Bow light hypalon adhesive

J

jlastofka

New member
I bought an LED bow light that mounts with a rubber pad to the inflatable dinghy tube. The adhesive they sell at West Marine is about $20 and I guess I'll buy it if I have to, but I wonder what else would work.

Does anyone have any good experience with something else?

Jeff Lastofka
 
Jeff, I am interested in your project. Are you glueing hypalon to hypalon?
NRS sells a number of glues and adhesives for river rafts. $20.00 sounds about the same price that they sell their smallest container of adhesive.

When I carry my kayak inflated on the roof of my dory, I can't mount my running light. I may find myself in a situation where I need it, and I have been trying to think of the best place to mount a portable light. Is this what you are doing?

Robbi
 
I have mounted these LED lights (and the filiment lights before the LED) holders (which seems to be some type of synthetic material) on the bow of both Hypalon and PVC inflatables. I have always used the single part adhesive which is carried by West Marine. (for PVC or Hypalon--separate adhesives). I would use the specific glue. 5200 will work, but it can be messy. In fact I once repaired a PVC boat with 5200 where none of the other glues would work. I try and find some other "D" rings to put on the boat when I have the glue--such as for tying in seats, fuel cans, or protective covers for the bow.

Some water cops are very strict about having these lights on inflatables or other dinghies...and the lights are cheaper than the fine. A few years ago Pensacola Yacht Club had a cruise to a members house, up a relitatively remote bayou--and just as the party was breaking up, the Alabama Marine patrol arrived in force and ticketed every boat which did not have full legal running lights.--I belive that they got over 30 dinghies.
At that time my dinghy was a 12 foot aluminum skiff, with a battery and running lights, so I was "safe"...
 
If your boat is manually powered, I think that you can get by with a "white light (flash light etc) that if shown in time can avoid a collision". I don't carry navigation lights on my kayak(s), but always carry a bright flash light. A very bright light!

Robbi
 
Robbi-

I think you're right about the flashlight!

We used to sometimes go for a "night sail" for the fun of it on Clear Lake, Ca.

We were told that if we carried a flashlight and shined it on the sails if another boat approached, it would work to meet the rule.

However, I really don't think it was all that safe as some folks oprerated big powerboats at night out there, turning their navigation lights off to avoid beeing seen at speed by the sheriff's department, and I know a lot of them on the weekends were coming accross the lake after going to a concert at the Konocti Harbor Inn where drinking was the order of the night!

Cheers!

Joe.
 
I got lazy and just decided to buy the special glue at West Marine. It's probably a one-time thing for me and it would take quite a while to find a suitable replacement I guess.

Now I wonder if the remaining glue will keep in storage after I've used a little of it. Probably not for long.....

I bought the Hypalon version because I believe that's what the dinghy is. The light mounting base is some kind of rubbery plastic molded piece.

This will be interesting. At least the light is supposed to float if it jumps overboard. Same thing for the suction cup version that's going on top of the engine. I think to be fully proper, the white stern light is supposed to be higher than that, but I'll bet in practice it isn't an issue.

Jeff Lastofka
 
Seattle Sports and other outlets sell Kayak lighting kits that are great. The bow lite combo uses suction and/or tie downs, same for the all round. The LED versions are very very bright. The lights are tiny and water resistant and float. What more can you ask for?

John
 
I have the AA battery operated LED stern light on the dinghy which comes with a clamp for the transom, and a 3" extension to get the light high enough to be seen.

As Joe points out, it is not just to be "legal" but to be seen by other boats.

We used to really "sweat" the various boats running at night at the Isthmus in Catalina when we would take the dogs ashore for the evening run, or after a party ashore, until we put good running lights on the dinghy. Even the shoreboats with searchlights, will occasionally run down a dinghy.
 
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