Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

[SnappingTurtle]

Well as expected the older boat (Hypalon) I picked up Monday has a slow leak in one of the tubes with no visible signs of a puncture. It takes about a day for it to show signs of air loss, but it is there.

I remember from many years ago using something like a acrylic Latex in my boat. I don't remember anymore where I got it at the time, but it wasn't from a inflatable store. I also had a friend who used to buy it really cheap, by the gallons, for theater & film mask making. It was about one hundredth the price of what the boat dealers wanted for their small little bottles, but was identical to their product in the chemical composition.

1. Do you guys know of readily available alternative to such products as “Sealflex”, and where can you find it?

I would also like to clean it up a bit.

2. What do you suggest I use for general cleaning?

Several patches exist where the previous owner applied way to much glue, and discolored the area around the patch leaving it with a brown color.

3. Could you use Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) solvent/cleaner for these areas, or will this affect the Hypalon negatively?

4. Any tips in general you could give me?

 

[jnewtonsem]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Are you sure its a tube leak and not a valve leak? I've had a couple of slow leaks and turned out to be valves. Went away after a few uses. Servicing valves could help.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

No not really sure where it is leaking.

I have the old style Metzeler valves and they are really simple and tough, but perhaps you are right.

I have it in the living room at the moment (my girlfriend is gone), and can't really check it with soapy water till the weekend when the apartment house is empty.

Makes a nice place to lay and watch TV, but it reaches from wall to wall and is really starting to **** my cat off.

 

[jnewtonsem]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Put on a life vest, tune into Shark Week and "you are swept away". Put a leash on the cat and use it for bait.

But on mine (older Avon) it seems when it sits for awhile the valves sometimes won't seal quite right, has happened to me 2 times. After a few uses has always corrected itself. I have a really old Avon thwart seat with really simple valves, no springs or anything, deflate by inserting a U shaped pin, and that also doesn't seal completely. I've surmised that the old seal inside the valve has dried out and is not sealing properly. Nothing else to go wrong on that valve.

Might be easier to check the valve than the boat.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

My cat won't come inside now that the boat is in the room, so I don't think putting her on a leash is going to work. It is fixing to storm, and she just ran in the open door saw the boat hissed at me, and ran back out. I think she is mad.

The valves on the boat are the screw type. They are completely mechanical, and I was told that unless you start banging on them with a hammer, they will never break. I am not sure which I would prefer, a valve or tube leak.

I will try tomorrow to do a little leak testing in the house.

I checked the local stores that sell inflatables to see what they had in the way of repair kits this afternoon and there wasn't much to be had. The Marina had about ten of the kits, but someone had used up all the glue in the kits. They also had quite a bit of Hypalon, but in really weird colors.

The big building supply store close to me has a new Marine section, their kits were small and very expensive, but at least the had the glue. They also had a good supply of cleaners and stuff for Hypalon boats.

I think as it is I can still get about 6 hours of worry free water time without a fix ...

... now if the registration papers would just come through ...

... I could start to think about how I will add the numbers.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Anyone heard of, or tried the products from "Yachticon" for inflatables.

I found Hypalon cleaner & a Hypalon UV protector from them today. Both are about 10Euros for 500ml.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Put on a life vest, tune into Shark Week and "you are swept away". Put a leash on the cat and use it for bait.

But on mine (older Avon) it seems when it sits for awhile the valves sometimes won't seal quite right, has happened to me 2 times. After a few uses has always corrected itself. I have a really old Avon thwart seat with really simple valves, no springs or anything, deflate by inserting a U shaped pin, and that also doesn't seal completely. I've surmised that the old seal inside the valve has dried out and is not sealing properly. Nothing else to go wrong on that valve.

Might be easier to check the valve than the boat.

Let us know how it goes.

Found the leak today, it was in a small crease in the Hypalon. Easy fix, so far so good.

I found a tube in my box of mysteries in the basement from a German company. It is some kind of liquid rubber glue, marked as for, among other things, quick fix repairs for Hypalon, and rubber boats.

