used G2 - worth repairing?

[byron]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading this forum for some time, finally got myself a beautiful used Aleut about six weeks ago, fell in love with it, and promptly had it stolen from me at one of Michigan's fine state parks last weekend (the topic for another post...). Now I can't bear going through summer without a folbot and have found a couple selling a 1991 G2 - cheap! - that I just might buy. I haven't looked at it yet, but they say the skin needs replacement, citing a 2 inch tear in the hull, as well as water 'seeping through' the hull in a couple spots on their recent paddle.

From what I've read here, simple abrasions and tears can be fixed easilly, but does the hypaplon acually degrade, crack or 'thin' over time? Can I likely repair a worn hull with generous applications of aquaseal and patches as I've read others do, or is there a point where a 20 year old skin (even one stored dry and never attacked by piranhas) is too far gone?

I'm just curious what projects others have taken on with used folbots, to give me a better idea if this one's salvagable before I likely see it this coming weekend.

Thanks!
B

[Dickc]

Call or email Folbot and find out what a new skin would cost. Then look at the boat and see if it looks like the skin is repairable. That will give you 2 options. Another option is to contact Ken Hartlan on this forum and see if he wants to sell the skin that I sold him for $20 a couple of years ago. It's in good shape, the hull feenforcement strips are installed. The red deck is faded and it needs the stern casting where the rudder attaches. You can buy that from Folbot probably pretty cheap.

Dickc

[flatwater]

Definitely worth repairing.
Hypalon lasts for decades.
Folbot sells a good repair kit and if you need a really big piece of Hypalon to fix a big tear in the hull, they'll happily cut a piece the size you need. You can get Hypalon with adhesive on the back or not. The Hull Reinforcement Strips come with adhesive already - I"ve used scraps of that for smal patches. For a big piece, you'll probably get the not-sticky type and use the adhesive of your choice. My brain's gone blank or I would recommend some names. Chime in here people, I can't remember the best adhesive for Hypalon. Help.

[byron]

Well, I ended up buying it the other day. (Just tried loading pics but the file was too large...) And the hull is not going to win a beauty contest. There are three tears about an inch or so each, but the general condition of the hull is the concern. Many abraded areas, some with the hypalon worn enough that strands/tufts of fabric are showing. Many areas just have a dried out snakeskin kind of look to it, just 'crackly' and weak looking.

On the one hand I thought I should save my money, as I see G2s sometimes showing up for under a thousand. (Here's one for $350 in Flagstaff: http://flagstaff.craigslist.org/boa/1817969361.html )
But at $200 this was all I could afford now, so I thought I'd give it a try, knowing that Folbot quoted this couple $1300 for a new skin and I could do that down the road. The frame's great (not a busted rivet to be seen), so I basically bought myself a great frame and a crappy skin. (Though I got paddles, rudder, cart, etc, too)

So - now to see if I can revive this hull and get some more life out of it.

I've read through strings here on repairs, and see that patching the tears aren't a big deal, but I'd like to add another 'layer' of something over most of the hull, as its in poor condition all over. Is there anything I can coat over the hull to seal it and make stronger? Should I just get a couple jars of aqualseal polycoat or is there something else you'd recommend?

I'm tempted to try this 'Eternabond' roofing tape mentioned in this Cooper repair thread:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3732&p=24150&hilit=cooper+patches#p24150
but he cautions its use on Hypalon...

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I talked to Wanda at Folbot already and she just suggested the standard repair kit and keel strips...

Thanks,
Byron

[al09]

Many areas just have a dried out snakeskin kind of look to it, just 'crackly' and weak looking.

This is what you asked about 20 years old skin that is too far gone. "Dry rot" or whatever it's called. Polymer coat has lost elasticity and crackles and peels off.

I'd like to add another 'layer' of something over most of the hull, as its in poor condition all over. Is there anything I can coat over the hull to seal it and make stronger?

No, there isn't anything. It's dead, man. Get another skin.

[davekru]

That is a bizarre and wholly nasty condition that skin has. Hypalon is really tough, and very UV resistant. Hard to imagine the mistreatment which would leave the skin in that condition.

You'll be investing a lot of time and elbow grease makng it good.

[spoonido]

If you can, post a good photo of the worst of it so the "doctors" here can have a look. Sounds like the skin is toast to me.

[Ken Hartlein]

I have a used red faded GII skin that I would sell cheap. Oops, I can't post that here.

[cssmith]

there's also a g II on ebay with 2 skins that appear to be in good shape. Perhaps that seller could be talked into selling one skin seperately from the boat, though that may be more headaches than dealing with a forum member. Where's that for sale section go again?

[ozarque]

I kind of went through the same quandary about getting a skin on a boat. I dreaded the idea of trying to make a questionable old skin fit and I also feared attempting to make a skin from scratch.
After careful deliberation and study for months, I finally made a skin for the non-folder.
It came out just fine and wasn't as hard as I had feared.
While the skin I made was not as good as a modern Folbot hypalon skin, it was still pretty good and my cash investment was about $75.
More can be spent for better materials and paint such as ballistic nylon and 2-part polyurethane paint.
I never made a skin for a folder; that would require a little more creativity.