West 310 compact inflatable repair

[RichB]

This has a single fiberglass floor with transom and tubes that were supposed to fold essentially flat to maybe 6", but not rolled. It specs a 10 hp. outboard.
Repairs are necessary because of failed glue strips securing the hull to tubes and transom. So now....With the fiberglass hull in hand like a blank canvas, I am pondering attaching it solidly to the transom, rather than retaining the 'compact feature' (which I have never been able to fold over as advertised).
My question is as follows:
How much hull to transom play do I allow for load-factor and additional pounding?
Or would it be better to solid attach and brace the two. ??? I can see it either way unless there is a problem sealing the 2 transition areas.

 

[capta]

Down here when inflatables get to that point, the locals turn them into hard dinks. They've gotten pretty innovative in their designs, but none spends much money to have a very serviceable hard dink.
I've had inflatables since 1971 (granted no RIBS), and have never been successful in regluing major things as you describe, though we have had great success with adding lifting rings for the davits and some repairs (a 15" cut in the side of one, transom to tubes on very old dinks, etc.). If the dink is worth it take it to a specialist and you might get another year or two out of it.

 

[Gunni]

I had that boat. The RIB pan is NOT fiberglass, it is a plastic material that may or may not take to repair. In addition the tube material is fabric/PVC. HH-66 glue MAY bond it to the pan, but I never attempted any repairs there. The transom is marine ply, and it will absorb moisture and rot, detaching from the tube channels. You could experiment with various repair methods, I know that West Systems G-Flex will restore the tube channel / transom bonds. It may also work on the RIB pan connection, as would 3M 5200. But you could also be chasing your tail - fixing one thing only to have another release. It would be fun to see what you can do with that thing. It is built by Zodiac btw, and a pretty good value in dinghy tech.

FYI, I replaced it with the Achilles folding transom RIB which is available in hypalon rubber tube. I love the folding transom RIBs. You should learn how to fold and stow them, they are truly car-top seaworthy boats.

 

[RichB]

Thanks Capta, I sure agree with your assessment of re-gluing inflatables. The bulk of the work is in cleaning the old glue off. I still have a week of days to arrive at that point. The condition of all components is otherwise quite good, and pressure stays up for weeks. The tricky bit is doing what the PO didn't do very well. That is getting the glue to stick. She is upside down now, but I am assuming should be flipped & fastened on the mostly hidden inside tapes first. My lazy nature keeps hinting that it is too much work vs value. But I digress.
The process (I think) well executed with existing materials will be good for several years. Taking it to a specialist hadn't made sense in a financial way. Got a quart of Sta-Bond and hopefully enough Tuloul/MEK & patience to complete the task.
Thanks again for your thoughts.... Is there a photo of a rib transformed to hard dink? Interesting!

 

[capta]

Is there a photo of a rib transformed to hard dink? Interesting!

Sorry, I don't have any pics. I'll try to get some, but we leave on charter Monday, so it might be a few days.
As you said the most important thing is to get everything clean. Very, very clean. Not even oils from our hands as we wear gloves. When we glue on lifting rings we sand the grey almost down to the cloth. We use a wire brush in a drill on the inside of the lifting tangs, right back to the cloth. We use a two-part epoxy '303' that my daughter uses to glue precious stones into jewelry and always do the gluing on a fully inflated dink, as the glue joint is then the same shape after drying as while drying. Most of the time we actually hold the pieces being glued until the glue sets up enough that they will stay in place by themselves. No clamps or other mechanical systems.
We have had zero luck w/5200. The same for the contact adhesives most companies supply in the kits, and then there's the mess getting it off to reglue.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but our dink is used about 350 days a year and can go up and down on the davits (lifting rings) (with a 15 hp 4 stroke outboard on it) several times a day to take passengers ashore or clear in and/out of countries, never mind the stress of sailing with the dinghy on the davits in the channels of the West Indies on a blustery day.
Good luck.

 

[RichB]

Gunni, Many good thoughts there. Keeping the compact/fold-down features will allow rooftop delivery back to the mother ship. (currently 2.5 hrs by road) The pan side was the main failure point and is sporting 2 different glues.... Hmmm. This problem gets stickier with every post. And these forums are ever so valuable to access you all. I read or saw a You Tube that the G-Flex would be the go-to product on the shell.
The transom was a surprise. Bare wood endgrain! and minor rot at the bottom corners. Removed some rot, dried with acetone baths, multi doses of minwax wood hardener then filled with JBWeld while providing out-flow holes. I will keep going and also hope you will keep adding direction too.

 

[RichB]

Capta, Thanks so much and 73s to you on your passages. I think you are saying you use only '303' to connect fabrics as well as fabric to hull. That would make sense. Is there a preferred mix ratio to obtain a flexiblity between fabrics??? I will research that question.
Rich B
H23 & E37 s/v Spirit

 

[capta]

Capta, Thanks so much and 73s to you on your passages. I think you are saying you use only '303' to connect fabrics as well as fabric to hull. That would make sense. Is there a preferred mix ratio to obtain a flexiblity between fabrics??? I will research that question.
Rich B
H23 & E37 s/v Spirit

I am not a RIB guy. I prefer the deflatable inflatables. Better ride and much better to stow aboard or below for ocean passages or just storage.
So I've no actual experience gluing in RIB floors, but I can't see why the '303' wouldn't do the job nicely. It is sold in equal part containers so we mix 50/50.
But, as I said in my op, most just don't bother to try to fix at that point, but leave them on the beach for some local to buy some plywood and fabricate sides and a transom and zoom about in a really cheap, sturdy boat.

 

[RichB]

Thinking of Capta's hard dinghy idea... Reminds me of my first boat, I built in Freeport, GBI. on summer break 10th grade High School.(1964)
A 9' pram of marine ply covered ribs and what seemed like 10 million slot, fh brass screws, all driven by hand. I never sailed her as a Bahamian fellow decided he needed it (in the dark of night) just before the final coat of paint. Hope he got good use.