Soviet Inflatable repairs

[Refueler]

Prerviously I posted about weird size valves .... standard boston valve has thread diameter of 22mm ... but mine has 28.5mm.

After various pump up .. check ... see it deflate on its own .. I swapped valves over and found that the valves were not actually at fault .... and squirty soapy water found the tiny slit in the bow.

I have ordered glue as the glue in my kit has gone hard. While waiting - I decided to carefully Superglue the slit to make sure that was the only leak .... tiny drop - spray with kicker - slit sealed. I do not intend this as a permanent solution as water degrades CA glue. But enough to check it stays inflated. I will apply a patch over top of course.

In fact because its about centre line right on the bow - I may use a D ring patch and give myself a painter attachment - which it doesn't have.

The dinghy seats unclip, dinghy rolls up and seats / dinghy / pump all go in that carry bag. The oars are just a little too long but can stick out of bag OK.

The darker blue area is where the small hole was ...

It has no ply or air floor - so you do not want to stand up in it ! But I am wondering whether to adopt the same idea as my Avon and create ply slat floor ... here is the hypalon Avon ready for new slats for the Avon underneath ..

 

[Seastoke]

Your block work is shit..

 

[Refueler]

Your block work is shit..

That's the two car part of the 12m x 8m (2 + 1/2 floors) garage / workshop ......

The 1/2 floor is my sail loft ...

2nd floor is my RC workshop ...

1st floor is two car garage and general boat store ..

As to 'block work shot' ..... your opinion ...

 

[garymalmgren]

Seriously, Refueler, why bother?
Even high quality inflatables are difficult to repair completely.
What is to be gained wasting time on a very old low quality unit?
Fun?

Slat floors in that thing will just rip the bottom out.

gary

 

[Refueler]

If it was for serious work - I agree - better to replace dinghy ... but its more for servicing my pontoons at home ... low freeboard ... easy to launch etc.

 

[ash2020]

I wouldn't want to put my safety at risk with that, I'm afraid. Even in sheltered. calm water.

 

[Refueler]

And just for interests sake - what do you base that on ?

The Soviet dinghy is dusty and fabric is good. The floor is without any holes or patches. The small hole was obviously a 'cut' from something - not worn through fabric.

Comments based on a photograph ??? I bet neither of you have any clue of the origin of such a dinghy ...

The Avon underneath it has proven excellent service in bad weather getting myself and family members to shore on more than one occasion ... despite its patches and general appearance.

As they say - Don't judge a book by its cover.

 

[ash2020]

OK, fine. Your call.

 

[LittleSister]

Go for it, Refueler!

This is the 'Practical Boat Owner' Forum after all. Just the sort of thing we want to see here.

Also, my AGI (Average Grey Inflatable) was punctured early in its life by something sharp in the cockpit locker with it. I patched it, and while I'll admit the repair ain't pretty (due to my lack of skill and the glue setting faster than I'd anticipated), it's lasted years.

As well as keeping the thing afloat, the scruffy patch now doubles as a theft deterrent (there are usually better looking inflatables nearby)!

 

[Refueler]

Thank you Sir.

I started the threads on my two flubbers - not 100% sure I could fix them ... but success or not - as you say ... its PBO. If I failed - then others can avoid same ... if it works - maybe others may consider trying it themselves. I do not advocate taking a bad dinghy and trying to bring it back - we have enough risk in life. But when the dinghy is generally in good order - why not ?

I have a 3rd flubber .... a Bush Fisherman Pro .... guy left it with me as his patch failed ... he was trying to seal a hole next to a seam. Its a nice dinghy - air floor, hard transom - couple of built in rod holders - pinned oars ...
Overall in very good condition - but that leak is a devil location being next to a seam ...
The two valves - the one way rubbers are little hard and air seeps by ...
I will start a thread on that shortly ... but I do not expect success ...

 

[rogerthebodger]

I agree with the fix it when possible, we have become a throw away society these days

 

[Refueler]

Thank you Roger.

 

[Boathook]

A good thread @Refueler . Inflatable dinghies do need the odd repair and as kids a dinghy that leaked was the most fun in shallow waters seeing how we could get before it "sank" ....

 

[Refueler]

The 'Soviet' inflatable ... I needed it when the guys came to cut the reeds etc. In centre of my boat channel - a floating Duck House ... which had two concrete blocks keeping it in place. Surrounding it - overgrown reeds.

I needed to lift the blocks and move the DH ... so pumped it up ... paddled out there and started to lift first block ... then wondered why my arse was getting wet ! Dropped the block and paddled back as best I could to the bank ... threw mobile phone .. car keys .... wallet etc onto the bank just in case I had to go in the water ...
Made it to the bank - but by then dinghy was only one tube inflated and I was struggling with 'floppy' floor !! Had to step out into the water !!

 

[Boathook]

The 'Soviet' inflatable ... I needed it when the guys came to cut the reeds etc. In centre of my boat channel - a floating Duck House ... which had two concrete blocks keeping it in place. Surrounding it - overgrown reeds.

I needed to lift the blocks and move the DH ... so pumped it up ... paddled out there and started to lift first block ... then wondered why my arse was getting wet ! Dropped the block and paddled back as best I could to the bank ... threw mobile phone .. car keys .... wallet etc onto the bank just in case I had to go in the water ...
Made it to the bank - but by then dinghy was only one tube inflated and I was struggling with 'floppy' floor !! Had to step out into the water !!

Its nice to confirm that you are like us, having to step into water rather than onto ......

 

[Refueler]

Its nice to confirm that you are like us, having to step into water rather than onto ......

I stopped walking on water - fed up with the crowds following me asking me to cure all sorts !!

 

[Refueler]

So far so good .... decided to refurb the oars and seats .... instead of the matching blue as original - I decided wood stain and varnish.

I did touch up a couple or three spots where the top thin rubber film had been caught ... tiny little dots .... with liquid PVC. Its a paste that is used to repair pinholes in PVC and other inflatable or water carrying products. But here I'm just using it to protect those dots.
It can also be used to adhere patches ... and that small cut in bow has had this with a dinghy patch applied ...

I decided that D ring attachments will be as a pair to form a Y bridle painter. Originally I was going to add a single over that cut ... but in thinking about it .. not such a good idea.

Oh and the Avon in background .... 3 days and STILL fully inflated ... seat has the old original valve in and doesn't seal 100% ... but that's no big deal.

 

[Refueler]

OK a little history of this dinghy.

Bought in Tallinn about 2002 to go on the Saaremaa Yacht Eola I had in Pirita ... in 2003 we won the Baltic Regatta with that yacht ...

photo taken from the boat that came second !!

The dinghy is a direct copy of the two man Soviet Army assault dinghy .... basically a commando job. Cost US$100 then. No motor mount ... its just paddle or row ..... having tried rowing it on many occasions - its best to paddle !!