Please advise seam leaking air

Hello folks,

I have got an old dinghy which is slightly leaking air at the seam.



I am not willing to redo the seam itself as looks risky; another idea is to put a larger piece of material on top ? but would it hold? Also, what glue would you suggest for such operation?
Many thanks.

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

You can try putting a patch over the whole thing, but it will most likely not work. The leak will just travel along the seam to the path of least resistance. Your best bet, if you don't want to repair the seam, is to try an internal sealant.

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Drowned Rat said:

Your best bet, if you don't want to repair the seam, is to try an internal sealant.

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Thanks. Sorry, I am new to inflatable repairs...
How that internal thing works? I am quite good in fixing things just need to know what and how to use. If I could have at least idea what to look for...

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

If those are tiny winny air leaks, just place a small cracy glue drop to cover leak adjacet to seams, let dry and voila. There are some detractors about using this method, no harm to fabric, seals instantly well and removable if going for complete future seal work . We use it all the time for minor repairs at field & workshop.

Happy Boating

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Sea Rider said:

If those are tiny winny air leaks, just place a small cracy glue drop to cover leak adjacet to seams, let dry and voila. There are some detractors about using this method, no harm to fabric, seals instantly well and removable if going for complete future seal work . We use it all the time for minor repairs at field & workshop.

Happy Boating

Click to expand...

What glue do you use for such work?

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Yikes. You're gonna have to repair the seam. It's a big job, but it can be done. Also looks like you're leaking around the rub strake. How old is the boat?

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Geddie said:

What glue do you use for such work?

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Any cracy glue type, just a smalll drop between lower fabric and seam side. Area must be clean and dry. To repair properly a seam is a skilled and time demanding work, will need to open full bow seam, remove old glue with proper solvents, use a 2 part glue, correct room temp and proper tools. Those air leaks looks minimal...

Happy Boating

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Sea Rider said:

Those air leaks looks minimal...
Happy Boating

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Look a lot bigger than minimal to me, but you've fixed many more than I have for sure. My buddy bought a raft with those kinds of bubbles in that spot and we worked on it for a long time. It was definitely a learning experience. If I had known then what I know now I would have discouraged him from buying it, but there it was on my garage floor so we jumped in. It's still not 100%, but it's better. It will hold air for hours rather than minutes. We're going to glue a big piece of PVC over the spot and another one that isn't leaking but I don't like the looks of, then we're going to dump in some of the raft sealant Drowned Rat was talking about. Should get him down a few rivers after that.

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

About minimal, the pic is not very clear, can see 3 big bubbles at upper & middle seam side, so assumed those were all the air leaks to it ?

Incoop, see my avatar, that rib had 12 air leaks all around at same time, the worst factory delivered inflatable that have seen. No air leak test was made when arrived, was unpacked, straight delivered and inflated at a marina. As I like boating all year round taking it back to the shop was not the way to go in terms of lost precious boating time doing time demanding repairs, so 12 cracy glue applications in terms of small droplets, and small fine lines following fabric & seam was the way to go, did wonders.

The cracy gluing is more than a year old now and holding fantastically. Now that the new 450 rib toy has finally arrived (still at customs) will finally be taken to our shop to professionaly glue all air leaks...

Happy Boating

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Racoon crawled up our Avon with it leaning against a tree and left multiple small leaks with its claws. I carefully cleaned the spots and put hypolon adhesive on each spot. No more air leaks.

Re: Please advise seam leaking air

Coating with 2 part pvc or hypalon glues could work fine when repairing tubes's small flat tiny punctures especially if sib will not be used inflated to it's full working psi, coating same on seams are 2 complete different issues, most of the time it's the interior seal and exterior fabric that leaks at same time which needs more skilled & time demanding repair.

Happy Boating