Tag Archives: G/flex

Patch Holes in Aluminum Boats with G/flex Epoxy

by Rob Monroe

Above: 12oz fiberglass is used to patch holes in an aluminum boat. Fiberglass patches for both the inside and outside of the hull were wet out with G/Flex 650.

When we started testing G/flex Epoxy as a solution to leaky seams and rivets in aluminum boats, we put out a company-wide call for test boats. John Kennedy offered his old 15′ Michi-Craft canoe, saying he would bring it down from his cabin at the end of hunting season. Not smiling, he asked a few weeks later “just how big a repair we could handle.” It turned out John jack-knifed his utility trailer on an icy road, punching a fist-sized hole in the stern quarter of the canoe. Ouch. Continue reading →

Fix Leaking Rivets in Aluminum Boats with G/flex 650

We have a video demonstrating aluminum boat repair: Fixing Leaking Rivets in an Aluminum Boat.

We wanted to experiment with using G/flex to fix leaking aluminum boats. I was quite surprised to find that every aluminum boat owner I talked to said they had some sort of leak. Within three hours, I had several co-workers volunteer their aluminum boats for the experimental fix using G/flex. Continue reading →

G/flex Shoe Repair

A Step in the Right Direction

by Julie Jezowski

Above: The cracked sole of Julie’s favorite boot prior to this G/flex shoe repair.

My good ol’ faithful boots (meaning they’re old and need to be thrown out but I just can’t do it) blew a deep crack in each sole. I figured what a great time to try out our G/flex Epoxy. Continue reading →

Repairing a Hockey Stick

by Captain James R. Watson

Above: The final step in this hockey stick repair is applying a layer of fiberglass tape to the repair area with G/flex 650 for additional reinforcing.

Ice hockey sticks are exposed to cold temperatures plus high shock forces from contact with the puck as well as with the ice and skates. Hockey sticks can be wood/fiberglass laminates or composites of carbon fiber or aramid. The stick blades often chip and split with use and have to be repaired (or else replaced at $50–$150 each). A customer who repairs and maintains hockey sticks for a local team had been using a conventional epoxy for repairs and found that it often chipped under such use. Continue reading →

Plastic Boat Repairs

By Tom Pawlak

Editor’s note: this article was written in 2000, years before we formulated G/Flex 655 epoxy which has superior performance with plastics. The basic plastic boat repair methods described here still represent best practices, but for optimal results use these methods with G/flex 655 epoxy on plastics.

Molded plastic canoes and kayaks are incredibly tough and durable. Occasionally though people damage them and call us for repair recommendations. Considering that plastic film is often used as a mold release for epoxy, you can see what we’re up against when we try to bond to it. Continue reading →

Bonding a Skeg to a Polyethylene Kayak

By Chris Maples

Editor’s note: this article was written in 2000, years before we formulated G/Flex 655 epoxy which has superior performance with plastics. The basic plastic boat bonding methods described here still represent best practices, but for optimal results use these methods with G/flex 655 epoxy on plastics.

The hull shape of a white water kayak is not designed for tracking well in open water. Since I do most of my kayaking on open water and flatter rivers, I decided to mount a skeg on the hull to make it track better. This is pretty simple if you own a wood or fiberglass boat, but can be more challenging on a polyethylene kayak. Continue reading →

Durable, Beautiful Teak

By The Teak Connection

When it comes to meeting the challenges of the marine environment, no wood so nicely fits the bill as teak. Teak is a strong, hard, rot-resistant material. A naturally oily wood, teak will withstand the assault of the marine environment better than any other wood species. Teak is well suited for a variety of interior and exterior applications—from elegant teak and holly cabin soles to rugged toerails and handrails. Oiled, varnished or left natural, teak presents a rich, subtle beauty that is synonymous with traditional watercraft and quality. Continue reading →

A Teak Wheel in a Weekend

By Ray Locke

This is a project which will give your stainless steel helm’s wheel a beautiful wooden look, a softer and sturdier feel. Mine looks great and, with a new teak cockpit table, really improves the look of the helm station. It is done by wrapping the wheel with pieces of teak that have been hollowed out and rounded over, then epoxied together. The end product feels heavier than the stainless steel wheel, is about ½“ greater in diameter, and is beautiful. Continue reading →

Using Epoxy with Oak

Editor’s Note:

This article about epoxy and oak was originally published in early 1995, and is shared at Epoxyworks.com for historical purposes. A dozen years after this article was written, we developed G/flex epoxies, which are rubber toughened to withstand shock, vibration, expansion and contraction. G/flex epoxies adhere tenaciously to many difficult to bond substrates, including dense and oily wood species like oak. Continue reading →