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Re: leaks
By:Rehd
Date: 7/1/2000, 11:34 pm
In Response To: leaks (AMANDA)

: I need some help! On a recent 3 day kayak trip, the first ever with our newly
: built kayaks, I had a problem with the boats leaking. I don't have a
: problem if we are the only weight in them but when loaded down with gear
: they leak. I have done two end pours in the boats and hope that it works
: but someone said that it might be leaking between fiberglass layers
: between the strips. Coating the outside with more epoxy is not the answer
: because it doesn't seem to sink into the air spaces between fiberglass.
: Any suggestions as to what I should do will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Amanda

I was just sitting here waiting patiently for some folks to comment on the Port Townsend get together and saw your post. I hesitate to respond on Fibreglass questions as I'm not an expert on it. Can you actually see where the water is leaking in? You said you had done another endpour, so, I would assume you have spotted the area near the end. ??? If in fact, you have spotted the problem area, I would imagine you would have to sand down to the cloth where the gap is and reapply some glass cloth to the area. I am used to laquer finishes and when you get a gap in the material, the finish will not close it up, but, will rather just build up the edges and make a deeper opening. You pretty much have to go back to the base material and start fresh. But, don't take my word for it. Wait till the experts get back and can give you their oppinions and tell you how to go about it. I've read where some folks have taken a syringe filled with epoxy, drilled a little hole in the area around the bubble, or gap, and used the syringe to shoot some epoxy into the gap. Are they very large areas? My suggestion is to wait till the F.G. experts get back on and can give you some detailed info to help you out. Hope you are able to work this problem out.

Rehd

Messages In This Thread

leaks
AMANDA -- 7/1/2000, 9:52 pm
Re: leaks
john -- 7/5/2000, 3:17 pm
Re: leaks
peter czerpak -- 7/3/2000, 10:58 am
Exploding the boat!
Vernon Lowery -- 7/5/2000, 10:53 am
Re: leaks
Rehd -- 7/1/2000, 11:34 pm