Slow Leak Seam Headache:

devildog1994 · 25 July 2014, 20:51

Hi All,

My name is MC and I'm new to Ribnet and new to ribs...except if really wanting one for a long time counts.

I finally found a starter unit along the road and got it for a good deal. It's an 01 Avon rover. The F/O did say there was a slow leak in it but it didn't scare me away. After watching many a youtube video on repairing hypalon, I was ready to go tackle anything that it could possibly be... Until I found the slow leak which happened to be a seam in that small area where the tube meets the hull. There is a small bump that is perpendicular to, and pretty much goes the whole depth of, the seam that appears like it may have been from manufacture but it's allowing air to slowly escape.

I was hoping to hear some suggestions on fixing a leak on a seam like this. This area is a little tough to get to even when almost fully deflated.

Thanks for an advice or previous experience, photos videos etc.

office888 · 26 July 2014, 16:02

Proper way : I've seen that before. I delaminated the area, then relaminated it with the Zodiac 7098 Transprene 113M adhesive and clamped it with a welding clamp...that made the bump lay flat and solved the leak.

Less proper way, but still semi-pro way : Latex internal sealant would probably take care of it.

Super-easy, permanent, kinda improper way : If you don't mind a non-professional $10 solution, go buy some Aquaseal + Cotol-240 from your local dive shop. Mix it 50/50 to super-thin it out, then squirt it in to the bump with a syringe while the boat is deflated. It is an adhesive/sealant. I use it a lot for trashed hypalon boats...where the layers are delaminating or the neoprene backer is absent. It's good stuff, but VERY hard to remove if you mess up.

Peter_C · 26 July 2014, 16:30

Everywhere you see the small bubbles on the left middle of the photo are leaks. What are the bigger bubbles in the V where the hull meets the tubes from? Got another photo from a different angle? There are a whole lot of bubbles there.

Use a garden spray filled with soapy water to make it quicker to apply soapy water. I have one bought new dedicated to repairing drysuits etc.

devildog1994 · 26 July 2014, 19:21

Thanks, the one and only leak I could find when spraying this down with soapy water was where I have drawn the arrow. The other bubbles are just from incidental movement of the water.

Here's just a shot with a bubble coming out.