Selleys Knead-It (& a can of Diet Coke!) save a boat that experienced total steering system failure in the midst of the South Pacific Ocean.
From the log of Magic Express on route to Tonga from New Zealand. 04 May 2015.
"At 10.15am we suffered a total steering system failure. We were helpless as we motored in an unsteady seaway making big circles in the South Pacific Ocean! This was serious failure! A close inspection soon located that the high pressure outlet pipe from the power steering unit had burst. Bugger! Without the hydraulics we weren't going anywhere soon. We continued making donuts in the ocean while we figured out our repair plan. With the high pressure hose removed and cleaned we were able to see where the hose had been chaffing on the lower forward engine mount, allowing salt & moisture to penetrate into the wire reinforcing mesh. This eventually failing under cyclic load. What to do?
We decided on a repair scheme, with help from one of our crew who had bought a couple of rolls of Selleys “Knead It” Epoxy Putty. We commandeered a can of the Captains diet coke and carefully cut away the top and bottom to form an aluminium bandage. We kneaded the epoxy putty and forced it into the puncture and around the damaged area, then wrapped it with the coke can bandage and secured with three high pressure hose clamps.
The Knead It putty soon went hard and we baked the hose on the top of the hot engine for an hour just to make sure the repair was well cured. The hydraulic line was reattached. We restarted the starboard engine and slowly the hydraulics came back to life. The Autopilot resumed operation, and we found that this was by far the most responsive system for steering.
Thanks Selleys! You saved the ship and the day!"
Selleys Knead It Aqua is a versatile hand kneadable, fast setting co-extruded epoxy repair system that can be used for repairing a multitude of things. It is especially suitable for application to damp, wet or underwater substrates.
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