Seago inflatables

[tgpt21]

I bought a Seago 270 tender back in summer 2011. It gave me good service up until this last month. From requiring merely a few strokes of the foot pump every week, in the last 5 weeks it stays usable only for a few hours.

Initially it was the starboard tube, then a week later the port tube and now the forward tube deflates within a day. Moreover at around the same time the starboard tube started to leak the rowlocks parted company from the tubes.

Initially I thought that I would find punctures. But I found that the air was coming from the port and starboard corners next to where they are joined to the transom by PVC material where no sharp object could come into contact with the tubes. I found that this "joining" material was easily peeled away from the transom and the tubes for about 25% of its area but the adhesive stood fast on the rest. A finger stuck into the space found that there was a lot of tube material flopping around freely out of sight. I have not bothered to find where the forward tube is leaking.

It seems to me that given that the integrity of the tubes happened over a short period and to all three tubes and that the adhesive failed on the rowlocks at the same time is it safe for me to conclude that this is due to failure of the adhesive? Has anyone out there had a similar experience? How long should an inflatable last?

 

[johnphilip]

Sounds poor, out of curiosity does the dinghy spend most of its life in a bag or is it exposed to the elements full time? not that glue should fail at that age in any situation. Years ago I had a similar issue with a Narwhal, but that was a 1980s boat which failed in about 2007.

 

[Spyro]

i've had a few problems with my Seago 260, It punctures very easily, the towing eye started tearing. They will probably say it shouldn't be used for towing . The carry bag disintegrated after 2 seasons on deck. When i called Seago they said it shouldn't be left outside. I won't buy another.

 

[Heckler]

i've had a few problems with my Seago 260, It punctures very easily, the towing eye started tearing. They will probably say it shouldn't be used for towing . The carry bag disintegrated after 2 seasons on deck. When i called Seago they said it shouldn't be left outside. I won't buy another.

I had similar probs, I had a second one at cost price because of it. It is starting to do the same. The joints at the rear of the tubes are starting to leak. The bag disintegrated and the tabs on the front for the cover have UV disintegrated as well.
Not good!
S

 

[pvb]

Were the inflatables made by Remploy, like the faulty lifejackets Seago had to recall?

 

[tgpt21]

i've had a few problems with my Seago 260, It punctures very easily, the towing eye started tearing. They will probably say it shouldn't be used for towing . The carry bag disintegrated after 2 seasons on deck. When i called Seago they said it shouldn't be left outside. I won't buy another.

It shouldn't be left outside? So it should only be used in the bath? Ridiculous! Seago also make liferafts rather worrying!

 

[tgpt21]

Were the inflatables made by Remploy, like the faulty lifejackets Seago had to recall?

The instructions in Chinglish pointed to it being made in China.

 

[tgpt21]

I had similar probs, I had a second one at cost price because of it. It is starting to do the same. The joints at the rear of the tubes are starting to leak. The bag disintegrated and the tabs on the front for the cover have UV disintegrated as well.
Not good!
S

Yes, my bag disintegrated after one season. So that is three cases of failure of a similar nature. Of course, I have been in touch with Seago who tell me that it has never happened before.

 

[tgpt21]

Sounds poor, out of curiosity does the dinghy spend most of its life in a bag or is it exposed to the elements full time? not that glue should fail at that age in any situation. Years ago I had a similar issue with a Narwhal, but that was a 1980s boat which failed in about 2007.

The tender did spend a lot of its life inflated and exposed to the weather but the elements which failed were not exposed directly to the sun. But three seasons is a bit of a short life. Your Narwhal sounds as though it had a good innings.

 

[SimbaDog]

I had one & the bag fell apart after 2 seasons & it developed a very slow leak in one tube. Are there any alternatives at a sensible price though? Not really willing to spend a lot on something that is very nickable when ashore

 

[tgpt21]

I had one & the bag fell apart after 2 seasons & it developed a very slow leak in one tube. Are there any alternatives at a sensible price though? Not really willing to spend a lot on something that is very nickable when ashore

The nickability is a point that I have not considered. I think I will try to find a quality secondhand job that is not too flashy.

