Standup Zone Forum
General => The Shape Shack => Topic started by: 1medic on January 26, 2014, 09:04:01 PM
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I Have a 2012 Hobie Elite 14'. The air vent housing needs to be removed and re-glued. It leaks on outside of outer flange at the surface of deck.
Whats the best way to remove it? I'm assuming heating it a bit with a heat gun (carefully).
Any different ideas out there?
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Probably not. If it's the outside flange then it's probably cracked around the flange mount. You need some pro help or a high degree of craziness to fix it. If you're sufficiently crazy then you can drill it out with a holesaw that's about the size of the vent and replace it with a new one. You need to know how to glass vents or leash plugs in, there's lots of info on Swaylocks on that kind of maneuver. Not hard, just fussy, and mine always wind up looking like works of primitive man.
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Hobie used to install those in their warehouse when they installed the deckpads, prior to shipping. They use the blue two-part epoxy gel. I don't think you should attempt to use a heat gun period. You can carefully cut it out. The epoxy gel stays a little pliable, so you might be able to get a box knife between the flange and the glass. If you can't get it loose, you may have to cut through the glass tight to the edge of the flange. Then you would have to plug the hole with foam, and re-glass over the hole. Then re-drill a new hole in the same spot. If you unscrew the vent plug, you can stick something the same diameter as the threaded inside of the plug housing and try to wiggle it out of the foam. You might also try just routing the flange off and then just scrape and sand the epoxy residue off. You can call Hobie a order a new vent. Their '2WAYV.com' vents cost about $10. BTW, that website doesn't exist?
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As Pono said, it's an 1-1/4" hole saw you use. If you extend and center the pilot bit perfectly in the center of the bottom of the vent housing, you might be able to just core most of the vent housing, and just leave an 1/8" wide flange ring. Then scrape and sand it down the flange to the glass. You can then install the new one with the same 5 min. blue two-part epoxy gel.
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Thanks for the info boys! I'm throwing in the towel and going to see Felix at Sand Dollar. I have some "degree of craziness" but no spare time right now and need to get it done. Already have a replacement valve from Hobie.