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Boat Body Leaks
Main Repair Page - Fixing Leaks
Larry <lbussing@…>
11/22/09 #7441
The way you find holes in the plumbing business is by pressurizing the pipe and painting a water/soap mixure on the fittings. If you see bubbles, it is leaking. In kayak land, you use a reversed vaccum cleaner hose (so it blows, not sucks)or a hair drier to pressurize the boat. A second person can paint the seams with the soap solution to find the leak. [CAUTION, ONLY BLOW INTO THE HOLE FROM A DISTANCE SO YOU DON'T OVER PRESSURIZE THE BOAT. A LITTLE PRESSURE IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED. A FEW INCHES/ IN2 OF AIR PRESSURE OVER A LARGE AREA WILL BLOW THE BOAT APART WITH A TREMENDOUS RELEASE OF ENERGY.]
Larry B
David Scherrer
04/16/14 #15596
….– Finding the leak……..
OK so I have figured out a way to find the leaks in your Ski, if indeed one does have leaks. Use the rubber plug with the hole drilled in it, located on deck. Remove the venting tube/support fixture form mentioned plug.
Find foot pump for bike. Use the small funnel attachment suppled with foot pump. Insert the pump nozzle in plug. Next mix up some water with dish soap. Place ski on saw horses. Insert plug in the drain and pressurize hull, no more than 5 lbs. Go around boat to suspected leaking areas and apply soapy water. Any leaking air will show as bubbles and Vola !
Leaks and - …
Reivers Dustin
04/17/14 #15597
In fact 5psi might be too much- be very cautious of overpressure. I used a hair dryer held loose over the open hatch to get slight positive pressure. Confession: I've cracked seams simply by putting too much water inside the hull when I was trying to rinse dried salt out of the interior. The design is strong against outside pressure, but very weak against overpressure from inside. Like an eggshell.
More: I've applied vasaline at hull penetrations: ruddershaft, ruddercable entry/exit, and the threads and O-rings on hatches. When I applied to the rubber vent plug the petroleum caused the rubber to degrade (had to replace rubber plug). For those with finer sensibilities: use “Plumber's Silicone Sealant” (expensive, but really nice stuff). Coating these points has stopped some very fine leaks and now my boat is bone dry at all times, (one of the older boats in the fleet).
….
rd
Reivers Dustin
12/16/17 #22356
…… I'm still trying to find the leak in my S1-R. Bubble test turns up nothing. I've waited until dark of night and put a bright light inside and gone over the boat looking for any light coming through. Today I borrowed a neighbor's fiberoptic camera. I think I can get a visual on the rudder cables. If this doesn't turn up anything, then I'll just wrap the dang thing in saran-wrap and call it good.
rd
