Garland Gray II wrote:
AFAIK, all Avons are hypalon, so PVC patches would not work. Get a proper
repair kit for hypalon and follow those instructions.

"jim.isbell" wrote in message
ups.com...
I just purchased a 1984 AVON R2-80 that is in very good shape as far as
the fabric. BUT there was a problem with rats/squirrels in the POs
garage and there are 5 large (1.2") holes in the tubes. These have
been patched with PVC patches and something that looks like 3M-5200.
They hold air but look like hell and there is a slow leak that requires
re-pumping it every 36 hours. The color of the tubes is dark grey. I
dont know what the material is. The floor is a set of hard
fiberglass/plastic (?) boards that link together on the inside.

I want to remove the patches and replace them with proper patches and
overcoat the tubes in a white colored sealant/UV protection.

My plan is to first remove and replace the patches, then fill it with
an interior sealant and air it up and roll it about to get the interior
pin hole leaks. Then I want to clean it well with some sort of
solvent, maybe alcohol?, and then repaint the surface.

My questionS A
1) WHAT do I use to re-patch it,

Hypalon patches from a local inflatable boat dealer + the 2 part glue
they will sell you. Forget the 1 part; it doesn't last.

2) WHAT do I use to seal it from the inside,

No idea if it's possible. Talk to an inflatable boat dealer that does
repairs

3) WHAT solvent do I clean it with, and
Same story - talk to the dealer or read the directions on the glue bottle.

4) WHAT do I use to repaint it?
You can get hypalon paint but a good scrubbing will do wonders. I'd
try simple green and work my up from there.

Evan Gatehouse