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is it difficult to fix a tatty rubber dinghy?/

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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sjurba

Well-Known Member
Feb 9, 2010
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Got a 12 foot bombard on my hand, but it needs some tlc ,it's leaking and a couple of the valves are bugged and the rearcrossmember/ enginemount has come loose on one side. Is there any point going for this cind of project or is it doable if you're handy?
 
Iffy. You need to talk to someone who knows the quality of Bombard. A good quality inflatable is often worth fixing. A cheap one almost never is. Valves on most brands can be replaced, but check.

Type of fabric is a big issue. Hypalon is good, PVC is bad.

Leaks can be bad or no problem. A few holes are nothing, find'em, patch'em, no problem. General deterioration of the fabric is another matter, not fixable. You can extend the life with some of the liquid latex products that coat the inside of the floats. Can muck up the valves but works for a while. If you don't mind pumping air every time you use it, it may go a long time. The delamination of the rear cross member sounds bad, you need pick the brains of someone who has done that type of repair, not in my skill set. Repair success and longevity are probably related to how much engine you plan to use.

Finally, delamination like you describe is often associated with other serious damage, look carefully.

Good luck

Connor
 
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Reactions: Mr. X
Cheers! I will give it a thorough look,and check with someone in the know, before any purchase.
 
Bombard is apparently part of the zodiac family, so I guess it's ok ?
 
Don't know Bombard, but Zodiac built some famously bad inflatables, pvc fabric, a while back. Among other things, they came apart at the motor bulkhead and weren't fixable. Don't know what they are building now, but be careful. Note: this is all grapevine stuff and old, so more recent knowledge would be much more valuable. Hunt around the web and see if you can find some boards that comment on inflatables, cruising sailor boards would be good ones. Cruisers have lots of experience with keeping old dingys running. Even highly rated companies like Achilles or Novarania can build some bad ones. Knowledge is key.

Connor
 
hmm,its a early ninetyes this one,dont know if thats classified as "a while back"...going to look at it on friday,so we will see.defenetly going to find out what material its made in though.
 
Late 80s, maybe early 90s was when the models I know about were built. If its pvc, run away, fast.
 
Its re-enforced pvc I allways had the impression that zodiacs were top of the line boats... Ive been doin some internet reserch,and pvc is mendable,but difficult,especially around seams and convex shapes... Thats where this one is leaking. :/ Yet again a deal too good to be true,turns out to be a box of worries... Thanks for the advise, Im still going to check it out,but Ill leave it unless I can haggle the price down to something I can write off as experience.
 
Seems like a lot of name brands are cashing in on established reputations these days - devaluing them in the process (three German companies spring to mind).
 
Well, I eventualy found the time to have a look at it. And after carfull scrutination I found that it was the seals in the valves that was leaking,and the delimitation of the enginemount was not severe at all. So now I'm on the hunt for a cheap, reliable outboard 10-15 hp. Any suggestions? Ive heard that mariner is supposed to be good.
 

The major brands are all pretty good. Look for a newer four stroke one. It's worth to spend a little more to have an up to date and silent one.

If you at some time need to repair the boat, I can recommend the repair kit and glue from Zodiac. The glue is very strong and resistant if you strictly follow the user manual. I use this glue for a lot of different spearfishing applications.

Good luck finding a nice motor.

Jegwan
 
Don't dismiss 2 strokes. If you have to carry the engine any distance, 2 strokes are much lighter, have better acceleration and tend to be cheaper to buy. The 9.8hp tohatsu is a great motor if you can find one.
 
Two strokes are also easyer to work on, I've found a late eightees 15hp mariner that I might be able to swap for some polyesterwork on a boat,its supposed to be a good runner. Going to look at it this weekend,so well see.
 
I've had a 1980's 15hp Mariner on my 3.4m Avon. Really nice engine, light to move around and easy to work on (thankfully). All I would say is, try and get the newest model you can, find out its history and see if it has been cared for. My motor looked mint from the outside, but I had to open it up to fix a cooling issue after the first couple weeks of getting it. I found the waterways totally blocked with salt crust and sand, there was a big corrosion hole between the engine mount and the leg, the impeller was crudded up and the thermostat housing was corroded and ruined. Rebuilt it and sold it on.

I replaced it with a 45 year old British Seagull 4.5hp.
 
Nothing wrong with an old engine , my dad got a 71johnson 4hp that has never missed a beat,and Ive got a. Seventees Yamaha 3,5hp I was going to use for lake fishing. But I would like to have some more omph when going out with a boat full of spearoes.
 
Since when was PVC bad? Only case for hypalon against PVC as far as I know is UV resistance... Not as big a problem here in Norway as Florida I imagine and not a concern at all if you pack the boat up and store it after use, or give the boat a lick of UV resistant paint.

When it comes to repairs, the construction methods have a lot of say. Glued seems on the cheaper models are less sturdy but easier to repair. Welded seems are harder to repair but tend to last a lot longer.
The joins between the transom and sponsons are also problematic on cheaper constructed boats, the plastic bits in the join are a nightmare to attach again if they loosen. Much better if the sponsons are attached directly to the transom.
Old plywood transoms are often worth replacing as well if water is being absorbed.
 
Is there any point in continuing down this road,or should.I save up for a newer/cleaner engine?
 

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Save for a better/cleaner engine. Thats what mine looked like when I opened it up. If its that bad in the areas you can see, then its going to be worse in the places you can't.
 
Problem with old pvc tubes are not leaks per se but the the UV damage. It will create millions of tiny pin holes that make it impossible to repair. Fill the chambers with foam or fiberglass the tubes is what most would do if new tubes are too expensive. Will cost a few hundred in fiberglass tho!
 
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