> I've got a 30year old Klepper double and the rubber on the hull
> bottom is dried up and scaled. I plan to clean it up and then re-coat
> it with Hypalon paint. Has anyone had experience with this?

> Will the new hypalon paint adhere to the old hull, which I've
> read is probably natural rubber which is silver coloured?

Chris: Klepper has a neat website. This info is from their FAQ page. - - - - - - - - - - - - -

HOW LONG DO THESE BOATS LAST?

Kleppers commonly get two generations (approximately 50 years) on frames and at least one generation (25 years) on hulls. The latter figure is based on old style hulls that used natural rubber which was eventually the weak link in the system. Natural rubber was replaced over 20 years ago by hypolon, a synthetic rubber which proves to have a longer life than natural rubber. Heavy tour group usage and military application may reduce these figures by half.

CAN I DO SIMPLE REPAIRS MYSELF?

All maintenance and most repairs of Klepper Aerius folding kayaks can be performed by the owner. Replacement of a frame fitting is a do-it-yourself project as necessary soft rivets are supplied with fittings. Also frame, rudder, and sail parts can be ordered for replacement. Keelstrip installation or replacement of bow or stern rubber stems on hull are also do-it-yourself maintenance projects for the more skilled owner. In all of the above cases simply order your necessary parts with instructions from the Klepper Service Center or a dealer near you.

ARE REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE FOR OLDER MODELS?

Klepper services all kayak models built from 1951. Replacement parts can be ordered from the Klepper Central Service Center NORTH AMERICA or from the Central Service Center EUROPE in Rosenheim or a dealer near you. All frame parts can be ordered individually as can boat skins. Kleppers total commitment to its customers is to provide top quality, factory-original spare parts and service at the lowest possible price. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --

Check their url below for more info from them.

If the rubber has decomposed or dried and cracked I would also worry that the underlying fabric might have weakened with age, too.

George Dyson sells a Hypalon paint, and also liquid neoprene, by the gallon. You might try recoating the skin with this stuff. Check links on Baidarkas, on this BBS to get his e-mail address. ( Sorry, I don't have it handy) I think you can get similar products from Mcmaster-Carr. Their online catalog is at: www.mcmaster.com

For a quick, reasonably cheap test, head to a scuba store and get a small can of wet suit cement. It is liquid neoprene. Try it on a spot of the hull and see if it sticks to what is there and glues things together -- or if it all just flakes off.

You might e-mail Klepper and ask if they have a recoating compound.

As for color: Neoprene seems to always come in basic black. Hypalon comes in colors.

One other option. SnoCoat (SnoCote?) or SnoWhite roof coating is a polymeric rubber coating designed for roofs. It is designed to penetrate cracks in old roofing, and might work. A gallon is about $20 at home repair centers. You might want to experiment with that.

If you decide to recoat, whatever you do to recoat the skin is going to add weight to the boat, and probably make the skin thicker, less flexible, and the old skin is not going to get any stronger.

This might be the decade to save your money for buying a new kayak skin, which should last a few more decades. Don't think of it as a cost, think of it as an investment. These are beautiful boats.

Best of luck in your project. Keep us informed how it goes.

Paul Jacobson