Carbon fibre self adhesive tape

[Rikds]

Watching the Ocean Race and see them using carbon tape for repairs. Is this prepreg or some other system? I could do with some! Where to buy?

 

[Martin_J]

I've not seen the videos you're referring to.. Was the tape for hull or sail repair?

Was it like the Kevlar sail repair tape from the local chandlery?

PSP Tapes Kevlar Sail Repair Tape | Force 4 Chandlery

 

[Rikds]

Some were sail repairs but it was the serious structural repairs that really impressed me.

 

[Martin_J]

Ah yes .. I do recall Alex Thompson doing some repairs to Hugo Boss during the Vendee Globe but they looked like they needed a certain amount of surface preparation first.

 

[thinwater]

The challenge is that even the best tape-type self-adhesives (3M VHB tape, for example) are limited to 10-25 PSI (Google it) prolonged strain before they begin to creep. For example, Kevlar sail repair tapes have to have the edges held down with polyester SA tape or they start to peal. The carbon adds some stiffness, but it is really not much stronger because of the SA limitation. If you think about what SA is (gummy, non-drying) it cannot be otherwise.

Perhaps it was more like a pre-mixed epoxy, that only required a packet to be crushed and mixed before applying. Patch kits are often like that. Something like that.

This series of repairs seemed pretty conventional. Boss repairs. Not to take ANYTHING away from Alex and his team!

 

[PeterV]

I think they were either using pre preg which needs keeping in a fridge and sets at ambient temperature or they were mixing epoxy on board and applying it to the carbon before applying to the repair. I think the latter is more likely, you mix the epoxy, put the tape on a plastic backing and roll the epoxy into the fibre, then peel the tape off and apply it to the repair.

 

[thinwater]

I think they were either using pre preg which needs keeping in a fridge and sets at ambient temperature or they were mixing epoxy on board and applying it to the carbon before applying to the repair. I think the latter is more likely, you mix the epoxy, put the tape on a plastic backing and roll the epoxy into the fibre, then peel the tape off and apply it to the repair.

Exactly. Often the neatest way to work, particularly in odd geometries, is to pre-wet the cloth and then apply, rolling it down. Much better on verticals and the only way overhead.