Help ! Stuck in Sardinia with failed S&R Rib - pressure relief valve bond failed

[Rake]

There some images of the location - Golfo Orosei and the hardware

[Fenlander]

OK I can see the images.

It does look like the relief valves are OE which I did wonder about. You have bought the correct glue, activator and cleaner for a PVC boat... I assume you know this is a PVC boat as they were available in hypalon??

The clamping timber is inventive but in my experience of PVC glued patches/repairs that is desirable but not essential. On a similar repair I'd expect the glue once its reached the correct tacky stage to provide a fair grip the moment the surfaces contact each... just smoothing down with firm hand pressure several times over the first 15mins that should be a perfect bond... that's what I do where it is impractical to apply weight or a clamping pressure. I have found even if you don't make a perfect job of the clean and are unable to clamp as long as boat and material are both PVC and the glue is a correct two-part the repair will at least last months until your are able to re-do to a 100% standard... having it fall off within hours is almost inconceivable... unless the boat was hypalon and PVC glue used.

It's all very odd.

[Rake]

You see what I mean now this should never have happened. One thing I noticed was that the glue for the pressure relief valve was different to the glue used everywhere else when it delaminated and I remove the glue it was clear and not yellowish like you would expect so again, this is a manufacturing problem.

[Rake]

I’ve got the boat inflated and in the Sun now I’m going to leave it an hour and if it passes this test we’re going on the water albeit that I’m extremely tired from Kitesurfing for hours yesterday

[Rake]

Repair number two has failed, I give up

[chipko]

Originally Posted by chipko

This might be a stupid observation but have you tried tightening the valve down. The external doubler is only there as reinforcing and if valve is correctly tightened down then air shouldn’t be able to get between the two layers, despite glue failure.

Now we’ve seen some pics would still stand by my original comment above…have you tried tightening the valve down?

Perhaps a bit late now but if you’re re glueing the external doubler then would still need to remove the prv first as the doubler goes under the valves outer rim. It’s clamped between the inner body and outer body flanges of the valve. That’s where the air tight seal is

[Fenlander]

Well as I've said in post 82 despite a by the book re-glue being ideal even a quick slightly below par job should last weeks or longer. If you can peel the re-glued valve straight off I'd think more on the possibility this is a hypalon boat. It's all I can think of.

[Fenlander]

BTW yes I agree Chipko re the valve sealing if it were tight despite the unbounded reinforcing... as a hands on person it's the sort of thing you need to be looking at first hand to try and comprehend what's going on here.

[Rake]

It is definitely a PVC boat as I’ve spoken to Northern Diver technical about it. I cannot remove the entire valve because there are a few inches of PVC firmly glued down that I cannot remove with heat or anything else. I think I’m done so I have five full days left here. I cannot spend my last days scraping old glue off the boat and waiting another 48 hours to see if a repair has worked. I have two choices, throw in the towel and rent a boat or take it on a four hour drive to a rib builder to repair for me

[Fenlander]

>> rent a boat or take it on a four hour drive to a rib builder to repair for me

Rent a boat as that will be quicker if fairly local and when back home send the boat to Northern Diver as a paid repair then see if they find anything significant enough to offer goodwill.

[charliee]

Have you tried the outboard yet as it could further add to the trauma of your vacation!
May be you can train the crew to row - or add air as you travel along?

[69cmw]

£10k holiday with a 2nd hand piece of cheap Chinese pish 🤷
You won’t make that mistake again …

[Rake]

Damn right, I won’t make that mistake again however I have found a rib manufacturer on the island. I am there now and they are repairing it for me. These guys build big super ribs for Nova Mall.

[Rake]

Update - AT Marine inflatable boat. Builders have been working on my boat for the past three or four hours. It’s quite ironic to go to the workshop and see 12 m ribs built for the Coastguard next to my measly 3.2 meter.


It’s a father and son business, and as soon as and came to my aid and worked on the little bird, immediately defected to repairs, which were unsuccessful and third was partially successful, but there was a leak still on the left hand side. By this time it was 830 and the day was done. They’re going to look at it again in the morning and fix the last little leak. I cannot recommend these people more full size commercial boat builders laying down tools to help someone like me I think I really bonded with these guys today.

[Max...]

You’re definitely that balls, plumbs, iTwitIam…or whatever bloke from years gone by (or his Sardinian cousin) I’m sure…

[Iankristy]

Originally Posted by Max...

You’re definitely that balls, plumbs, iTwitIam…or whatever bloke from years gone by (or his Sardinian cousin) I’m sure…

Yep, for sure [emoji115]

[Rake]

I’m not quite sure what you’re getting out with a characterisations not sure whether to be offended or complimented

[Coniston]

Light hearted banter Rake, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your postings and the response generated. Sometimes adversity brings good things - looks like you have found good support - hope all gets sorted and holiday goes well.

[Rake]

Originally Posted by Coniston

Light hearted banter Rake, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your postings and the response generated. Sometimes adversity brings good things - looks like you have found good support - hope all gets sorted and holiday goes well.

Thank you,

No problem then

These are the guys helping me they build boats for the Coastguard as well as super boots for the leisure market

https://www.facebook.com/atmarinesuperboat

[Fenlander]

>>You’re definitely that balls, plumbs

There's merit in your thoughts Max but plumbs would have at least three SIBs and an inflatable canoe to hand in the camper so backups would be no trouble.