I don't know where, when, or why I bought this stuff but ...

... I am sure glad I did.

I do seem to remember repairing a pair of boat shoe soles about ten years ago and I think this is what I used. Yes I still have the shoes.

We will have to see if it holds.

 

[jnewtonsem]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Good job, good luck, hpe it holds.

 

[modernrocketry]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

I have a white Novurania that is a 1996. I have been using this cleaning regiment on it for years and it still looks brand new.

I clean the boat with a degreaser named 4U. I dilute it 50/50 with water depending on how dirty the boat has become. Wear gloves as it will "degrease" your hands.
http://www.4uproducts.com/

Once the boat is clean, I use a product called "Inflatable Boat Cleaner" it does clean, but I mostly use it to protect the tubes from UV damage.
http://www.amazon.com/Seapower-Inflatable-Boat-Cleaner-16/dp/B0002261ZO

When this boat is clean, it is so white, it hurts your eyes to look at it on a bright day. People are always asking if it is brand new.

 

[nova_gts]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Looks liek amazon is out of that stuff.
A friend of mine recomended soft scrub (bathroom cleaner) any one heard of this being used?

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

i use a product called "clean green" works perfect and keeps your boat looking like new ....

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

I'm still running through every thing under the kitchen sink. Nothing works yet.

Leak check time! 24 hours and no air loss! :

 

[azlakes]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

I'm still running through every thing under the kitchen sink. Nothing works yet.

Leak check time! 24 hours and no air loss! :

.. excellent! what was that mystery glue and did you look if its still on the market?

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

.. excellent! what was that mystery glue and did you look if its still on the market?

It is from Pattex, a German brand.

It is old and in a metal tube and half of the printing is missing. On the front I can only read "Repair Extreme" and "Power ...".

On the back it says, ... stays flexible under rapid temperatures changes between -50? to +120?C ... can be used on rubber ... in situations where ... exposure to extreme vibration ... remains flexible ... underwater ... quick fix repairs for Hypalon ... rubber boats & boots

Thats about all I can read on the tube. I will try to find more of it.

33 hours and still holding air at full pressure.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

.. excellent! what was that mystery glue and did you look if its still on the market?

I found it, they still make the product although it is now in a smaller tube. I don't know if it is of interest to anyone but I will post a photo. I looked and it is not on the market in the States, but is available across Europe.

It is also solvent free so should have no negative effects on the material. It set up fast and it could be used for emergency repairs while on longer trips away from home I would think.

It is not a answer to larger punctures, but for smaller re-glues, or the such, in the wild, I think it is a good solution, or alternative to the traditional two part methods, with all the restrictions they bring with them.

There are no conditions, such as low humidity, when applying it, and could make on the water or in rainy conditions repairs easy to do.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Anyone heard of, or tried the products from "Yachticon" for inflatables.

I found Hypalon cleaner & a Hypalon UV protector from them today. Both are about 10Euros for 500ml.

Well the "Yachticon" Hypalon cleaner is a waste of money.

Might as well just use water alone. Stuff looks and smells like shampoo, works no better, but cost three times as much. Once again, a "Marina Branded" rip off.

I tried some cheap mechanics hand cleaner, it is not magic, and requires a little muscle, but this is the best solution I have found so far for old oily scum.

 

[REN_IBOAT]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Nice thread.. I like it very much that you try out all the solutions so that I wont have to go through the hassle (and the expenses ;-) )

My money is also on the mech. hand cleaner (all though Ill try the stuff with the little grains of sand in) have you tried the washing machine powder paste that someone recommend? The Enzymes might work wonders

R

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Restoring, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining Hypalon boats.

Nice thread.. I like it very much that you try out all the solutions so that I wont have to go through the hassle (and the expenses ;-) )

A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted ...

The hand cleaner is still running number one, as the best solution of all that I have tried. Just got two more tubes of the stuff, on sale, for 67cents Euro a tube!