Hypalon Repair questions

Rick Fisher · 03 July 2023, 03:33

Hello,

I've read many posts on here in the archives, trying to figure out if I should do some Hypalon maintenance myself. I'm a woodworker, good with my hands, not that this is wood but it paints a picture.

I had a Hypalon accessory come loose, the mount for a bimini top which was glued to the tubes. Seems to have a brown residue on each piece. Also the rub strake is coming loose at one end, looks like it was caught on something.

I also have some Hypalon replacement logos that the mfg sent me, the one that came stock on the boat where white writing and the white has turned orange. I had hoped to peel off the old ones and glue on the new ones.

My questions are .. can you really use Acetone or Tolulene on hypalon ? This boat is Grey Hypalon. The idea of it freaks me out lol ..

The adhesive ( I'm in Canada ) seems like a 2 part epoxy. Mix it up, spread it on, let it go dry and then press ? Is this that simple ? What about the old glue ? Does it all have to come off ? Do I use Tolulene ? do I really sand it ?

The logos I want to remove are about 16" long .. 7" high .. glued on .. how hard will that be to remove since they aren't at all loose ? I would rather pay than damage the boat but this time of year I will likely have to wait till fall to get anyone to work on the boat.

What am I missing ? Is it as straight forward as it seems ?

Rick ( Vancouver Island Canada )

beamishken · 03 July 2023, 08:28

Repair is fairly straightforward the brown residue is old glue which needs completely & carefully sanded off. Toluene is what you use for cleaning & removing excess glue, a hairdrier or heat gun will help remove partialy stuck accessories. Usually 2 coats of glue , allow first primer coat to cure fully then 2nd coat to go tacky before pressing together & rolling to promote adhesion. Good tutorials on polymarine & henshaws websites & XS ribs have a few u tube videos on repairs. Be careful with youtube videos as some are amateurish & misleading. If your a practical person & follow the guides without rushing it you should be fine most problems occur because folk cut corners & dont clean up afterwards. The glue goes brown with uv so any excess doesnt look bad initially but after exposure looks awful & a sure sign of an amateur repair.

Peter_C · 03 July 2023, 19:58

Heat gun to remove items, and get things hot hot hot which takes time. Cleanup as suggested by beamishken, except if you are like us in California Toluene is banned, as is MEK. That leaves acetone. I went through 5 gallons of acetone doing lots of boat projects, and cleaning my spray gun. All glued surfaces must be roughed up for adhesion. Pre-wipe with acetone right before gluing. I like Stabond 2 part glue, but it is a USA company. Keep boat pressure lower so it has some give to it. Instead of a roller I made a tool that is flat with rounded edges for pushing down material, as it works better than a roller for driving air bubbles out. Also tape everywhere you don't want glue, and clean up excess glue immediately.

Rick Fisher · 04 July 2023, 05:22

Thanks for the replies. One of the repairs I want to do is actually a hard plastic fitting that let go. They are idential to Railblaza. The internet says they use peel and stick ? can they be glued on with the Hypalon Adhesive ?

yamaha 1941 · 04 July 2023, 21:33

I do have tear at the seam 2 inch inside right tube.Im wondering who will do a professional repair and inspection..I'm thinking only the dealer Zodiac..please let me know as I don't feel comfortable foing it myself

Rick Fisher · 05 July 2023, 07:34

Well I sanded the glue off .. used 50 grit .. worked amazing, felt weird. Hypalon is really tough . I washed it down with Tolulene, couldn't find MEK .. Again, blown away at how well that worked.

The local marine store sold me Stabond 2 part. I plan to try this out tomorrow night. not sure how to get the ratio of catalyst to glue exact with such a small volume but I guess I'll see how it goes

beamishken · 05 July 2023, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Fisher

Well I sanded the glue off .. used 50 grit .. worked amazing, felt weird. Hypalon is really tough . I washed it down with Tolulene, couldn't find MEK .. Again, blown away at how well that worked.

The local marine store sold me Stabond 2 part. I plan to try this out tomorrow night. not sure how to get the ratio of catalyst to glue exact with such a small volume but I guess I'll see how it goes

I use either graduated paint mixing pots or disposable beer glasses & a kitchen measuring jug, fill the glass with the quantity of water measured from the jug & mark the level with tape then dry the cup & add the glue. The hardner I use either a syringe or disposable plastic pipette
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314454844...mis&media=COPY

Peter_C · 06 July 2023, 07:29

You might be done with your repair by now...

Glass containers are reusable. Leave the brush in it until it setup, then you can pull all the left overs out. Well most of the time. I buy these little containers in a different brand that is thicker but same size from a local hardware store. Makes it very easy to set the 10:1 ratio. A pipette gets the catalyst dispensed cleanly in small amounts. Ultimate accuracy is not needed, so no scale necessary.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anchor-Ho...0&from=/search

Stabond's directions:
Suggested accelerator levels are 8 to 12 parts per 100 parts of base (U-148). Levels above 12 parts accelerator/100 parts base can
be detrimental to adhesive performance. Kits are preweighed to a level of 12 accelerator/100 parts base. Mix accelerator into base
(U-148) until thoroughly mixed (uniform color). Stabond UK-148 is formulated for brush application. Surfaces to be bonded must be
free of dirt, oil, and grease. Clean the substrate with a solvent such as acetone or MEK. Lightly abrading the substrate will improve
the bond. Apply a thin uniform film to each substrate and allow 5-10 minutes for the solvent to flash off. Apply sufficient pressure to
insure intimate contact. Immediate bond strength permits handling and ultimate adhesion develops within 24 hours.

Rick Fisher · 07 July 2023, 08:22

Thanks for the replies. I've not done the repair because the outside humidity is too high .. its seriously hot and muggy here .. waiting for under 55 percent. The boat is 7.7 meters and I don't have inside storage big enough to close the door.

I've got it all sanded, cleaned and ready to go .. I used Tolulene rather than Acetone or MEK .. I can't find MEK ..

I appreciate the replies. I really enjoy this type of project. I found another spot where the rub guard is pulled off at the end. I assume it got caught up on the fence or something .. I might try to glue that back as well.

The boat has reached the age where it needs maintenance and upgrades now. I just replaced the seats, the old ones where splitting in the sun.

The hull of the boat is aluminum. I'm noticing some bubbling under the paint in a few spots as well. Its a labor of love. I use it all summer, love it ..