Ribs

Message

#1 Post by **hush1** » Wed May 09, 2007 2:42 pm

Hi Guys,
I have a rib I am looking to see if I can repair. It was kept outside for about 5 years and now when inflated only stays inflated for about 2.5 hours. There are no apparent leaks. I was wondering if the rubber had become porus due to being kept outside...is there any treatment for this?

Cheers!

#2 Post by **Caz-Galway** » Wed May 09, 2007 4:46 pm

Get an empty washing up liquid bottle or similar and put a washing up liquid and water soloution into it. Blow up your rib and gently squirt the soap soloution all over the rib. Holes will appear as a mass of small bubbles. This will tell you if its individual holes of a porus rubber covering. It is possible to buy sheets of rubber from a rib manufacturer and reinforce your old covering but its a tricky job. You could also send the boat down to be professionally re-tubed, which is expensive, or get the rib makers to re-inforce the tubes for you by glueing on the sheet rubber mentioned above.

Hope this helps

Caz

seanlavelle · #3 Post by **seanlavelle** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:46 pm

Make sure when you check for holes in the tube chamber that you find all the holes the first time and mark them, as you can end up with a load of small patches.

#4 Post by **MAC** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:03 pm

Super post Caz......

Kev

#5 Post by **hush1** » Thu May 10, 2007 8:19 pm

Cheers Caz!