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Polymer or steelcoat
- Thread starter jim
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
That is a good question, if you are planning to run ground it's great but the added pounds and the shape it leave your bottom hurt the preformancein the water. I lost 10 miles a hour on my speed,but help alot in helping me to go places I could'nt go. If you just want to make the bottom slid better put on steel flex,frog spit,you will out run the boats with polyamere on them,they will run gound better but you boat will handle betterin the water.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I like the fact that polymer is added protection on the bottom of the boat and you ware it out before you ware out the hull. but think about all the holes in the boat you need about 360 holes per sheet and it could last 5 years where steel flex or frog spit might last 1 season then you have to take the boat apart and put more on it.
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
I think the polymer adds lots of strength to the hull especially when you hit unexpected objects in the water (rocks) or if you are running the ground. I saw too many hulls during the early 1990s with the hull indented between the ribs from running across ground and hit fire ant mounds.
I can't even imagine runnin without polymer. If I stayed in the water steeflex, owl spit, frog snot or whatever may work but not for they way I run. Now as for polymer slowin you down ... well if it does it is probably a good thing for me I clocked mine at 70 today by gps and probably could have got more but it was really windy and the drifting got the best of me cause at full throttle there is very little room for corrections. I truly believe that the installation is critical on the polymer, it has to be tight to the hull and any edges need to be cut on a angle to help with snaggin it and really havin a major problem. I wouldnt stop the polymer below the water line at the front of the boat and never have a seam runnin across the boat. any seams should be lengthwise ones as if it comes loose it would be like a scoop if it went across the hull. the weight is no big deal compared to the protection it affords. But thats just my opinions.
Those fireant mounds are very dangerous. It sounds silly but pay attention to them. I did an accident survey where a kid was killed by hittin one on his fourwheeler and it flipped, of course he had no helmet and was going about 50 mph. His parents were suing the fourwheeler manufacturer. I hit one while chasing a hog to throw the dog on him and was airborne for about 30 feet. So don't take them lightly they are a real threat to look out for.
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
Agree with all the statements made above. Installation of polymer is the key. Wondering who has had good experiences and who has had bad ones with poly installers.
One of the reasons for the popularity of "slick bottom" is that the install is a no-brainer and many are making a little $ putting it on. I need to locate a polymere "PRO" so that the install does not ruin the performance of my boats.
Sign me: Tired of Patchin' Holes.
One of the reasons for the popularity of "slick bottom" is that the install is a no-brainer and many are making a little $ putting it on. I need to locate a polymere "PRO" so that the install does not ruin the performance of my boats.
Sign me: Tired of Patchin' Holes.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Big Daddy, I think there is still much to be learned about installing poly. It makes absolutely no sense to me to build a beautiful new hull, and then punch it full of holes.
I'm still not convinced that a polymer bottom can't be glued on. There is a process out there somewhere that will do it, and the first person to come up with it will have the airboat industry beating a path to his door. If we can glue ceramic tiles onto a space shuttle, then we can glue a sheet of polymer to the bottom of an airboat.
BF
I'm still not convinced that a polymer bottom can't be glued on. There is a process out there somewhere that will do it, and the first person to come up with it will have the airboat industry beating a path to his door. If we can glue ceramic tiles onto a space shuttle, then we can glue a sheet of polymer to the bottom of an airboat.
BF
cowboy
Moderator
Polymer pros:
Slides really well on most ground surfaces, like adding instant horsepower.
Adds a great deal of ruggedness to any hull, added protection from damage.
Much, much more durable than epoxy coatings.
Polymer cons:
Added weight, depends on size of hull.
Can not be operated if damaged. boat can be operated in limp in mode, or should be.
Added expense to purchase, and install.
Difficult, and expensive to replace. Especially on full decked boats.
Could be dangerous if not installed, and fastened properly.
Some types will age quickly in the sun, and become brittle, crack, and come off the boat. The sun may wear out the polymer, before your boat does.
Epoxy pros:
Much lighter than a sheet (s) of polymer.
No holes in the hull.
Inexpensive to purchase and install. Could be as little as $100 if self performed.
Easily /quickly repaired when damaged or worn without professional assistance.
Can be performed with-out dismantling the boat.
Can continue to operate with damage.
Epoxy cons:
Does not add much structural toughness to any particular hull.
Many believe it is not as slick as polymer sheets.
Will need constant refurbishment when used under frequent rough running environments.
These are just my thoughts on this matter, so you all decide whats right for you. Have fun.
Slides really well on most ground surfaces, like adding instant horsepower.
Adds a great deal of ruggedness to any hull, added protection from damage.
Much, much more durable than epoxy coatings.
Polymer cons:
Added weight, depends on size of hull.
Can not be operated if damaged. boat can be operated in limp in mode, or should be.
Added expense to purchase, and install.
Difficult, and expensive to replace. Especially on full decked boats.
Could be dangerous if not installed, and fastened properly.
Some types will age quickly in the sun, and become brittle, crack, and come off the boat. The sun may wear out the polymer, before your boat does.
