Advice please! Ribeye with tear.

[Cornwall Will]

Hi guys,

I'm after some advice on repairs to my ribeye 600 tube. Having noticed a pressure drop the other evening in the rear starboard baffle I pumped it up this morning y but my efforts only achieed a small jacuzzi in the berth.

The split is not on the seam, but where the rear cone overlaps the baffle on the inside of the tube. This area smashes along the water at speed so I think it's just worn out rather than an impact.

My question is, will a large patch suffice to seal the hole and stop the weakness spreading? I was thinking of a rounded end to the front of the patch with the squared off rear meeting the seam. A bit like an archway shape.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to upload some photos ASAP.

Many thanks

Will

[ribber]

Are your tubes hypalon or the hypatex type material or whatever ribeye call it.

If hypatex (PVC) then this material becomes brittle and difficult to repair with age, especially at that point.

Mine went in the same place (hypatex) repaired it once successfully and matched each side up to look better, lasted a couple of years but it eventually perished. Once water starts to get in at that point, even the slightest of pinpricks, the speed travelling across the water soon gets in and rips it apart, acts like a scoop, catches and forces the whole back taper off.

So whatever you can do to stop that happening is what you need to achieve. Shaping the patch to be streamlined through the water will help loads.

My end result was new hypalon tubes after five years. The way they join the tubes together now makes sure that it's all smooth and not running against the flow of water.

[Cornwall Will]

I've attached some photos to help.

Thanks for the advice Ribber. It is the PVC version and it sounds like the same problem you encountered. I think i'm going to go with a streamlined patch which will cover the whole area. I'm also toying with applying some adhesive to the leading edge of the patch on the outside to try and reduce the drag on it and keep it on there a little longer.

[Searider]

You could try fitting a patch which extends forward of the water impact area so that the forward edge isnt exposed to water pressure under way.

[ribber]

Yes exact same place. Although your tubes look quite pliable still so you might get away with some patches for a bit longer. It's just the glue doesn't seem to stick very successfully when applying patch as it's a bugger to get flat and apply pressure.

I also believe the problem starts with the tubes being inflated to softly, where that taper is touching the water underway, they vibrate/flap about causing the material to bend backwards and forwards eventually wearing it away.

Set of new hypalon tubes approx cost £3500, makes the boat look brand new again

[Nick Hearne]

Same happened to mine 2006 a couple of years back, I put a large patch over it and it worked I did notice the leading edge is starting to lift which should be being done again as it is in for a hole in the front tube as from yesterday!
Got a frantic call from the Mrs H that she had managed to hole the boat and it was going down, I'm 220 miles away!!
Gave my very helpful Boat man Chris Turns a call, to make it worse I have the trailer back here, no problem he will get a trailer and meat Mrs H at the slip.
Call Mrs H back 20 mins later she is at the slip and he is backing down with a trailer ready top man

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

.....and meat Mrs H at the slip.
..........

Good mate that