Polyethylene repair

[Flash]

I bought a basstender plastic boat that has a "T" crack in it where the strap from trailer attaches to the metal "C" on the boat. I can not access the back of the crack, it is hairline on the top of the T and small flathead screwdriver size on the up/down part.

What is the best/cheapest/easiest way to repair this on a polyethylene boat??? Thanks

 

[nickel back]

I bought a basstender plastic boat that has a "T" crack in it where the strap from trailer attaches to the metal "C" on the boat. I can not access the back of the crack, it is hairline on the top of the T and small flathead screwdriver size on the up/down part.

What is the best/cheapest/easiest way to repair this on a polyethylene boat??? Thanks

rough the crack and area around it with some sand paper, clean the area, then melt some plastic and let it drip on the area. or buy some cool seal that folks put on top of campers, liquid nail works good also.....hope this helps

 

[Rich M]

I had an ABS plastic dinghy about 40 years ago and beat the life out of it. Used to solder the splits with plastic and they'd last a while, then need to redo - these were on the bottom.

Drill a hole at each end of the crack to stop it from spreading.

This is out of the water? They sell these "sticker" canoe patches at Walmart and other places that sell canoes and kayaks. That would work.

You can also go the cheap route - clean it off with rubbing alcohol and put a piece of clear packing tape on it. If it needs to be reinforced you put 2 more pieces on, over lap the first one 2/3 with the second piece and then overlap both first & second piece with 3rd piece. It is the same concept in fiberglassing for strength. I did this on my MIL's car (had a rust hole on roof corner) and my BIL could not get tape off to put a JB Weld patch on later cause "he didn't trust the tape". LOL!

Don't ratchet that thing so tight in the future (sure you figured this out) - just snug. The strap you put over it to keep it on the trailer will help hold it in place pretty well.

 

[frankwright]

They sell inexpensive "Plastic Welders" at Harbor Freight and other places that you can stitch it back up.

 

[Ruger#3]

I've used this to seal leaking cracks before with success.
What ever you use has to flex.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-Marine-Adhesive-Sealant-10-oz-White-Sanded-Caulk/3020020

 

[JakkBauer]

best advice i have seen on this thread so far is:

drill holes to stop spread

sand and melt plastic into the area

preferably a piece of plastic you can take from another place on the boat without damaging it so it bonds to itself

 

[nickel back]

I've done a few with liquid nail, it will flex with the boat. I used a putty knife to spread it out. I also use a putty knife to spread the melted plastic before it starts to harden. The liquid nail was much easier to use and work with, worked very well (to me that is).

To the OP, I'm sure there is much better ways of doing what you need to do( like what has been suggested) you could also go with.

Gator Guards patch

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ga...gL0a_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#repChildCatid=6390502

I just went the cheap way

 

[hopper]

I've done a few with liquid nail, it will flex with the boat. I used a putty knife to spread it out. I also use a putty knife to spread the melted plastic before it starts to harden. The liquid nail was much easier to use and work with, worked very well (to me that is).

To the OP, I'm sure there is much better ways of doing what you need to do( like what has been suggested) you could also go with.

Gator Guards patch

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ga...gL0a_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#repChildCatid=6390502

I just went the cheap way

Wow that stuff looks Awsome! Been patching with melted plastic . Definitely going to give this a try.

 

[Flash]

From what I've seen the plastic welder way is the way to go for this crack, but the Harbor Freight one doesn't have the right kind of tip. The tip I'd think you need is like an iron with a hole where you feed the whatever type of plastic rod throught the hole and it melts it. And the iron part helps it blend with the old.
There is a guy on YT that does a fishing channel that I saw this with

Hopper and Nickelback (or anyone else) look up pedalboat . com and see what you think of the stuff under their repair section. They have a patch that seems better than the one posted. They also have a product but they only show the back side of the tube, they want $25 for it, I'm thinking if you knew the name you could buy it for lot less somewhere else.

 

[Bream Pole]

What did you end up doing? Pics?

 

[Semi-Pro]

There are endless videos on how to do it properly. Most of these answers are not it

 

[Semi-Pro]

@Randy may be one of the best people to ask.