Epoxy pros:
Much lighter than a sheet (s) of polymer.
No holes in the hull.
Inexpensive to purchase and install. Could be as little as $100 if self performed.
Easily /quickly repaired when damaged or worn without professional assistance.
Can be performed with-out dismantling the boat.
Can continue to operate with damage.
Epoxy cons:
Does not add much structural toughness to any particular hull.
Many believe it is not as slick as polymer sheets.
Will need constant refurbishment when used under frequent rough running environments.
These are just my thoughts on this matter, so you all decide whats right for you. Have fun.
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
Cowboy - good quick summary there.
Just for those of us who have never been around the stufff, do you mind telling how you patch the worn spots on the bottom without disassembling the hull and flipping her over. I am sure someone would appreciate it.
Big Feather - Gluing it would be the way to go. There is good stuff out there that will bond metal together, but that polymer might be tough to get something to stick to. And then replacing it might require a new hull. And our wives would love to hear that. :lol:
And I would hope that the glue would work alittle better than the glue on the shuttle :shock:, if not i could see the polymer popping loose after hitting a rock or fireant mound.
But I agree, there has to be a better way.
Just for those of us who have never been around the stufff, do you mind telling how you patch the worn spots on the bottom without disassembling the hull and flipping her over. I am sure someone would appreciate it.
Big Feather - Gluing it would be the way to go. There is good stuff out there that will bond metal together, but that polymer might be tough to get something to stick to. And then replacing it might require a new hull. And our wives would love to hear that. :lol:
And I would hope that the glue would work alittle better than the glue on the shuttle :shock:, if not i could see the polymer popping loose after hitting a rock or fireant mound.
But I agree, there has to be a better way.
Croc1
Well-known member
BF how would you replace it! I saw a show the other night on the discovery channel on glues I am sure they have one! they even have one for construction that they used to glue 2 pieces of steel together and when they pulled them apart the steel ripped . all good points about polymer stated above I wouldnt run without polymer unless I was racing .I have also used steel flex to bring life back to my old john boat it got me a few more years out of the leaky loose rivited boat
blackpowderscout
Well-known member
MMP...do you mean slick bottom???
If so, you can empty your tank and just ease the whole boat over on to its side and tie her off to a tree or whatever is handy. Then fix your spot and let it dry.
Or if your lucky, you can just drop the boat off the trailor until you reach the bad spot and crawl underneath.
Hope this helps.
BTW, I see this is an old thread that popped up again but it is very useful for those with questions.
Adam
If so, you can empty your tank and just ease the whole boat over on to its side and tie her off to a tree or whatever is handy. Then fix your spot and let it dry.
Or if your lucky, you can just drop the boat off the trailor until you reach the bad spot and crawl underneath.
Hope this helps.
BTW, I see this is an old thread that popped up again but it is very useful for those with questions.
Adam
A
Anonymous
Guest
Croc1 and Pat, my thinking on that is to grind or power plane the old sheet to level it up, but leave it attached if it's still secure and then overlay it with a new thin sheet (1/4") using the same adhesive.
Gouges could be filled with a mixture of ground poly and adhesive?
K.
Gouges could be filled with a mixture of ground poly and adhesive?
K.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Croc1,
Wow .... that might be awesome. Good thinkin :wink: !
You might even be able to put it on with foam rollers instead of brushes, and with some drying between coats, build it up as thick as you wanted, where you wanted.
BF
Wow .... that might be awesome. Good thinkin :wink: !
You might even be able to put it on with foam rollers instead of brushes, and with some drying between coats, build it up as thick as you wanted, where you wanted.
BF
A
Anonymous
Guest
Croc, one of your other comments reminded me of something ....
I have a friend who has an old Grumman riveted aluminum canoe. He took it to one of the places that installs spray-in bed liners in pickups and had the inside of it sprayed. No more leaks, and the boat is a lot quieter now, and non-slip inside.
BF
I have a friend who has an old Grumman riveted aluminum canoe. He took it to one of the places that installs spray-in bed liners in pickups and had the inside of it sprayed. No more leaks, and the boat is a lot quieter now, and non-slip inside.
BF
Airboatcapt2
Well-known member
I spoke with a guy last year that claims to have the product and is working on the patent. However, I know I'm not going to experiment with something that could kill one of our customers. The idea of it coming off if too great. Replacement is also a big issue that could become a problem. I think the way we put it on now is great. We use aluminum rivits instead of nuts and bolts or screws. We love it. It's alot of work and takes time but has worked great for our customers.
I don't know about the rivet thing. Saw a guy in Hernando one day that had riveted polymer on a fiberglass hull and had a partial failure. As for polymer, it is a polyethelene product and over the years I have worked with and welded a lot of high density polyethelene pipe, flat stock, and liners and the only thing we could get to stick to it was another piece of the same.
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Anonymous
Guest
Barhopper, we need your experience on this thread. Is polyetylene available in a liquid?
BF
BF