inflatable keeps going flat

[smileygirl]

afternoon.
I (foolishly) bought a warranty repaired XM inflatable at the boat show back in January. I returned it back for repair because it went flat in 1 -2 days. It came back apparently all fixed but now it goes flat in 3 -4 days. I have gone all over it looking for leaks with soapy water but not found anything yet. Both the side tubes go down and eventually the inflatable floor too. The supplier claims he has had it at full pressure for 3 weeks with no problems. I suspect the valves are leaking. Is there some trick to cleaning/sealing the valves? or should I have bought the avon/zodiac ?

any suggestions welcome

 

[stevebrassett]

Can you say exactly how you inflate the boat? I had a problem with the valves on my avon, but I'm not going to reveal quite how stupid I was until I know if it's going to help.

 

[smileygirl]

I use a foot pump. The valves have two positions - forced closed under pressure or held open to allow easy deflating (although I seem to have the automatic option), there is a stem you turn 90 degrees to switch from one to the other

 

[stevebrassett]

Fine - you don't have the same problem I did.

 

[smileygirl]

so any suggestions ?
p.s. what did you do?

 

[Medskipper]

Look on the bright side, at least its a 100% better than it was before! it now lasts 4 days!!!

Barry

 

[ccscott49]

If it's not the valves, only two explanations, it's either porous to air or it's got a leak, if all the tubes go down, I suspect the valves aren't working peoperly or you are doing something wrong, take it back to the supplier and ask him to prove it doesnt go down when he pumps it up, you may both learn something.

 

[ashanta]

Kevin, this may notbe helpful as I dont have an inflatable floor on my Inflatable dinghy but I had a slow leak you describe and I also sent away for repair but they couln't find the leak. So, this is what I did.
Firstly I went all over the outer surfaces of the dinghy with a narrow glass full of water and I covered every inch accessable to me. This proved there was no leak on the available outer surface (dont use soapy water as your looking foe a very small trace of bubbles) I then filled the dinghy up with water,taking the valve covers off so that the valves were exposed to the water. When the water was very very still I observed every inch of the surface water. I did find it. It wasn't the valves, it was the seam, right under the tube inside at the ferward end but I was able to repair it and it's great now.

Regards.

peter.

 

[Davy_S]

I had an inflatable Avon lady, and i had to get rid of it because it kept going down on me. boom boom! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[tcm]

The inflatable yobbish schoolboy goes to the inflatable school, and punctures it with a knife. The inflatable headmaster tries to stop him but gets slashed as well, and then the inflatable schoolboy punctures himself as well.

Later, the inflatble schoolboy is in hospital and in the next bed is the inflatable headmaster, who says "You've not just let yourself down, you've let me down - and you've let the whole school down...."

 

[itsonlymoney]

The old ones are the best. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gonfishing]

Try a product called sealflex made by polymarine @ around £14.00 a bottle.
as long as you are sure it's not the Valves, you add this product to the inside of the dinghy and just follow the instructions! Very effective.

Hope this helps
Julian

 

[mikewilkes]

Mine does the same

If it is sitting in the water it stays rock hard.
If its up on the foredeck on its back with its bum in the air the bl**dy thing deflates. Any ideas on that one please????

Viagra is not the answer cos it just rattles around inside the tubes!!!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[paulineb]

Re: Mine does the same

is it something to do with the air inside getting hot when it's not in the water ?

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: Mine does the same

[ QUOTE ]
is it something to do with the air inside getting hot when it's not in the water ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Would that not cause the air to expand and therefore make it harder????

I am just baffled by this - but there again it dont take much!!

 

[Lakesailor]

Re: Mine does the same

Don't you have a case for rejecting it under the Sale of Goods Act as it is not doing the job it was intended to do? I don't think the fact it was offered as a repaired product affects your rights.
Any one know more on this?

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: Mine does the same

Mine is at least 4 years old, Phil, but its only started this annoying habit in the last 6 months.

 

[Lakesailor]

Re: Mine does the same

Sorry Mike, I was addressing the remark to KevinA. You are on your own there.
I was being sloppy and using the quick reply.

 

[Micky]

Re: Mine does the same

LakeSailor.
I had the same problem many years ago. Pump the boat up rock hard and three weeks later it would be quite soft, never flat but needed a few pumps. I could never find a leak, so was told to deflate it and fill it with soapy water, add some air until it was hard and leave it a day, sure enough out came a little bubble right near the outboard bracket. Dried it off, cleaned it up chucked on a patch and it was perfect for another three years, until someone helped themselves to it.

 

[Lakesailor]

Hope It went Down On Them

The buggers!