Polyethylene dinghy - Custom attachments / Eye Pads

[StoneCrab]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

A technique I've used to fill a void between two walls is ... shoot some ordinary construction spray foam in through the hole to fill the void in the area of the fitting. Once set it's sufficiently incompressible to do the job - providing you have backing plates on BOTH sides.

Construction foam works great against wood, but against plastic, or rubber, I've had a number of failures where it starts expanding, you think you're good and walk away. After coming back, instead of foam inside, it is just a gooey syrup.

A good example was my genius idea to fill the wheel barrow tire with construction foam.... never did get that to work. I think if I took the tire off the rim and carved out the center later, I might have had some luck. I could give other examples but every time I sprayed into an enclosed space or against plastic or rubber... no go.

I looked for possible causes and concluded that the construction foam reacts with moisture and air in order to cure. In an enclosed space, it runs out of both.

There are two part foams that would probably work. I see them for sale in the pro section of the box stores, but have no experience.

[Manateeman]

Hi. Talked to the Plexus guys. It’s basically a no go because the prep requires chemical or flame etch. The screw out deck plates will let you bolt the folding pad eye and backing plate and you’ll have access to a little storage area.
The builders of this and other plastic boats might have a few tricks to share.
Happy trails to you.
Mark and his always hungry manatee friends

[CF32907]

Originally Posted by GwalarnYacht

I'm owning a cheap polyethylene dinghy which proofed to be very stable and robust. One disadvantage of this bargain buy is that all eye pads to attach lines are not very well designed and placed. I'm planning now to modify it to my needs, adding a heavy duty stainless steel padeye at the bow just above the waterline (to pull it behind my sailing boat on short journeys) and also some strong attachments to lift it up on deck using a halyard.

I'm looking for tips on how to work with polyethylene, especially waterproofing / sealing screw holes near the waterline, or maybe on methods to avoid drilling holes at all?

Attachment 223714

I've been looking for these dinghy's for months, seen them on Pintrist. Love to get one, but only found them in India. Thanks, Capt. Vince Rakstis, Ret.

[onestepcsy37]

If the builders are local you might want to talk to them. Like stonecrab above I also tried the one part foam in an enclosed space and it never set. Two part foam did set.

[SV__Grace]

We have a Portland Pudgy and it's 135 lbs, 8' LOA.

We love this hard dink for many reasons, one is that it's double hulled with lots of water tight opening ports to store stuff in the sides of the hull (the bottom is foam flotation that makes this boat unsinkable). We store the oars, anchor, running lights, rope, locks (we use bike cable locks), manual pump, ponchos (for getting caught in the rain), etc, all nicely stowed and easily accessible.

It's really well made with backing plates for everything. We do have davits and the 4 lifting rings mounted on the lower sides have pulled the side of the hull up and out a bit. While it looks distressing, upon inspection the backing plates are holding well and there's no cracks or splits (yet).

If you were to cut open the hull from the inside to install fittings and backing plates, you can install water tight opening ports such as this or this and store stuff in the hull.