Zodiac Hurricane 440 baffle leaks

[Isle of Mull]

Hi,
I only have one intact baffle on my Hurricane so only use it in calm weather near land. I would like to repair them but can't afford new tubes and also the boat would be worth less than the tubes cost even when new ones were fitted. I know safety is more important but I still can't afford them.
Has anyone opened seams to get to the baffles? I opened up a leaking seam slightly and struggled to seal the ends of the opened part again.
I even considered cutting slits big enough to get in to work on the baffles and patch them up afterwards. Is this a bad idea? Probably :¬)
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks

[office888]

Originally Posted by Isle of Mull

Hi,
I only have one intact baffle on my Hurricane so only use it in calm weather near land. I would like to repair them but can't afford new tubes and also the boat would be worth less than the tubes cost even when new ones were fitted. I know safety is more important but I still can't afford them.
Has anyone opened seams to get to the baffles? I opened up a leaking seam slightly and struggled to seal the ends of the opened part again.
I even considered cutting slits big enough to get in to work on the baffles and patch them up afterwards. Is this a bad idea? Probably :¬)
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks

How old is the tubeset? If the tubeset is 15+ years old, I would not unglue a seam. The material will likely delaminate heavily with heat, and you will not be able to reseal the seam very well.

I would slice a hole in a good spot with intention to cover it with an inside/outside patch. I would be wise to investigate beforehand to see which way the baffles are glued in.

An FYI too, if your boat has IC valves, it may be leaking around the intercommunication hose through the baffle.

[Isle of Mull]

Thanks for the reply. I am sure the tubes will be original which would make them over twenty years old. I hadn't realised the hypalon would de-laminate like that. I don't have IC valves so no problem there.
Do you know if the baffles tend to leak at the join to the tube or elsewhere?
I will try to repair the baffle opposite the intact one which would give me the bow section and two sides separate which I would be happy with for what we use the boat for.
Thanks again.

[office888]

Originally Posted by Isle of Mull

Thanks for the reply. I am sure the tubes will be original which would make them over twenty years old. I hadn't realised the hypalon would de-laminate like that. I don't have IC valves so no problem there.
Do you know if the baffles tend to leak at the join to the tube or elsewhere?
I will try to repair the baffle opposite the intact one which would give me the bow section and two sides separate which I would be happy with for what we use the boat for.
Thanks again.

It depends on the baffle style inside the tube.

Typically, it is the connection to the tube around the topside (from the heat radiating through the fabric), combined with a pinched spot or ripple in the material...the downsides of a hand-laid product!

[Isle of Mull]

Thanks for that. It makes sense as I can hear the air leaking through and it seems loud at the top of the tube. I will take a valve out and try and see which way the baffles are fitted.
Cheers