Honwave v floor

[Homer J]

Anyone Got one? Does the floor deflaye Much more quickly than the sides? Mine seems to hold some pressure after weeks but not enough o stay rigid. What should I check? If the floor was punctured I would expect no escape of air from the valves after 3 months but there is a small amount. BUT... the floor won’t stay firm for more than 2 days.

 

[duncan99210]

Get a spray bottle, fill it with water plus some washing up liquid. Remove the deck and inflate it then spray the water all over the deck. Look carefully for a stream of tiny bubbles coming from somewhere on the deck: you’ll almost certainly find some somewhere. Apply a patch over the location of the bubbles and you should find the deck stays rigid for longer.
It’s become something of an annual ritual for me, as we use the dinghy on a daily basis for most of the summer and inevitably generate a small whole or two in the process....

 

[vyv_cox]

Not a Honwave, but a SunSport ARIB, same construction. The hull tubes leaked constantly, needed reinflating every day. I complained, was sent new valves, fitted and bedded them very carefully, little difference. Gave up after two seasons and bought another Quicksilver airdeck.

 

[Trop Cher]

Anyone Got one? Does the floor deflaye Much more quickly than the sides? Mine seems to hold some pressure after weeks but not enough o stay rigid. What should I check? If the floor was punctured I would expect no escape of air from the valves after 3 months but there is a small amount. BUT... the floor won’t stay firm for more than 2 days.

Yes, similar to mine. The tubes are great, last a couple of months each time they are inflated, however the floor lasts at best four days. Not sure of the solution to this problem.

 

[Murv]

I had the same thing, turned out to be the valve, found by spraying with soapy water.
There is a tool available that engages in the slots on the valve to tighten it, I just did mine (very carefully) with needle nose pliers.

 

[vyv_cox]

I had the same thing, turned out to be the valve, found by spraying with soapy water.
There is a tool available that engages in the slots on the valve to tighten it, I just did mine (very carefully) with needle nose pliers.

The valve tool came with my Sunsport. It tightens the outer part of the valve relative to the inner, i.e. the 'sandwich' that has the tube material between the flanges. Mine leaked a little, I tightened it and eventually put sealant in before tightening, which sealed it altogether. However, the floor still deflated quite quickly. It seemed the construction was poor, resulting in leaking at the seams.

 

[James_Calvert]

We get a few boats with soft floors like that left on Whitestrand pontoon in Salcombe, the one where you have to clamber over a few boats to get ashore.

Guaranteed wet feet every time.

My sympathies!

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Have a Wetline Airdeck of similar construction with high-pressure V-floor .... lasted 5-6 seasons before the floor refused to stay inflated more than a couple of days. Pretty sure it is the valves.

Plan to swap it out for a light weight aluminium RIB.

 

[Homer J]

I tried tightening up the valves but it made no difference. The soap and water test proved nothing.

from what others have said “they all do that sir”

I guess I’ll keep pumping every couple of days until it’s time to buy something else.

 

[rszemeti]

Honwave 3.2m .. V floor, floor stays inflated for months ... no problems. We pumped it up at the beginning of June and it was still fine when we came back from our cruise early september ...

 

[Homer J]

thanks rszemeti - do you fancy swapping dinghies?

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Not a Honwave, but a SunSport ARIB, same construction. The hull tubes leaked constantly, needed reinflating every day. I complained, was sent new valves, fitted and bedded them very carefully, little difference. Gave up after two seasons and bought another Quicksilver airdeck.

Mine did the same SunSport make a good looking rib unfortunately not one that holds air.

 

[GsyFoxHound]

I bought my honwave 3.2 last year and it was fine all summer so will see what its like this season!