# Who installs UHMW?



## rotus623

Hey guys,

Just wondering who installs UHMW on the east coast? I am in the VA area. I know James river jets does it, but he just glues on 1/8" sheets and charges $2200. Yikes. If I am going to pay that kind of cash, I would want to mechanically fasten 3/8-1/2".


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors

Will cost a lot more to get it screwed on. Maybe even twice as much.


----------



## rotus623

Yea Im sure it is more but I would still like to get some quotes.


----------



## jtf

This won't answer your question of who and where, and I'll most likely get flamed by the _experts_ for this, but...I have a UHMW boat now and have owned one like this photo, and have added UHMW to a third metal boat at a local specialty aluminum/stainless welding shop. I'm not able to support my opinion on the screw method, *haven't tried it and won't. *

Second, for a jon boat, don't know how the strakes would be protected, imagine they would not be covered and the material laid between? Regardless, adding 1/4" application will affect handling. But it adds buoyancy and on a 16ft hull, it was less than 100Lb. Maybe it cancels out weight vs HP? 

The drifter/sled we ran was responsive to a 10hp tiller and no less responsive than my current Weldbilt jet jon. And it got up and went with three adults on flat lake waters. The only reason the 14/54 Rocky Mtn Trout Boat isn't still in the barn is it doesn't have flotation, and I fish Pamlico and Harkers on occasion. 

*WHY would you want to put screws into the bottom of a perfectly good hull?* It's a leak waiting to happen, if you can locate the offending screw to fix it, good luck. There are 1000's of drift boats and power sleds out west that use the weld system. It's their standard. (See Willie, Koffler, Hyde, and more)

The boat we retrofitted had the factory cut the material to fit and bevel the weld holes, they sent the plug washers/UHMW and recommended temp to tack weld. That was 10+ years ago, no problems. My current boat is older than that and has taken a beating. 

Are power boats more likely to peel UHMW, yes. If the application is done correctly with plenty of weld points, you shouldn't have problems with the application. If you abuse the boat enough to tear it off, you are just as likely to wreck the boat or rip off the pump. I'm not motoring the Susquehanna River at 30 mph however, there is always someone willing to abuse their equipment. 

I've heard the speculation that the welds weaken the metal. Not likely, and my guess is those comments (from another site) are from someone who has never seen or used the method. The heat is low, the tacks are spread. Leading edges require closer spaced weld points. 

Some glue/epoxy a material sheet, Hyde and Stealthcraft put it on their fiberglass hulls. I imagine the bottom would require it to be new and without blemish? Hyde calls it G4 shoe (not UHMW) and they had problems in the past supposedly solved now.

My opinion running rocky waters in the southeast and rowing the northwest.


----------



## jtf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPb2taxFZq0

Close up of UHMW at 2:25 

Notice the UHMW washer holes are beveled and the washers have been cupped to fit. The spot weld is to the center of the washer hole. 

There is a coating in a can application of slick black epoxy called Glovit. It doesn't last long, nasty to apply.


----------



## Bran

Hi guys, new here, just been looking around some the last few days. Looks like a good discussion and thought I'd add a couple of things. 

I've been out recently on one of the River Road boats on the upper James, and I was really impressed with the screwed on UHMW, and they do bolt and glue theirs on, in either 3/8" or 1/2". I just recently bought the 1660 Roughneck Pathfinder tunnel, and I opted for the heavy duty bottom, double welded chines and .125 gauge aluminum. I'm thinking about looking into the K5 application for it rather than drilling holes, etc. Check this out:

https://bottomcoatings.com/application/

I've seen several pictures of damage to the K5 after rock strikes, and they're pretty minimal, but, I haven't done any pricing yet. Anyone else seen this? Any opinions on
a DIY job of applying this?


----------



## jtf

https://www.warnerplastics.com/weld_washer.html

You can buy UHMW material in various thickness and sizes, (and maybe cut to size?) from this company. They sell the weld washers in aluminum along with the taper cutter. One item I haven't tried is the weld hole cover. 

If memory serves, the 16/48 bottom we retrofitted was well below a grand including material and welding. That was a while back. 

