[OutbackDee]

Geez, i finally mustered up the courage to install the downrigger and a square centre hatch in my old model Hobie outback.

As I cut through that polyethylene I quietly repeated to myself "dont f#@k this up ... dont f#@k this up ..." . When it was all over I breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to share a few things that I learned about the wonders of sikaflex. Oh how I should have asked the great minds here first but unfortunately i decided to install it whilst on holidays where no internet connection was to be found.

Lesson#

1. Dont buy Sikaflex from bunnings if they dont sell the nozzle. Other places sell this sikaflex stuff you just have to look harder!

2. Let sikaflex cure before cleaning up the overspills etc. when you clean up large blobs with alcohol prior to curing you will just smudge the damn stuff and change its consistency to something that can no longer be easily pryed off the hull.

3. triple check that the screws + scotty mount+ backing plate + holes in kayak all align correctly because when it doesn't re-drilling with sikaflex on the backing plate (excessive amounts mind you due to my lack of knowledge) and testing of alignment will cause one self to swear profusely and allow one self to be covered in sikaflex

4. although i said let it cure first it is possible to clean small amounts of sikaflex with alcohol (and when i say small i mean small smudges not blobs). oh yeah and alcohol removes it from skin.

5. Maybe i should have used marine grade clear silicone to install the centre hatch? i dunno? i used it to add a final seal to the outer rim of the hatch and it was a lot easier to work with

6. Make sure you work in a ventilated area. Sikaflex stinks of chemical!

Tools and bits used:

-Elbo Grease and little know how :shock:
-Dremmel tool copy from dick smith (these things are very handy)
-Cordless drill with drill bits and screw bits (maybe something powerfull enough to drill through thin metal if you have a backing plate in mind)
-Hammer and Centre hole punch
-Card board to trace template
-spanners to hold the nut while screwing the bolt in (i forgot the spanner and man this was probably the most painful part of the install - trying to grip the stainless steel nut covered in sikaflex with rusted pliers)

Anyways here's the pics:

Wires are for the sounder wiring which i also installed. My other half decided that since the FF was for xmas then it cant be opened till xmas so I negotiated and was able to install the bits so come xmas i connect it all up and I'm off.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!! :lol:

 

[hairymick]

G'day OBD

good post mate. and a good job.

sikaflex is an absolute bitch to get off hey. :lol:

couple of tips if you don't mind.

1. measure and mark everything at least twice - and then check again

2. Cut once

3. Dry fit everything first. (including screw holes)

4. Remove everything to be installed

5. Then apply sika and re-install

6. Dremels (or similar) are Gods gift to the DIYer

 

[hairymick]

Oh yeah,

Merry Christmas to you too mate.

 

[OutbackDee]

next time i will consult you guys before doing any other hair brain projects! :lol:

 

[bazzoo]

top fit out dee, takes guts to make that first cut, all worked out nice and neat

 

[RedPhoenix]

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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[Dodge]

OD my favorite people are the ones who do major customising of the yak, particularly one as big as you undertook, with a major plastic attack.

Bunnings usually hide the Sika nozzles under the counter in the paint mix area rather than with the other standard sealant nozzles on public view; when I asked why, the girl told me Sika charge Bunnings $1.10 per nozzle and people take a few with each cartridge

A clean up tip I use is to dry fit the fitting and edge the deck with masking tape, and when you later screw down the sealant oozes onto the tape which you can the peel off in one sweep.

Great work mate :wink:

 

[Gator]

Hi:

My suggestion is that you use Meth, not alchohal to clean up. Drink the alchohal

Scrape off excess and then carefully clean up with the Meth.

Also if you are trying to smooth the sikaflex use water with a good dollop of dishwashing liquid in it. This will give you a nice clean (no pun) surface if you are say filling a hole or smothing around a plate or something. And it will not screw up the sikaflex curing as it will if you try to do the same thing with meth.

 

[OutbackDee]

note to self, keep internet handy when embarking on kayak moddnig adventures! :lol:

thanks heaps for the extra tips everyone! Will chase up bunnings regarding sikaflex nozzles as i just realised i stuck my transducer on backwards! HA :lol: doesnt matter as i wasnt happy with the blob of sika i first did.

wish me luck!

 

[Jake]

Mate, Ive drilled about 30 holes in my Outback by now, but THAT takes some guts. To rip into her belly like that. I have known about this hatch mod for a long time but have never had the guts to do it, despite my fondness to wield the old cordless drill.
Well done, and seasons greetings!
Cheers,
Jake

 

[JT]

6. Dremels (or similar) are Gods gift to the DIYer

What on earth is a Dremel? Sounds like a '70s model Pontiac or something.
And how does one use it? I become concerned when I hear of a tool that runs off electricity that I don't own (does it run off leccy?)

JT

 

[Gator]

JT:

get yourself into Bunnings or the like and check out the dremel. It is an Inspector Gadget Wonder tool. you name it, it does it, well almost anyway.

More on sikaflex. As the nozzels are horded! When you are finished and have only used up part of the tube or even if you use up the tube; if you let the sikaflex go off completely in the nozzel and then you can poke it out and reuse it - don't throw them away! cap off the part used tube and it will keep for some time - or leave the nozzel on and when you want to use it again just take the nozzel off and replace it with the one you saved from last time and let it dry out too. The stuff does not stick to the plastic nozzel.

WHY IS THIS BLOODY POST SO
DARN WIDE :?: :?: :?:

 

[Dodge]

cap off the part used tube and it will keep for some time - or leave the nozzel on and when you want to use it again just take the nozzel off and replace it with the one you saved from last time and let it dry out too. The stuff does not stick to the plastic nozzel.

On the same theme as Duncan's..... for reusing a sealant cartridge later.

After use I remove the nozzle, place a piece of plastic bag across the thread end of the cartridge, and screw the nozzle back on to hold it in place for storage.

Next time you want it, when the bag is removed, the cartridge is as new to use with any nozzle back in place