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Heat gun??
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=30200
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Author:  bongorust [ Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:11 am ]
Post subject:  Heat gun??

Hi guys, Im looking at a heat gun to use as a plastic welder just in case the hull gets cracked some how

Do you think this would be good enough- http://cgi.ebay.com.au/IRODA-FLAMELESS- ... 870wt_1137

Its portable & uses butane, I was thinking of putting it in an on board repair kit

Of course you'd have to land somewhere to make any repairs

Is this something we should consider or am I looking too far into this? Im looking at doing trips from several days/weeks so thought it would be a clever safety feature

Thanks in advance

Author:  Fly4v [ Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Heat gun??

Heat gun is a bold move and if done properly your repair in the field would be the only one needed.

I like Marine Goop (24 hour dry time) and Duct Tape but then the patch has to be removed for a proper repair after the trip. It is also very ugly and messy to dig out.

Author:  Roadrunner [ Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Heat gun??

bongorust wrote:
Is this something we should consider or am I looking too far into this? Im looking at doing trips from several days/weeks so thought it would be a clever safety feature
You can't prepare for everything. Cracks on newer Hobies are relatively rare, tend to occur in drivewells (if anywhere) and generally give adequate warning before they become significant problems.

I think Duct tape would temporarily seal or retard most cracks as long as you take the stress off. Try some on your hull and see how it works. If things get worse with your TI, you can abandon the drivewell (you'll still have a sail, one Drive and a paddle) and seal it from underneath. I do this often when soloing with the Oasis -- works great with packing tape:

Image

If worst comes to worse, remember your TI amas each have 220 lb buoyancy.

Space being limited, I'd be more inclined to carry a few spare parts (and tape) than a welding kit. 8)

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