Fishing Kayak

Old post but I'll drop this here. Cures tend to look like using tar or pitch to fill shrinkage holes on an old leaky wood boat. Assuming it is ABS, that plastic can be dissolved by acetone. In theory you dissolve shavings of ABS in acetone making a paste and use that to fill voids. There are ABS glues available, and good ones would use this method or formula, whatever you call it. "Bad glues would be a different substance that adheres to the ABS, like epoxy, and sticks on or paints on if it is liquid enough.

Trouble with ABS is it's a slippery plastic, and most glues tend to lift after a while as the ABS flexes, but the glued bit is more rigid encouraging separation. That's why I started with the explanation before the "solution". A patch has to flex the same as the thing it is stuck on and that avoids separation/lifting.

Try playing with some varnish remover (acetone type) and bits of ABS bumper off a crashed car. Use a very hot knife to spread the glue. See if you can fill cracks with a jam like mix of the same material. Stay upwind of fumes, or in a ventilated area, acetone stinks and has an adverse effect. It also evaporates very fast and any naked flame will ignite that vapour. So heating the knife 3-4 metres away is much too close! Seriously.

So obviously fixing a cracked ABS product using self made adhesive is a bravery and confidence test! Only practice on a similar junk thing teaches how it goes. Most professionals would be reluctant to take a job on due to customers complaining afterwards that it doesn't look nice enough to pay for the work done. But ask around. A really good repair guy could be found if you ask enough people, and he trusts you to stick to your side of the bargain.

There are glues that do work, I can't remember the name. There was a German glue designed for ABS and that used to be the go to one for "cold" repairs. There will be many competing similar products by now. And useless ones. The key is it must be called an "ABS Welding" glue. Plumbers would know current trade and brand names. Ask a plumber or a pro kayak repair mechanic if one is available is my final takeaway.