UHMW on a duck boat..has anyone tried it?

Matt_n_Barb

Matt_n_Barb

Well-known member
Hello to you all...

Has anyone put UHMW plastic in a thin sheet on the bottom of their duck boat to protect it from those rotten hull eating rocks and other lurking monsters? I know the air boaters use it and some drift boats.. I am sure weight is a factor, so to balance cost/weight(thickness)/performance(benefit) for the specific boat and location of use.

My airboat is plywood with polyester resin and glass with a 35 hp engine (put-put,,,no speed demon) and have thought about trying to firgure out a way to use it there.....plus dreaming of other projects of the duckie kind (Devlin Bluebill). I hunt the Snake River in Idaho and rocks are GRRrrrr if you aren't careful.

I could go aluminum hulled.....but that has the heart and soul of a rock....cold and hard.

Ray you seem have any ideas?
 
It sounds like a good idea if you use it in small strips...A good application would be to have some type of ice runner design in which stips will be placed on the bottom edges...It is impact resisitant but is might not work after short periods of use, if used in conditions where the boat is continously hitting rocks...UHMW is hard but is easily cut when in contact with sharp surfaces that are not hit based on the force applied by a hammer but in a scraping motion...It might be best to make some runners out of wood and then add a thin strip of steel or brass on the edges of the runners...

This is just an opinion...There are many excellent sources on this sight that can give better examples...I would start with David Clark first...

Regards,

Kristan
 
Try this site.

http://www.crownplastics.com/

I have had the link for a while and I think its what you are asking about.
Never tried this thin sheet concept but we use the sheet goods for any spot that will see high wear on our docks and work boats.

Not cheap stuff. But very tough and slippery.

As others here have pointed out in the past it does not like to take glue or sealant, But I have a section of starboard glued to the AL transom of my john boat with the transducer attached and it has not come off in three years.
 
OK calling on Mr Clark.....??

Yes I have thought about strips of steel or brass or UHMW over wood stips.....On a mud flat in a small airboat with marginal hp might not work....on the Snake River that is where it might shine.

Yes I know UHMW can be come "rough" over time
 
"This system is currently being utilized by a number of drift boat manufacturers and many more will be coming on board by the end of this year. Crown is now looking to expand this product into the airboat markets in Florida, Louisiana and Alaska and will have product in the field being tested this Spring.

For information on where you can have Dura-Slick applied to your boat, please call us at 800-368-0238."

That just about covers it.

Check them out and see if you cant test some...
 
I used it as keel strips on the mudboat I designed. Had to get a specialty adhesive that was about $250 for 2.5 pints, of course a little goes along ways. On top of that it had to be prepped just right and I also used sex bolts through the hull to mechanically fasten it as well.

NFZ22.jpg


NFZ22.jpg


Brad
 
Brad,

What is the adhesive? As always prep for a specific application of a specific adhesive is of course specific in methodology.......ok was that goobley gook????HAHA

Secondly had any problems with it coming off or hows the durability??

Yes to the person that sent the Crown Plastic link....that is the stuff


Matt
 
Are you the same gentleman that posed this question on the MM forum???

If so, I'll hold my thoughts till then!!! ;)
 
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HI sorry that last post didn't post right.

Don't know anything about the MM forum....not a member

Post away...Thanks

Matt
 
I used graphite in my epoxy on the bottom of my plywood river pram, I don't know if it helps, it's the only boat I have with an epoxied bottom. You're not supposed to use the graphite if you'll be using the boat in saltwater, that stands out vaguely in my memory, something to do with electrolosis.
 
I have read of the graphite/epoxy mixture, and understand it works it some applications. Not sure of the saltwater/graphite problem
 
Wanted to thank you for the post. I have a call into Crown to find out more. I have an old aluminum ducker and a Lund Snipe that I want to consider putting on to strengthen the bottom. Will follow up if I get more info.
 
I used graphite in my epoxy on the bottom of my plywood river pram, I don't know if it helps, it's the only boat I have with an epoxied bottom. You're not supposed to use the graphite if you'll be using the boat in saltwater, that stands out vaguely in my memory, something to do with electrolosis.
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Haven't had any problems to date with graphite bottom and salt water, as I do it on all of my boats. That is actually the first I've ever heard of that.

Brad
 
Brad,

What is the adhesive? As always prep for a specific application of a specific adhesive is of course specific in methodology.......ok was that goobley gook????HAHA

Secondly had any problems with it coming off or hows the durability??

Yes to the person that sent the Crown Plastic link....that is the stuff


Matt
Click to expand...


Company is called Reltek. I had some at depth conversations with the gentleman that owns it about my application, very nice fella. I also spoke with crown about their adhesive backed material (thought of doing the whole bottom) but they advised against it due to the type of adhesive backing they had. McMaster Carr carries the Reltek product, unfortunately when I tried to buy it from them they would not let me because it was a hazmat product shipping to a residential neighborhood. Spent a good hour with them on the phone with absolutely no luck, and the big deal was that the glue is considered a corrosive. Anyway, went back to the manufacturer and they ended up selling me a small amount even though it was below their minimum order. He was also going to contact McMaster about the issue but don't know if he ever did. From what I know the durability has been great, that particular boat wound up in MS.

Brad
 
I used graphite in my epoxy on the bottom of my plywood river pram, I don't know if it helps, it's the only boat I have with an epoxied bottom. You're not supposed to use the graphite if you'll be using the boat in saltwater, that stands out vaguely in my memory, something to do with electrolosis.
Click to expand...


That is a new one on me and given that almost all of the Tolman Builders from the FishyFish web page all use it on their bottoms and most of them are salt guys that is odd. Matt, any sources for that comment?

The only other issues that are brought up on this page with the UHMW stuff is that you will get stuff behind that layer and it will work/grind and there is seasonal movement of the plastic. On metal boats I think this is less of an issue. I am only parroting what has been said on this page, no personal experience with it on a boat. For shop jigs etc, good stuff.
 
I tried doing a search on the relationship of graphite and salt water and didn't find much. I do know that graphite is carbon and carbon does experience the movement of electrons as in electrical. So the question is......does graphite in embedded epoxy allow a potential to build and discharge when exposed to salt water? If that happens, what causes it and what damage might it do to a wood/epoxy/glass/graphite/paint composite boat hull with motors etc attached?

I hope worded this ok and am not talking gobbley gook but making sense.

Matt
 
I bolt HDPE runners onto the bottoms of my sleds and they work awe3some. Could put on the bottom of a DP, but never have tried it. You would need to use a marine caulk on the holes thru the hull.
 
I'll try to find the deal with the graphite, but it was probably ten years ago, when I bought it.

I used graphite in my epoxy on the bottom of my plywood river pram, I don't know if it helps, it's the only boat I have with an epoxied bottom. You're not supposed to use the graphite if you'll be using the boat in saltwater, that stands out vaguely in my memory, something to do with electrolosis.
Click to expand...


That is a new one on me and given that almost all of the Tolman Builders from the FishyFish web page all use it on their bottoms and most of them are salt guys that is odd. Matt, any sources for that comment?

The only other issues that are brought up on this page with the UHMW stuff is that you will get stuff behind that layer and it will work/grind and there is seasonal movement of the plastic. On metal boats I think this is less of an issue. I am only parroting what has been said on this page, no personal experience with it on a boat. For shop jigs etc, good stuff.
Click to expand...
 
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