Dinghy Repair/what Glue

Dec 19, 2006
5,818
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I have defender rib dinghy I purchased used and last year all the handles and rope holds and starting to do same on the oar holders are coming clean off.
Everything was fine until I left it out in the Hot sun here in Florida and than each one would just plea off with the glue still on the dinghy,it was a perfect in print of where the handle was
and the glue was dry hard maybe sticky at first but than just hard.
What glue would be good or better and it is Haplon not the right spelling sorry,I had a friend who used Gorilla glue and said it worked great or that 2 part stuff defender sells.
I have it home and thinking of trying Gorilla glue and leave it out in our hot sun and test out how it does.
Nick
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,818
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
No new Dinghy and I think I order the 2 part from Defender and hope for the best
 
Feb 10, 2004
4,096
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
With either Hypalon or PVC, I have always used the two-part glue with excellent results. Just make sure you have the right flavor glue for your dinghy material. They are not interchangeable. If your attachment pads just peeled off, then the job either wasn't done correctly or the glue was wrong or faulty.
 

Sailm8

.
Feb 21, 2008
1,750
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
Nick Fred in our club used 5200 to put on his dinghy rub rail. Still holding 2nd year
 

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,905
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
We heard that and tried 5200 on the rope attachment pads along the pontoons and it was a huge failure. A real mess to clean off when it didn't work also.
We use Epoxy 330. The stuff is fantastic! I had lifting tangs professionally applied for the davits and they lasted less than 2 years. We used the 330 3 or 4 years ago and they are still working, holding the dink virtually every night on the davits.
The secret is getting the material CLEAN. Really really clean. No old glue or anything. We sand, wire brush, and scrape until the material is dull and really clean. Wash with acetone and do not touch the clean stuff to be glued with your hands (we use rubber gloves). Glue as it is shaped. Do not glue flat if it's a curved surface. So inflate as hard as a basketball and keep the joint from moving for 24 hours.
If you deflate the dink for storage I'm not sure this will work. Our dink stays inflated very hard all the time. Even reattached a friend's transom with this stuff and it holds w/ a 15 hp 4 stroke driving the boat over wakes etc.
And this stuff is cheap!
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,818
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I think that the wrong glue must have been used maybe the one part and as soon as
the Hot Sun hit the Dinghy the handles and robe holders just peeled off and I think the oar holders will most likely peel off also so I am going to use a 2 part which have used in the past with great success.
I will be removing all the glued on parts and ordering 2 part glue and cleaning and sanding real good before getting the 2 part from defender which have used once before.
Thanks was going to try gorilla glue but after cleaning all the parts I will use the proper 2 part.
Nick
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,553
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Gorilla glue requires clamping pressure to really work properly. It is some really strong and inert stuff if you can let it set up under clamping pressure... but if not, it does not have a lot of mechanical strength and the adhesion is poor.
 
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Mar 3, 2003
710
Hunter 356 Grand Rivers
Nick: let us know how it works after you reglue. I've tried several glues and none seem to work well for me over time. My rubrail is constantly coming unglued. It is really hard and next to impossible to clean under it before reglueing. My dinghy leaks a little, so doesn't stay hard inflated. I think that is part of the problem.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,818
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I am hoping to glue it soon and been getting it ready and working on getting
the old glue off and will keep you posted.
I have been using a portable drill with a 3M abrasive material and work real good removing the old dried up glue.
I have been away all summer and now getting everything ready on the boat for our 3 week North Cruise with our club and will be going up to Sarasota/ Tampa /Tarpon Spring are just a few of many stops.
Nick
 
Mar 3, 2003
710
Hunter 356 Grand Rivers
Nick: Wish I was getting down to Fisherman's Village, this year. Tried to get a slip and they were full. Will try again next season.
Have a great trip up north. Do you all go GICW or outside?
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,818
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Depends on the weather and some do some inside and outside on the way up but
it's more fun when we all meet in a anchorage to eat drink and play games and also
have fun touring different towns.
We have some 25 sailboats and even some power boats join in.
Nick