Repair advice

[AnthonyExmouth]

Hi, just picked up a little boat with a small leak but it appears to be leaking from under the end of a rubbing strake, about 5mm from the end of the strake is a ridge from another seam. What would be the best way to repair this? would filling the slight gap with sika be any good or does the strake have to come off?
From fully inflated it takes about an hour to go soft enough that you couldn't use it. you can only hear and see the leak when soapy water is applied.

[Wightdiver]

Originally Posted by AnthonyExmouth

Hi, just picked up a little boat with a small leak but it appears to be leaking from under the end of a rubbing strake, about 5mm from the end of the strake is a ridge from another seam. What would be the best way to repair this? would filling the slight gap with sika be any good or does the strake have to come off?
From fully inflated it takes about an hour to go soft enough that you couldn't use it. you can only hear and see the leak when soapy water is applied.

If its a small boat (lift able by 1-2 people) and a small leak you can buy a latex based internal sealer. Squirt it in through the inflator valve, inflate, and then lift/rotate the boat so that the liquid is forced into the leak.

[AnthonyExmouth]

Originally Posted by Wightdiver

If its a small boat (lift able by 1-2 people) and a small leak you can buy a latex based internal sealer. Squirt it in through the inflator valve, inflate, and then lift/rotate the boat so that the liquid is forced into the leak.

Ah, didn't think of that. Same stuff I use in my tubeless bike tires no doubt.

yeah, its a very small pinhole. you'd never find it without soapy water bubbles.

[Mikefule]

I once did an emergency repair with clear silicon bathroom sealant and it worked so well I left it. The boat was pumped up and I noticed a slight leak. I smeared some silicone sealant on it, pushed it through with my finger tip, pumped the boat up hard, and waited a few minutes. It made a plug seal that worked for the lifetime of the boat.

[AnthonyExmouth]

Well, as a test I ended up pouring some tubeless tire sealant into another problematic boat I've got. a leaky high pressure airdeck on my old zodiac. used some stans sealant and worked a treat, held pressure since last Wednesday. gonna give that a go in the newer boat now. it's certainly satisfying watching the liquid start to leak out under pressure and then stop as it seals. As my bike tires run at between 20-35psi I'm guessing it'll hold up under the 11psi in the airdeck and the 3ish in the tubes.