Inflatable tubes leaking

[Eric T Henderson]

I have read and read all of the forums on how to pour this liquid into the chambers and then rotate the boat left and right and up and down but I have a hard bottom inflatable and dont have a crane to do all of that rotating around thing. Any ideas on some kind of spray or something? I really need some help here.

Eric

[glue jug]

To be honest I am yet to be proven that this method works...If at all...
I dont know of any spray that will fix a leak coming from within the tube - but by spraying fairy liquid over the seams/nose/cone ends etc should detect a leak.. Then fix the leak..

[Mikefule]

I might get shot down for this, but I used this approach successfully many years ago on a boat that I used inshore for diving: I had a small pinhole type puncture. I inflated the boat, cleaned around the wound, and then applied waterproof silicone mastic (as from any DIY shop) and pushed the mastic with my fingers so that it went through the hole. When it dried, it formed a plug. I would not recommend this as a permanent solution, but it got us out of a difficulty and didn't let us down.

Other options: buy the proper patch kit and take a bit of time to do it carefully. I've had mixed results and I think the answer is be thorough and patient. Clean the surface well and use fresh glue.

For a single hole, you can buy one of those butterfly clamp patches that you push through and open up. However, they usually involve opening the hole up wider so I'd be reluctant to do that. The one time I used one of these in real life, however, it broke. That was 20+ years ago when they were a fairly new idea so I imagine they've improved since.

Personally, I distrust all "spray it in and slosh it about" products. I have never got one to work on a car or motorbike tyre and all you are doing is contaminating the inside surface possibly making a later proper repair more difficult or impossible.

[jeffstevens763@g]

I have used this stuff years ago and it worked really well as you say the problem is turning the boat. We made a spray pipe took a valve out threaded it down the tube and drew it back spraying then replaced valve and pumped the boat up.
We got the idea from the rust treatment they use inside box sections on cars same method.

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

IBS Boat Supplies Welcome To IBS Boat Parts carry a 500ml and 1 litre Sealant sizes in stock. This is to be used as a last resort and is more suitable for porous material. Avoid if you have a seam leak as this may make the repair more difficult to do.

[BigE]

It must be the season for it!
My RIB has a leak somewhere on the port side. I've been all over it with fairy liquid and can't for the life of me find it. It's a tiny leak but enough to cause the tube to go too soggy over 10 days.

[simzpilot]

Going soggy over 10 days - Could also be valve or valve cap leaking or simply older tubes that are staring to leak through the material itself

[BigE]

All the values cap o-rings are new and tested as best one can without leaks. It could be the tubs but I bet it's a seam that I just haven't spotted despite hours of detection work - found lots of other leaks in the process though

[cgoing]

Eric- have you located the leak ?? The interior sealant does sometimes work on very small leaks but is not a cure all. Most leaks are too big for the sealant. General rule would be if you find the leak and it bubbles you need a patch, if you see "foam" or creamers as they are called where the leak is , yes he sealant may solve it but in the end if you can patch it that is a much better solution. Many people end up using too much Sealant and it ends up gumming up the valves.