Bought a 10 ft Cadet with slow air leak

[spedroboy]

2000 yr mfgr had two punctures now repaired but overnite loses half air evenly between both chambers. Can't locate specific seepage spot using soap spray thus far. Any product out there like the slime injection for mountain bike tires to plug leaks ?

 

[Sea Rider]

Welcome to IBoats,

Need to determine where the slow air leak is being produced. Check the air valves condition for leaks, those have a large o'ring between the upper and lower valve body, a middle diaphragm on the upper body along a o'ring located insde the upper cap. Test with soappy water all 3 one by one.

Inflate to a firm condition the left tube and check if holds pressure, if OK deflate that chamber, inflate next one, check same and deflate it, inflate right one, the test is to determine if any of tha air baffles between said air chambers holds air well or not due to the Sibs old age. If any is shot will need to live boating with that flaw as will be darn costly to fully repair it.

Tube's sealer : https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=525004

Happy Boating​

 

[spedroboy]

Welcome to IBoats,

Need to determine where the slow air leak is being produced. Check the air valves condition for leaks, those have a large o'ring between the upper and lower valve body, a middle diaphragm on the upper body along a o'ring located insde the upper cap. Test with soappy water all 3 one by one.

Inflate to a firm condition the left tube and check if holds pressure, if OK deflate that chamber, inflate next one, check same and deflate it, inflate right one, the test is to determine if any of tha air baffles between said air chambers holds air well or not due to the Sibs old age. If any is shot will need to live boating with that flaw as will be darn costly to fully repair it.

Tube's sealer : https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=525004

Happy Boating​

 

[spedroboy]

thanks for that info...

 

[Scott Danforth]

You bought a 22 year old boat with a 15 year life expectancy. Depending where the leak is, it may not be repairable

 

[Sea Rider]

With an inflatable boat every part is repairable as long the fabric is not dried or way hardened as not to accept a patch or seam regluing. As the OP already has it must solve the air leak to ensure max fun out of it till the remaining of its life...

Happy Boating​

 

[909]

If you inflate the boat with more than 3.5 PSI the soap will bubble.
If the soap doesn't bubble use less water more soap.
My bet is the endcones.

 

[Sea Rider]

It's extremely dangerous to inflate any inflatable to their max stated pressure, being that old could burst any seam as the glue will be already dried, hardened...

Happy Boating

 

[spedroboy]

1st 3 patchings failed trying 2 dif brands glue, varying cure times tween coats, 80 grit emery cloth, pressure with ice cream scoop, in shop 80f 30-35 humidity. 4th attempt, NO LEAKAGE SO FAR; only 2 thin coats, 30 min then 45 min cure intervals with hard pressure 10 lb barbell plate rolling. Also added 1 1/2 in under patch to eliminate nipple that the puncture air can produce.

 

[spedroboy]

All attempts reused same 4 in dia patch with Zylene cleaning and re buffing with 80 grit. believe that trauma helps stretch and pliability of the patch even tho an inflated hypalon boat stretches not alot from deflated condition.
Also, spray bottle of diluted Simple Green gave me optimum bubble up for leak detection...

 

[spedroboy]

Waited 3 days before inflation, after the patchwork, and 4 days later, no leak.