The material doesn't have to cover the bottom of hull up to top of bow.


----------



## rotus623

Welding looks like a great approach.

I guess when the plastic is worn out you could just grind/drill the welds out and get the plastic off for replacement?

I would think if you took a good hit then there would certainly be some leaks around the screws that got nailed.

I never had an issue with the glued on UHMW, and my boat had it on for 10 years before I got it. Only problem is if you want to go thicker then the glue doesn't cut it.


----------



## jtf

If you fished every day for 20+ years, you would be hard pressed to wear down 1/4" UHMW. The weld washers are about 2.5" dia and cupped so only the center is a small weld.

To remove, use a small tipped plasma torch to melt the center weld if it requires repair or replacement...which is unlikely unless encountering a really bad event. And then, simply whack off the tear and replace with a patch.

The boat we retro-fitted used UHMW sheets in two pieces across the bottom cross ways, not long ways, and there is no sign of fatigue or failure after 20 years. 

Besides Koffler and Hyde boats, we learned of this application in part due to an international food company in our area armoring their stainless machinery with it. 

My first Koffler 16/48 was shipped in the mid 90's and there is a "guide" still fishing it. I'll try and get a better picture of my boat bottom and the abuse it's mitigated.


----------



## eshaw

This is a really interesting concept for attaching the UHMW plastic. How do they go about attaching the studs that are used to weld the washers to? A spot weld type of stud seems to be a likely type of attachment but it seems to me that as the bottom of the boat curves up that the stud would be at a slight angle and not allow the plastic to be slipped over it unless the hole was oversize. Am I missing something here?


----------



## jtf

https://www.gssales.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Lining_Instructions.pdf

No studs required. It is a chamfered hole with a shoulder, plasma or wire weld tacked. Check the earlier post with cutter tool and washer. This system has been around for years on industrial food machinery, mining equipment, dump truck beds, etc.

The material used by sled/drift boat makers is a pliable sheet, there are many types of UHMW. Look around, you will see it comes in rolls as well as solid sheets. The solids are easily machined on a mill or lathe, just like metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn5hSMztDWs


----------



## eshaw

I see what's going on now, duh! I thought they were using a seperate stud and then placing a washer over it and welding the washer to a stud. I didn't realize they were using a washer configured like it is. Makes sense now, thanks! Seems like this would be best used on smooth bottom boats.
jtf, in the picture of the boat you posted, do the edges have a metal edge covering the UHMW? It appears that way but I really can't tell.


----------



## jtf

Yes, there is a surrounding chine. I'm going down to the boat shack and see If it's warm enough to lay on the ground and get another picture. UHMW can be formed and welded (specialty machine). That's how the seams on UHMW mining trucks are sealed tight. I think there is a youtube of that.


----------



## jtf

The "chine" is there to weld on the bottom, The UHMW is thicker and extends beyond the "chine." See pic #3.

The reason we went with metal boats/UHMW was the home river had NO put/in take/out. It was 40 foot riprap and boulder 45 degree shoot to the river, the put/in wasn't too bad. It has since been improved thanks to hard volunteer labor from trout unlimited. 

I have tied a line to the bow and drug the boat 100+ feet with the pickup across some stuff you couldn't walk on.


----------



## jtf

Posted a better picture in previous post.


----------



## Bob9863

My 2c is a very simple view, don't put any holes in a boat that you absolutely don't have to.
Its a simplistic view I know, but I've had to fix a lot holes in boats over the years, I don't like putting extra ones in there, they always come back to bite you eventually.

Glueing them in place isn't perfect in my book, but its the lesser of two evils.
I've seen aluminum runners welded in place for protection and support on tinny's before.


----------



## jtf

Agreed Bob! No drill holes in the hull with weld washers. Low heat tack in middle of weld washers, no holes required with this method.


----------



## eshaw

I'm thinking the UHMW would make good protection for stumps and trash you might run into in rivers also. It would help distribute the force when you hit something as well as protect the hull.


----------



## Scottinva

There are a few builders in PA that screw UHMW on and it lasts for years. Tom Snyder is one. My boat is a 2008 and has never leaked. The UHMW is only screwed on and has taken several hits.


----------

