[C320-list] Water lift Muffler

[Alan Goodman]

During my summer 2011 cruise, I developed a hairline crack in the factory joint of the aqua lift where the bottom is glued into the box, just as described in this thread.  Being in a small harbor without any hardware stores within 50 miles, I was forced to make a field repair.  I made a detailed post of the process to repair the muffler (rout the crack, epoxy fill, etc).  Point is I had to use the general purpose West Systems epoxy I had in my tool kit  ...  and even fully cured it was not suitable for continuous water exposure at the temperature inside the aqualift and after several hours a smaller leak opened in the seam repair.  I spoke to West technical service and they identified G-Flex as their 'best' epoxy for this repair ... but they did not recommend using it in this application.  However I have about 75 hours on the clock and the G-Flex repair is still OK.  Point is, if others on this list say JBWeld has the adhesion and heat resistance for this repair, then maybe that is the way to go.  My only concern is that unlike epoxy which can flow into the routed out crack before it starts cooking off, it may be more difficult for JBWeld to be worked into the fine portions of the crack.  BTW, on my hull 67, the OEM seam under the Aqualift is not fiberglassed but rather a thickened adhesive paste of some sort.  Alan Holland MI hull 67


> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 6 May 2013 11:15:57 -0700
> From: "Bruce Heyman" <bruceheyman at cox.net>
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Water lift Muffler
> Message-ID: <012601ce4a85$c18cd0a0$44a671e0$@cox.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Bruce,
> Brings up a good point.  West System Epoxies will soften with heat even
> after well cured.  Most parts of the water lift muffler should never get
> over 212 Deg F.  However, GB Weld is higher temperature and should not
> soften with these temperatures.
> 
> Bruce Heyman
> bruceheyman at cox.net
> (949) 289-8400
> Somerset #671 Dana Point, CA
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Bruce Hunter
> Sent: Monday, May 6, 2013 6:29 AM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Water lift Muffler
> 
> West System is great stuff, I'm a big fan. However if or when I would make a
> repair such as this (water, high temperatures)?I'd use JB Weld (big fan of
> that too), I only say that because I glued a broken hot tub water impeller
> back together?thinking "what the heck, it's worth a try", it worked for
> years and as far as I know it's still together (We've sinced moved). But
> West system good too, just a thought...
> ?
> Bruce Hunter
> Nauti Time #719
>