gun a little longer to try and ensure heat transfers thru the rubber into the glue but I'm have no success. I’ve had to stop as the rubber is starting to show sign of melting due to too much heat.....
I also tried where the rubber is glued directly to the transom as well and similar results??

I’m not sure how to proceed if I can’t remove the rubber strip from the transom or the pontoons

Does the rubber strip usually need that so much heat or am I missing something??

I've come to the conclusion pontoons are PVC based on the sandpaper/backing colour test in the below:
PVC or Hypalon? | Polymarine Paints, Adhesives, Parts & Accessories

Any advice or feedback would be welcome

Niall

[office888]

Originally Posted by niallinireland

Hello All

I'm new to this forum looking for some help/advice. I've '06 PVC zodiac cadet with a broken/rotten transom board.
I'm just starting working on it after reading above thread along with several others website and speaking to professional who do this for a living.
I inflated the pontoons to start to remove the broken transom. I'm using a heat gun and scraper and tried some sample area first. I started at the bottom of the transom board where it is glued directly to floor. No problem, strip of floor lifted of the transom with very little heat or effort.
Then moved to the top of the transom where the rubber strip holds the transom to the pontoon.
Again attempted same method to separate: heated the rubber on the pontoon but dwelled with the heat gun a little longer to try and ensure heat transfers thru the rubber into the glue but I'm have no success. I’ve had to stop as the rubber is starting to show sign of melting due to too much heat.....
I also tried where the rubber is glued directly to the transom as well and similar results??

I’m not sure how to proceed if I can’t remove the rubber strip from the transom or the pontoons

Does the rubber strip usually need that so much heat or am I missing something??

I've come to the conclusion pontoons are PVC based on the sandpaper/backing colour test in the below:
PVC or Hypalon? | Polymarine Paints, Adhesives, Parts & Accessories

Any advice or feedback would be welcome

Niall

The 2006 had a welded transom. The transom when they installed it at the factory had about 6 or 8 holes on each side. There were 6-8 holes in the thermoplastic transom holders. The factory would line the holes up and insert a thermoplastic rivet. A machine then applied heat and pressure to melt the rivet. If you look closely at the transom, you can see dimples where the rivets are.

It's a very cool process that allowed the transom to be installed without the use of technical adhesives or primers. This process is VERY expensive, and so far, I know of no other manufacturer that has done it.

It allowed the Cadet series to become a 99.3% welded boat.

So, you'll have to plunge a tool between the holder and the transom to cut the rivets.

[niallinireland]

Thanks Richard,

Had a look at the boat and your 100% right. I can see the dimples in the rubber but my biggest problem is the I can't seem(excuse the pun!!!) to even start to pry apart the rubber from the transom/pontoon without significant heat damage to the rubber.

I'm afraid of damaging the pontoon/rubber as I have to re-use and I'm wondering if am I just lacking in elbow grease and a bit of brute force and ignorance when trying to pry the rubber of the pontoon with the scraper??

Niall

[Nightfisher]

You may wish to have a professional repair company advise you as there's a lot of work involved with this repair and it may be better doing all the cleaning and paying them to do the actual gluing and re-attachment work. There's so many variables to this repair most of which are forgiv-less on the smallest over oversights or errors. Good luck.

[Saxman]

Originally Posted by MKII_CGT

Hi All,

I recently purchased this Zodiac and I am about to embark on a transom repair. Here are a few pics of the boat so you can all see what I have to work with.















I have the tools, the space, the time and the practical knowledge to repair this boat and I will be posting photos and details on the repair.

My next step is to set it up in the garage and lay it all out to see exactly what's there and what I need.

I will be asking some questions in regards to materials required and I welcome any advice on the repair.

Cheers.

Hi I've just bought the exact same model. Glue at transom has failed and there is slight peeling on the edges of the floor. Just wondered what glue you used, and where you sourced it and any other PVC to do the job? Did you upload the pictures?

Best wishes,
Saxman

[McNish]

I've just done this job over the last weekend, got the adhesives from Polymarine. They seemed to have an efficient service and a good advice section on the website.

[Saxman]

Thanks for the reply. Did you re glue the whole floor or just the transom area? Just wondered did you take any pictures?
I've seen a video of a more modern mk3 being re glued on utube and the owner strengthens the area with more pvc which looked a good idea? He also re glued the floor.. Mine has a few spots starting to peel but I'm not sure if I should do this area as well? Any advice would be grately appreciated.

[McNish]

I had to make a new transom, the rot was very bad.So bad that I had nothing to use as a template so ended up starting from scratch, working out tube sizes and offset from horizontal.Next was to make some routing jigs followed by a practice transom.It's all in now, I decided to go adhesive and mechanical so have used A4 panheads through the collars into the transom. I'm a chippy and have all the tools to hand but have to say that it's chuffin difficult. One contributor on here (office888, I believe) described it as an 8 out of 10 job, 1 being good, 10 being bad. I have no reason to downgrade that. Would I do it again? Sure, anyone got any terminal transom rot sib's for sale?