Gluing Dacron.

[Wild Wassa]

I'm hoping to change a 2mm rubber CB gasket, to one I cut from Dacron sail cloth, it is a weight and a fairing issue. The rubber is off the boat, the weight is heavy, the gasket was nailed to the hull and unfaired originally by one of the Dodgy Brothers.

Could someone suggest a glue for sticking Dacron sail cloth to polyurethane paint and/or a glue for sticking the Dacron to a coating of epoxy please?

Can someone suggest a better material to change the existing 2mm immersion rubber CB gasket to, rather than the Dacron?

I'm hoping to make the gasket from new sail cloth (unless suggested otherwise) and fold it so that it can be glued up to 1" inside the CB on both sides of the slot, that's the plan ... so far.

Thankyou in advance Skippers.

[ 03-22-2005, 02:21 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[ssor]

I have squeeged polyurethane caulk on to polyester fabric with good results. It takes a while to cure in my case I used polyester double knit. There is a little stretch with the knit fabric but not like a tee shirt.

added in edit: Polyurethane caulk will stick to almost anything but polyethelene

[ 03-22-2005, 02:24 PM: Message edited by: ssor ]

[Wild Wassa]

ssor, I was locked into the Dacron mode, I knew someone would have tried something different, good one.

In this photo (of a Contender, photographer unknown), what ever has been used looks better and lighter than black rubber and which looks like, sail cloth? I've not seen anything in the past like this on dinghies, only the black rubber or nothing at all.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid162/p58f1deb7a45dbdeac170ac0ad5072723/f4be4d6e.jpg

Warren.

[ 03-22-2005, 03:36 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[ssor]

Warren, Did they lay two pieces, one down each side and let the loose edges overlap? That would give a close fit and still allow easy passage for the board. It would be real easy to do if the slot was on top. :D

[bheys]

Coincidentaly, I'm attaching a centerboard gasket on my daysailor this afternoon. The questions you have are some of the same as my own. I ended up finding a mylar/dacron material called slot strip. It comes in 2", 3" and 6" widths and is sold by the foot (from APS). It is is kind of stiff and should stay pretty fair. It will be attached with 2 strips of UHMW plastic on either side of the slot. The plastic is about 3/16" thick and is countersunk to accept #6 fh screws. I plan on using contact cement to hold the gasket in place while I attach the plastic (the boat is right-side up unfortunately). Hopefully, the use of this adhesive will be adequate while relying on the screws for holding everthing in place. I want to be able to easily remove and replace the gasket.

[John Meachen]

It must be thirty years or more since the first Dacron slot gaskets were fitted.I encountered them on 505's in the late seventies and they were attached with contact glue and then a brass keelband fixed along the edge with stainless self tappers.There may be a bit of huffing and puffing in some quarters about the mix of metals,but for a boat that only sees a few hours immersion each week for half the year you should get by.They were glued on the horizontal face rather than being taken up the inside of the case.I suspect that if you try to use the inside of the case,the material will take an odd shape and will soon be removed by the movement of the centreboard.

[Killick]

We've used this same setup on Albacores with the mylar/dacron gasket held in place by aluminum strips fastened w/ countersunk screws. As the slot gasket gets replaced each year we looked at the adhesive as optional.
If you have any difficulty finding the mylar/dacron, any sail loft should be able to make it up to whatever width you need.

Tony

[Wild Wassa]

Brilliant, thankyou very much, Gentlemen.

Originally posted by ssor:
"It would be real easy to do if the slot was on top. :D "

ssor, the slot is on top, smile.gif . Or it still is, until I turn the hull right-side-up. I made a template showing all of the Dodgy Brothers previous attempts to attach a gasket and strakes, I though this boat had Toredo Worm when I removed the gasket.

bheys, thankyou, now I've got a brand name I've picked up on the scent. I hope fitting your boats gasket goes well.

John M, get my boat wet? ... that will be the day Sir. This boat will be sailed a lot. I wont put any extra weight on her at all, so it will just be glue, no metal strips at all for this old girl. If I do decide to cover the gasket on each side of the slot, it will be with light wooden strakes, from Coachwood, Huon Pine or Red Carrabean which ever is the lightest.

Killick, so you are an Albacore sailor. Sold her yet? ... and thanks again. I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of the Delta at some stage down the track.

Warren.

[ 03-24-2005, 05:08 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Killick]

Originally posted by Wild Wassa:
[QB]Killick, so you are an Albacore sailor. Sold her yet? ... and thanks again. I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of the Delta at some stage down the track.
QB]The Delta V will be my first boat.

I've been a member of a community sailing club for the past few years. The club owns the boats (though there are some private vessels as well), mostly Albacores, Lasers and Hobie Cats, but with a few other variations ...a Taser (my favourite club-owned boat, and a Byte.

I was the club's Harbourmaster a couple years back and responsible for maintaining the fleet... great way to get up to speed quick on the ins and outs of boat maintenance, but a heck of a lot of work. Ended up spending most of that summer doing repairs rather than having fun on the river.