Selleys Knead It Comes to the Rescue on the High Seas
How did Selleys Knead It rescue a boat in the South Pacific?
Selleys Knead It — and a can of Diet Coke — saved a boat that suffered total steering system failure in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. This account comes from the log of Magic Express, en route to Tonga from New Zealand, dated 4 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 Captain's 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!"
What the crew got right
Read as a repair rather than as an anecdote, the crew did four things that match how epoxy putty is meant to be used.
They diagnosed the cause before repairing the symptom. Removing and cleaning the hose showed where it had been chafing on the engine mount, letting salt and moisture into the wire reinforcing. That is the difference between a repair that holds and one that fails again in the same spot.
They cleaned the surface first. Epoxy putty adheres to what it touches. On an oily hydraulic hose that step is not optional.
They forced the putty into the puncture. The published directions for Knead It say to work the adhesive forcefully into the surface with pressure, rather than laying it on top — that is what fills the void and keys the material into the substrate.
They added mechanical reinforcement. The drink-can bandage and three hose clamps carried the hoop stress that a high pressure hydraulic line generates. The putty sealed the hole; the clamps held it together. On a pressurised line, neither would have been enough alone.
The product's published figures
Selleys Knead It Multipurpose is a hand-kneadable, fast-setting epoxy putty. Its technical data gives:
| Property | Figure |
|---|---|
| Working time | 3 to 5 minutes at 25°C |
| Apply to the surface within | 2 minutes of mixing |
| Begins to harden | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Initial cure — can be drilled, sanded, machined, filed, sawed or painted | 60 minutes |
| Full cure | 24 hours at 25°C |
| Heat resistance, continuous | -40°C to +120°C |
| Heat resistance, intermittent | -40°C to +140°C |
That heat resistance figure is what makes the crew's improvisation of baking the hose on top of a hot engine a reasonable thing to have done rather than a reckless one — an engine top sits well inside the putty's rated range. Set time also increases at temperatures below 20°C, which is worth knowing if you are working in the cold rather than on a warm engine.
Knead It Multipurpose adheres to most surfaces, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, timber, concrete, masonry, ceramics, glass and most plastics. It is also approved for contact with drinking water at temperatures up to 85°C and complies with AS/NZS4020.
Figures are from the product's technical data sheet and are indicative results rather than a basis for preparing specifications.
Limitations — read these before you rely on it
- It will not adhere to polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon.
- It cures extremely hard and inflexible, and is not recommended for filling joints and cracks subject to movement.
- Set time increases below 20°C.
And the judgement that sits above all of them: an emergency repair on a pressurised hydraulic system is a get-you-home measure, not a permanent fix. The crew's account describes restoring steering at sea, which is exactly the right use of it. A repaired high pressure hose should be replaced properly at the first opportunity.
The related product for wet and underwater repairs
The version of Knead It designed for damp, wet or underwater substrates is Selleys Knead It Aqua. It is supplied as a 110g tube with white hardener encapsulated in aqua green resin, and it suits water tanks, tubs, sinks, spas, PVC and plastic pipes, leaking gaskets and wooden boat decks and hulls, in fresh or salt water.
Its figures differ from the multipurpose grade in one important way: a working time of 20 to 30 minutes at 25°C, with initial cure at 60 minutes and full cure at 24 hours. For underwater work, mix it above the waterline before immersion and apply it within 10 minutes of mixing. Like the multipurpose grade it is approved for contact with drinkable water to 85°C under AS/NZS4020, and it will not adhere to polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon.
More Selleys stories
- Selleys Knead It saves the day in the Great Victoria Desert
- Selleys Araldite helps Wilbur the giant tortoise
- Selleys Shoe Fix with Fixer Upper
- All Selleys Stories
Common questions
What product did the crew use?
Selleys Knead It epoxy putty, which one of the crew had bought a couple of rolls of before the trip.
How long did the putty take to harden?
The account says it "soon went hard". The published figures are hardening at 5 to 10 minutes, initial cure at 60 minutes and full cure at 24 hours at 25°C.
Why did they heat the hose on the engine?
To make sure the repair was well cured. The putty's rated continuous heat resistance is -40°C to +120°C, so an engine top is within range.
Would the putty alone have held the pressure?
The crew did not rely on it alone — they wrapped the repair with a cut-down drink can and secured it with three high pressure hose clamps.
What does Knead It Multipurpose stick to?
Most surfaces: metals, timber, concrete, masonry, ceramics, glass and most plastics. Not polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon.
Can I use it on a joint that moves?
No. It cures extremely hard and inflexible and is not recommended for joints and cracks subject to movement.
Is it safe around drinking water?
Knead It Multipurpose and Knead It Aqua are both approved for contact with drinking water at temperatures up to 85°C and comply with AS/NZS4020.
What if the repair has to be made underwater?
Use Knead It Aqua. Mix it above the waterline before immersion and apply within 10 minutes of mixing.
Is an epoxy putty repair permanent?
On a pressurised hydraulic line, treat it as a get-you-home repair and replace the hose properly afterwards.
What is the topic of the Selleys page titled 'Selleys Knead It Comes to the Rescue'?
The page is a Selleys Story about how Selleys Knead-It, a versatile repair putty, comes to the rescue on the high seas for fixing all sorts of household problems.
What is Selleys Knead-It described as on this page?
Selleys Knead-It is described as a versatile repair putty that is perfect for fixing all sorts of household problems.
What can Selleys Knead-It Steel be used to repair?
Selleys Knead-It Steel can be used for emergency repairs on metal items, including repairing small engine parts, radiators, and petrol tanks; sealing leaks and filling cracks in iron pipes, tanks, and gutters; fabricating missing machine parts and bolts; and repairing rust-damaged equipment bodies.
What household repairs is Selleys Knead-It Multipurpose suited for?
Selleys Knead-It Multipurpose is suited for mending broken toys, appliances, and sports equipment; sealing leaks in gutters and downpipes; patching chipped concrete and floors; and repairing various surfaces around the home or workshop.
What kind of situations does Selleys Knead-It Aqua handle?
Selleys Knead-It Aqua handles emergency underwater situations, making fast and permanent repairs to damp and wet substrates, patching dings and cuts in boat hulls and decks, repairing water tanks, tubs, spas, and leaking gaskets, and forming custom gaskets for specialized applications.
Who is the publisher of the Selleys website and when was it founded?
The publisher is Selleys, an Australian adhesives, sealants and fillers brand founded in 1939 in Sydney, Australia, by Martin Selley.
What company is Selleys a division of?
Selleys is a division of DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd.