Old dinghy restoration advice

[andrei_0]

Hi guys, I just picked up an old dinghy from a friend's garage. The boat is old and was stored in pretty bad conditions. It needs some patching up and some valve replacement, but that I think I can handle. I need some advice regarding how to proceed with repairing the transom. It's made of a sandwich of laminated plywood with a solid wood core. The plywood has split from the wood, the wood has started to decay in some places, but to me it doesn't look so bad. I don't think I can handle replacing the transom on my own and would consider this as a last option. Where I live there's no place I can take the boat to have it professionally repaired, so I have to somehow manage it on my own.

I attached some pics of the transom, I was thinking to scrape between the plywood and wooden core and take out as much decayed wood, dirt and other debris, then fill in between the plywood and wood with epoxy, clamp together as tight as possible and pray for the best. Any kind of advice is appreciated, thanks a lot!

 

[Ned L]

Considering this is an inflatable and the neoprene is glued to the transom I think it needs abut more than a "pray for the best", especially if you plan on hanging an outboard on it. This might be ok if you are planning on floating around on a local duck pond, but not much more.

 

[Scott Danforth]

how old it the inflatable? they have a life expectancy of 10 years or so, and that looks like the rot is more than 10 years old alone.

 

[andrei_0]

The boat is about 30-40 years old, and the "rubber" is hypalon. It's my first boat, and yes, i'm planning on floating on local "duck ponds" and canals. If I can make it float, the meanest form of propulsion hanging from that transom will be an electric motor, as internal combustion engines are generally not allowed on the local lakes.

Eventually I'd like a new boat with a decent motor, but I have no experience whatsoever and no clue about what my needs are and what to buy. So I'm hoping I can get this thing on the water for this season and get my feet wet (not literally though ). Also, I guess the whole experience of getting it fixed will teach me a bit about boats and what to look for in a new/slightly used one.

Save​

 

[GA_Boater]

Does it hold air? You may be fixing one thing and then finding the next problem. 30-40 years is a long time.

Moving this into the Inflatable section for the guys with strong lungs to give you a hand. :smile:

 

[Sea Rider]

Pure crap inflatable, roll it up and put it inside a big container outside your house. Bear in mind that although can re glue back most parts that have become unglued, internal seams, air bafffles will fail soon after if not already shot. Fabric should be dry, hardened, porous, no matter if it's Hypalon made.

Happy Boating

 

[Scott Danforth]

The boat is about 30-40 years old, and the "rubber" is hypalon.

After 30-40 years, its no longer rubber as the elastomer has long since deteriorated. that is 20-30 years past its life. unlike an aluminum, wood, or fiberglass boats, inflatables dont get refurbed. they are a one-time-use thing.... kind of like a prophylactic

as Sea Rider stated, put it in the big container outside.

 

[andrei_0]

About the air holding: You are right, before proceeding with anything else, this is what I am trying to figure out at the moment. One tube and the inflatable keel are holding air (I inflated them 3 days ago and they are still ok). The other tube has a broken valve so I'm not sure. I ordered a new valve and I'm waiting for it to be delivered.

 

[GA_Boater]

Can you use the good valve from the keel or tube for a test of the other tube?

 

[andrei_0]

No, I'd have to cut the tube to get the good valve out, and the cut the other tube to put it in. And I also don't have any glue to patch the cut. The glue will come with the new valves I ordered, so I have to wait.

 

[Sea Rider]

If plan giving its last chance, inflate/deflate each tube separately & gradually inside a garage to at least 2.0 PSI, that's with a pressure gauge. The adjacent tube must not be inflated whatsoever, if so, middle air baffle is shot. All air bafffles should hold air properly independently from each one.

With all tubes inflated to 3.0 PSI, perform a soappy water test to check if material is not porous, cracked, seams holds air well. Be aware that being such an oldie, seams could pop. 3.0 PSI is the minimum air pressure to test efficiently any inflatable condition. It's like doing a periodic pressure test on a scuba tank in order to keep using it safely.

You can always use an inflatable which has ardeady shot air baffles, the issue, will have 2-3 deflated tubes at same time instead than just one which can put boaters in jeopardy if that situation ever happens while boating.

Evaluate if still good to invest money on it, re gluing transom as factory delivered it's a tough PITA hand labor time demanding job if not sufficiently skilled, cost prohibited if sent to a inflatable boat repair shop.

Happy Boating

 

[andrei_0]

Aye aye captain! Will do exactly as you suggest, thanks for the advice!

 

[Sea Rider]

You're welcome,

Just for the record as never have worked with such oldies, post results if found tubes, baffles, fabric material doing their homework. If still ok, pressure test passed can go from there..

Happy Boating