Gunwale rubber application

[Scuba]

Hi still working on my maricat #668 Got new gunwale rubber from Bris Cat centre.

Whats the technique for affixing it? I heard you have to heat and streach it, can anyone expand on how ..etc?

Thanks in advance, Mark

[humungus2]

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FITTING GUNWALE.

Yes there is a special way to do the job.

It is a two person job.

1 . Firstly drill hole in ends of the gunwhale rubber that will fit under the bow casting.

2 . Then a half way mark on the rubber.

3. The rubber now needs to be heated. This can be done by placing the rubber in a box an cutting a hole in it an insert a hair dryer. The rubber needs to be" hot" so it will stretch.

4. When the rubber is ready connect one end to the bow casting. As one person stretches the rubber the other inserts Sikaflex in the gunwhale rubber. Ensure the rubber is fitting correctly as it is stretched. The half way mark is use as a guide to meet at the transom.

5.Continue down the other side till it meets with the bow casting.

Make sure it fitting correctly everywhere..

6. Clean off any excess Sikaflex now with Acetone. The transom corner can now be reheated with a hair dryer if they are not fitting perfectly.

7.Let the boat sit for a day or two before using.

More instructions

Hi, we heat it in a box with a heat gun (hairdryer might do)

But don't put heat directly on gunwhale rubber, we curl it up in the box and put heat in middle.

Then when it is hot, that you just cant touch we start putting it on with sikaflex.

One person is putting sikaflex on, the other putting it on boat, then the third person is stretching it out in front of them about 2-3 m away.

The rubber is 6-7 m long and around hull is 8.8 m or something, so as it is hot you are stretching it, then as it cools it shrinks on to gunwhale giving a tighter fit.

You then get some acetone and clean all of that sticky white stuff off.

Mick

Maricat Catamarans NSW