Pencil Duck.com l Inflatable Catamaran Community

So I've been hitting some waves recently and apparently my co-pilot ate a few too many slices of pizza before we went out.  The passenger side floor has dropped by a couple inches along where the two floorboards join together.  

I've got some 2 part PVC glue and will be trying to get it back to level.  If anyone has any tips on this let me know.  Right now I think I have to deflate the top tube a decent amount to get it to move upwards.  Currently from the bottom trying to push up gets me nowhere.

Glue should be in later this week and I'll post up how it works out.  Hopefully not a big issue.

(http://gnartown.com/images/99.JPG)

My friend just hit me with this wealth of information.  Hope to see him on here soon!  And for my glue to arrive  :-\

If it's just in that one area of the floorboards rubber strips and the others are still glued tight on either ends, I'd just take the engine off the boat, the boat off the trailer and lay it in a clean dry level place to work on.

Depending on the gap size, you may or may not have to take the floor boards out. If you do, you'll need to deflate the boat totally.

You can press the stem valves in and turn right at the same time and they should stay open, you can also put a shop vac on and suck all the air out. Grab or pry the boards where they meet in the middle. If you have to use tools, plastic bike tire leavers (the one's for change flats with) work good for helping to pry up, (also for putting the floor back in).

Now is a good time to repaint the floor boards.

To glue the boards rubber strips back on you'll need to remove all the old glue with some 150 sandpaper and by wiping it clean a few times with cloth dampened with Acetone. You can use MEK but be careful it's strong stuff and will soften up other glued areas, it's better to use MEK on things just before you glue them back together.

With everything all cleaned, you need to put the floorboards back in if you had to take them out.

Roll the rubber strips open and slide the back board under the transom and the front board up in the bow with the aluminum bar on in the middle so it looks like a teepee. Keep working the rubber strips up over each boards sides, use the plastic bike levers to aid and begin pushing down in the middle of the floor to get it down to lay flat.

Inflate the boat to the point were it's getting firm but you can still move the rubber strips open off the tubes from where they need to be glued back on. You can tape off the area with painters masking tape to help keep things neat.

Mixed PVC glue has a long pot life if you keep it covered, so mix up the PVC glue in a plastic container that has a lid, (I use empty yogurt containers). Use popsicle sticks for stirring, grab a bunch of plumbers flux brushes for spreading, and a couple of West System syringes for injecting glue into tight spots. Have some clean rags, Acetone or MEK for wiping and cleaning up mess. A hairdryer and some type of pusher tool with a rounded edge to roll out any air bubbles and help push the rubber strip back into place.

Just before spreading any glue, lightly wipe both sides with MEK. This is going to soften the PVC fabric and rubber strip making it easier to work with and almost melting the surface so your getting a welded fusion effect when you spread the first layer of glue on.

Brush a thin layer of glue on both surfaces and let it set up for 30min (it should be fairly dry but not cured). Do the same thing again, and coat a 3^rd time and wait until it gets tacky then start pushing things back together starting from one side to the other end.

Think of it as your making two sticky objects that your taping it together, not gluing it.

If the 3^rd coat dried out before you could put it all together, you could spread a very thin 4^th coat or reactivate it by wiping it with a cloth dampened with MEK or use a hairdryer to heat both surfaces and press them back together.

You may have to raise the air pressure in the tubes to get everything to press the floor up against the rubber strips back all into place and to get any wrinkles out of the material.

Things should go like you had double sided tape on each object and you just press them together. Everything should stay where you put it permanently. Try and be neat, if you get excess out on unintended places, wipe it off with a damp cloth of Acetone or MEK.

It sets up strong in about 12hrs. It will keep curing for about a week but can be used in about 48hrs.

That is some really good information on gluing up the PVC.  I think it will help alot of people out.  Hope your friend joins up soon!!  ;D