 

[dom]

The nickability is a point that I have not considered. I think I will try to find a quality secondhand job that is not too flashy.

I left an old circa 2000 punctured air-deck Zodiac on the south facing roof of a garden shed for about seven years! For a laugh I pressure washed the thing off, thereby rendering homeless an impressive colony of kreepy crawlies and slug like things. Then I fixed two punctures and blew it up hard. To my amazement two days later it was still rock hard. So I covered the boat in Fairy Liquid and hot water, gave it another pressure wash and the boat came up beautifully! It looks surprisingly non-manky in light of its mistreatment, but is certainly not the kind of beauty which will be high on the nickability list.

 

[tgpt21]

I left an old circa 2000 punctured air-deck Zodiac on the south facing roof of a garden shed for about seven years! For a laugh I pressure washed the thing off, thereby rendering homeless an impressive colony of kreepy crawlies and slug like things. Then I fixed two punctures and blew it up hard. To my amazement two days later it was still rock hard. So I covered the boat in Fairy Liquid and hot water, gave it another pressure wash and the boat came up beautifully! It looks surprisingly non-manky in light of its mistreatment, but is certainly not the kind of beauty which will be high on the nickability list.

My mother told me, "You buy cheap you buy twice, son"

 

[Spyro]

Yes, my bag disintegrated after one season. So that is three cases of failure of a similar nature. Of course, I have been in touch with Seago who tell me that it has never happened before.

They obviously don't remember me or saw my video. http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?404627-Seago-Dinghy-bag&highlight=

Time they started making their bags from UV resistant material. :mad-new:

 

[dom]

My mother told me, "You buy cheap you buy twice, son"

It would appear that your mother is 5 nil up at halftime!

 

[GrahamM376]

Others I know have also regretted buying their dinghies.

Seago worry me. A friend based in Portugal needed his life raft servicing and there was no agent within several hundred miles, IIRC LaRochelle or Barcelona. During discussions, Seago stated that if the raft was overdue for service by even a week, the warranty would be nul and void.

 

[ctva]

Hmm... our Seago 270 airdeck is about 5 years old (I think) and is still fine. However we only get it out when we need it each weekend and over the olidays when it is left up. Absolutely no problems with it so far.... reaching to touch some wood, and I'd buy another tomorrow if it was the same price campared to the other 'premium' makes. I have never really understood the people who leave their dinghies inflated and either in the water or on deck 12 months of the year when it takes 10mins to put it up of down. As for the bag, I can't comment as I use an old Yam one which is over 15 years old and still fine.

As to the life raft, I'd agree with Seago, if it's beyond the service date the warranty would be void, same as anything that goes over the warranty period.

 

[GrahamM376]

I have never really understood the people who leave their dinghies inflated and either in the water or on deck 12 months of the year when it takes 10mins to put it up of down..

As to the life raft, I'd agree with Seago, if it's beyond the service date the warranty would be void, same as anything that goes over the warranty period.

Some of us use the dinghy daily (often several times) for much of the year. Our Waveline has been inflated for 3 years now and only needs pressure adjusting to suit the season's temperatures.

As for the liferaft, if the boat's being hauled in winter for several months I bet most people would prefer to service the raft before launching rather than waste money having the clock ticking away while the boat is laid up, the raft isn't going to degrade in that time.

 

[PembrokeshirePromise]

Yes me to - also 260 - probably 8 years old - but this summer the whole bit holding one side of the transom on just unpeeled cleanly !

Did a bodge job repairing with CT1 http://www.sealantsonline.co.uk/Products/CTec_CT1_Sealants_Adhesives (excellent stuff) - especially on wet surfaces.

I would think hard before getting another

 

[nimbusgb]

I was given a replacement at cost.

They are not a good investment unfortunately. This is a common occurance rather than an occasional incident.

Met a couple of blokes in Greece last week whose dinghy was more hack job glue than original adhesive.

Never again.