How to repair a small leak?

[CDK1]

Here is a picture of the tubes where they meet at the bow. Last year I cut the vertical strip at the bottom because it had come loose and air escaped from under it.
I cleaned the PVC with acetone and glued the strip back on using Adeco 2C glue. Although it looked good at the beginning, I later discovered there is still air escaping near the bottom.
Is there any other option than pulling it off again (if at all possible)?

[jelwood]

Is what you've arrowed where it's actually leaking? Or is the bubble coming out from under the strip? Can't really tell in the photo but the fabric looks beyond its best there.

If it's coming out under the strip the leak could be anywhere along that Seam and just travelling under the strip til it can get out,

If that's the hole just at the bottom
Of the strip then you'd have to lift the rubbing strake, and the strip, put a patch over the hole and then put the strip and strake back on

[Binty_Bexter]

I had to make a 'double overlap' repair to my Zodiac Pro at the pointy end of one of the tubes, where there are three strips of material, one on top of the other lying at 90 deg angles to each other. It left me with a small gap where it was impossible to get a perfect seal, even though I used the proper Polymarine 2 part adhesive.

My solution was to use a product call Shoe-Goo and plug the gap (unconventional in RIB repair but it works for the soles of shoes, so I gave it a go ). Six months later the tiny hole is still perfectly sealed and holding air. I've given the boat some pretty heavy use during this time and drive it hard (It's a 650 Pro w/150hp Yam) with no sign of failure.

Not sure if you can buy it in your country but it's available in the UK through Amazon and in the Bahamas, where I live. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Sho.../dp/B000BQR55G

[CDK1]

Originally Posted by jelwood

If it's coming out under the strip the leak could be anywhere along that Seam and just travelling under the strip til it can get out,

That is exactly what happens.
Under the strip is a gray plastic 1/2" H-profile where the Chinese manufacturer welded the two parts of the tube together. When I cut the strip last year near the bottom and pulled it upwards I found two places near the middle where air escaped. I tried several types of glue there, including 2C epoxy that generally sticks to anything, all to no avail.
I then decided to glue the strip back on with a liberal coat of glue on both sides.

I could try this "shoe-goo" stuff in a small syringe.

[jelwood]

Did you do all that with the tube let down? You seem to have an idea of what your doing but the amount of times I've seen people try to patch leaks with the tube inflated is amazing

If you do it with it inflated all it will do is blow a channel in the wet glue and carry on leaking

[CDK1]

No Jelwood, I did it all with the tube hanging like a wet towel. That made pressing the two surfaces together very difficult, it even may have been the cause of the current problem, although it may also be the H-profile that rejects any kind of glue. It could be polyethylene of polypropylene.

[dave3235]

Hi all

When I made a repair on my sib I used a decoraters seam roller and placed a weight on the patch for 24 hours whilst curing,any help.

[Tim M]

If the leak is where the arrow is I would remove that part of the rubbing strake, replace the seam tape with a slightly wider/longer one which tucks in behind the strake. Glue it all back together, job done!

[cgoing]

Well I think part of the problem is that very definitely appears to be hypalon and not PVC. It also looks like it may have been painted. Hypalon require a different prep process than PVC as well as a different adhesive. What brand and model boat is it?

[CDK1]

Originally Posted by cgoing

Well I think part of the problem is that very definitely appears to be hypalon and not PVC. It also looks like it may have been painted. Hypalon require a different prep process than PVC as well as a different adhesive. What brand and model boat is it?

The boat is a Chinese HCF-560. according to the manufacturer the material used is 0.9 mm polyester fabric, coated on both sides with PVC and glued with polyurethane.
A major issue with this material is migration of the plasticizer during exposure to UV; the surface gets sticky after a few years and cannot be cleaned.
I painted it last year with a flexible coating for inflatables that protects the PVC very well but suffers from abrasion.

[cgoing]

Well the paint might explain why it looks more like hypalon. As previously mentioned the best way to ifx it is going to be to peel it apart until you get to the actual leak the reglue that area to solve the leak, reinforce it with a patch and reassemble what you peeled apart.