Zodiac bottom leaks

[catmandoo]

I have a 12 year old Zodiac dinghy and it soon lets in water and I get wet feet . Tried turning upside down to repair leaks along the floor seam which is not welded but glued . Dinghy has been exposed to Med sun and sea .

What 's the best way forward ?

get procedure to fix leaks if there is one
or last resort buy new dinghy and have problem disposing of old without some one saying later " why did you throw that away ? Its repairable '

Anybody done it before ? Had a leaky bottom

 

[VicS]

I have a 12 year old Zodiac dinghy and it soon lets in water and I get wet feet . Tried turning upside down to repair leaks along the floor seam which is not welded but glued . Dinghy has been exposed to Med sun and sea .

What 's the best way forward ?

get procedure to fix leaks if there is one
or last resort buy new dinghy and have problem disposing of old without some one saying later " why did you throw that away ? Its repairable '

Anybody done it before ? Had a leaky bottom

Are you using the correct 2 apart adhesive. I suspect yours might be Hypalon if the seams are all glued

Loads of advice on the Polymarine website http://polymarineshop.com/index.php/about/

If it is Hypalon fix it you'll be unlikely to get another

But Hypalon or PVC can be glued using the correct procedures and adhesive

 

[SHUG]

After 12 years of rough and tumble and sun the bottom may be porous. I had a similar problem and had the floor replaced with heavy duty material.Lasted for many years after that.

 

[Jamesuk]

Hi, literally last week i used a 2 part glue to stick the floor at the bow that was leaking, actually it had come apart over a 50cm bow section so leaked ALOT took on water like a whale if we hit a wave

Anyway it being a zodiac and also 13 years old 1999. Inflated it, turned it upside down. Sanded back both sides then mixed the 2 part glue and put on 2 coats and then stuck them together. Because i did not have an weights i had inflated it so it wasp nice a solid (normal pressure) then chose to put the shore (chain we would put around a rock instead of rope, when anchoring in sme bays) chain over the seam then a load of mooring lines. 48 hours later it looks like a professional job.

Tips

Blue tape on the edge, stops glue from spreading to sponson. Acetone to prep area for glue. Then use a tooth brush to spread the glue. Remember less is more with two part glue. Too much and it wont stick properly

Hope is helps.

Ill send a photo of beofre and after but my stupid ipad wont let pme attach a photo.

 

[Talbot]

Having had an old zodiac and wet feet in the past, my problem was leakage around the transom hull joint.


I eventally solved the problem completely ............................................................................................................................................................. by buying a new one!

 

[catmandoo]

Are you using the correct 2 apart adhesive. I suspect yours might be Hypalon if the seams are all glued

Loads of advice on the Polymarine website http://polymarineshop.com/index.php/about/

If it is Hypalon fix it you'll be unlikely to get another

But Hypalon or PVC can be glued using the correct procedures and adhesive

Have two pack glue and material is PVC

 

[fastjedi]

This is a well known problem with old Zodiacs. I went through two seasons of gluing 6" to 12" sections of tube to floor joint with 2 pack glue, only to discover a breakthrough elsewhere a few weeeks later. I spent more on glue than the dinghy

As others have said, i fixed the problem once and for all with a replacement dinghy, but haven't had the heart to throw the old one away! With hindsight, I should have bought a big tin of glue, attempted to disconnect the floor and reglue in one job.