Hello from Kwoffa !

[kwoffa]

New member here,run a dive boat for a dive club and am having a few probs with the Hypalon tubes loosing air..the boat is ten years old,i am going to check the valves first but am wondering about painting the tubes?

[Searider]

10 years old shouldn't be losing air through the fabric.
Perhaps have a seam leaking?

What boat is it?

[kwoffa]

Hi thanks for your reply,boat is a tornado,i have been to the boat today and have found the problem,for a good few years we covered the boat with a tarpaulin,well up to the A frame any way,and the problems are coming from the stern cones,when i look at the tubes i can see a marked difference,i am sure it is a UV problem as i can almost see the canvas well its light colour,it is only on the top part,the rest of the tubes are still covered well,so i do need to aply something over them it is too big an area to patch,and it is on both sides,a couple of years ago we had a made to measure cover made which will keep them covered in future,,any suggestion's???

[jyasaki]

Have you ID'd where the leaks actually are? Inflate and cover with soapy water and look for bubbles. That will be a first step in figuring out a course of action.

jky

[kwoffa]

Yup i know exactly where the porosity is stern cones on top due to de-lamination..our tubes apparently are PU....i can see where the covering has been exposed to the elements,,, i am really wanting to find a suitable glue and material to stick on the cones...????

[jeffstevens763@g]

Kwoffa

Talk to poly marine they sell all the kit you will need plus some advice

Cheers

[kwoffa]

Cheers jeff,i have already done that,and thee chap i need to speak to was away,i am getting there tho !

[jeffstevens763@g]

yea just had same with Suzuki the bloke that knows on holiday.i am no expert but you could try talking to one of the tube manufactures to see if you could have it covered with rubbing strake or reinforcement like on the commercial boats on both sides worth talking to someone that knows there is someone who posts on here makes tubes forgot his name my apologies to him.

[jeffstevens763@g]

kwoffa
try rib-store.

cheers