Is my inflatable defunct?

[dgadee]

Plastimo Horizon bought in 2016 and mostly used for 4/5 months a year on way to Greece. Kept in cabin rest of the time.

It is not keeping air. No sign of valve leaks and what is odd is that when it goes softish (in an hour or two) when you pump up in one valve it firms up the other two chambers.

Was fine in Spring but not now.

Do I dump it?

 

[seumask]

In my experience it is normal for all the chamber to firm up when pumping the first one. The walls between them move so equalise the pressure if they are not fully extended already. you should generally aim to put the same number of pumps into each one to maintain them equally so to speak.
Pump it all up, Soapy water and carefull examination to find the leak.

 

[jwilson]

Fix it. Soapy water, find leak, if a single large one patch it, if several minute pinholes either several patches or a smear of CT1 or similar sealant over the holes - this is now my reliable preference for most small leaks. You can even get CT1 is similar colours to most inflatables. Possibly the internal section seals have failed but a bit of equalising pressure is normal. For most short shore to boat or vice versa uses it only has to hold reasonable pressure for a few hours, and sooner or later it will develop more leaks as someone drags it across rough bottoms.

Or buy a new one, but I was deeply unimpressed by the lower quality of a new "quality brand" inflatable three years ago.

 

[dgadee]

Good call! Minute leak at a seam. Thanks.

 

[Refueler]

My Avon is antique and fabric is 'porous' with age ... so a bottle of sealant specially for pouring in via the valves, pump up and then roll the dinghy up and over ... side to side ... end over end ..... then pump more air in before letting it set .. (the extra air is to blow the valves clear of sealant !). It also had a pinhole top bow ... I have a tube of liquid sealant that you dab on and smooth when dinghy is deflated ... let cure - only takes minutes ... its flexible and Avon grey !

My Avon was only capable of an hour or so ... now it can go more than a day before needing a few pumps of air.

Another dinghy I have ... that had a scrape - liquid sealant on that ... and she stays up reasonably - but will get another bottle of pour in sealant for this one ...

ANOTHER dinghy I have - a seam has lifted at bow .. - but previous owner messed up repair by using some awful wrong glue with a patch. Patch is off but now there's a terrible load of glue that resists all attempts to remove. Once I get the glue off .. I will use my special sealant glue to stop the seam leak and then a decent patch over with correct glue.

As to both chambers filling when only one is pumped to ..... yes I get that with all three .... I put it down to porous divider.

 

[B27]

The divider between chambers is often a cone shape, which flexes to keep pressures equal.
Only works until the cone is fully extended one way or the other though.

 

[dgadee]

Well, I repaired the seam and think it worked, but pumping up one compartment pumped them all up - clearly the internal baffles are gone. Confidence in the dinghy - nil. Chandlery here had updated model, so bought it. Of course a good bit more than the £450 it originally cost me.

 

[Boathook]

The instructions with my dinghy gave an 'order' on which tubes to pump up first. Presumably the baffles are better one than the other.

 

[Refueler]

Well, I repaired the seam and think it worked, but pumping up one compartment pumped them all up - clearly the internal baffles are gone. Confidence in the dinghy - nil. Chandlery here had updated model, so bought it. Of course a good bit more than the £450 it originally cost me.

All my inflatables have naffed baffles .... doesn't bother me as long as dinghy stays up.

 

[dgadee]

All my inflatables have naffed baffles .... doesn't bother me as long as dinghy stays up.

The crew objected in case of failure of one compartment or valve.

It's lying on the pier at Preveza if you want my old one.

 

[Refueler]

The crew objected in case of failure of one compartment or valve.

It's lying on the pier at Preveza if you want my old one.

No thanks ... I have 3 inflatables already ...

 

[greeny]

The crew objected in case of failure of one compartment or valve.

It's lying on the pier at Preveza if you want my old one.

Can you deliver to Portugal?

 

[Refueler]

The crew objected in case of failure of one compartment or valve.

It's lying on the pier at Preveza if you want my old one.

Stick a note on it saying whats wrong ---- ask whoever 'rescues it' to drop a tenner in the Lifeboat box ... they can have it.

Bet it will be gone pretty quick.