uhmw?

Kevin Stupp

Kevin Stupp

Active member
Has anyone done any work with UHMW? I'm thinking of making spray rails on a new sneakbox I'm building for myself. I want to test them out this winter, before building a DU raffle boat. My spray rails got a little chewed up from breaking ice the last couple years. Nothing sandpaper and paint could fix, but I'm looking for something more durable.

From the research I've done, it doesn't hold glue or epoxy well. Is it easily cut and routered? How the weight compared to wood? Where's a good source to purchase from? Any insight would be great? Thanks!
 
We use it (polymer) on the bottom of our airboats.

It will last years if you're not running dry all the time.

Very pliable if you let it sit out in the sun before working with it.

For the amount you're looking for, you might want to contact one of the airboat manufactuers like Hamant, Panther or Diamondback.

The "drops" off the sides is probably what you're looking for.

You're going to have to through bolt it in.

Paints or glues don't really adhere well, even though some have had good success on the bottoms of their mudboats.
 
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Has anyone done any work with UHMW? I'm thinking of making spray rails on a new sneakbox I'm building for myself. I want to test them out this winter, before building a DU raffle boat. My spray rails got a little chewed up from breaking ice the last couple years. Nothing sandpaper and paint could fix, but I'm looking for something more durable.

From the research I've done, it doesn't hold glue or epoxy well. Is it easily cut and routered? How the weight compared to wood? Where's a good source to purchase from? Any insight would be great? Thanks!
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It is great stuff for some purposes, but I don't think I'd use it in strip form as I'm guessing your spray rails would be.

Issue is as stated that glue/epoxy/5200 doesn't stick very well to it (being generous) and that it expands and contracts quite a bit with heat/cold cycles. The expansion/contraction opens joints (since the adhesive doesn't hold) and crap gets in there and further opens up the crack and stresses the material and fasteners, so you rely on mechanical fasteners and don't want stuff between the strip and the hull. The stuff is strongish, but if in a strip it isn't all that strong (rigid) and you need lots of mechanical fasteners to keep it on. The way that Tollman deals with these issues when he uses it is that he uses big pieces (I don't remember, but on the scale of 2 x 2), fastens it well and makes large fillets of epoxy or 5200 to keep stuff from getting between the UHMW and the hull.

I haven't used it on a boat, but that is my summary of what I've read and been told. I would not hesitate to use it in sheet form, it seems like it works well that way (but I don't see it working as I imagine for you).

T
 
What about using IPE instead its pretty strong stuff that's what the Atlantic City board walk is made of just a thought
 
Kevin,

I have never used it for a boat but to answer your question it saws and routers great.

Best of luck.

My best,

Don
 
Kevin,
Was that your boat at the dinner the other night?
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CJ

That one was my dad's, but mine is almost identical. Mine was the 1st one we built 5 years ago. Made a few tweaks here and there, and his is the final version. Building a new one for myself after this season too.
 
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Todd,

Thanks for the input. I'm looking at pieces of 1"x3"x6'.
I had seen a company at the Eastern Sportsmen's Show in Harrisburg back in February using it as add ons for shallow water boats. Thought it might be worth a try, but it sounds like I should go back to my original idea. I'll just wrap them in aluminum.

Thanks again.
 
We make special adhesives for low surface energy substrates. Even an adhesive to bond teflon which is classified as an ultra low surface energy substrate. The products come in either double sided foam tape formats or in two part adhesive cartridges. The tape format would work great and would expand and contract with temperature variations.

Will it work - you would have to test this out. Being under water wouldn't be an issue as I've used versions of this tape to hold on all sorts of stuff under water without issue.

Downside on the tapes is that they are expensive. Let mw know if you would like any further information.

Mark W
 
I've never seen polymer (UHMW for you Yankees) used as a spray rail.

Most of the manufactuers down here use Starboard for such applications.
 
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