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Old 25-04-2013, 10:41   #1
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New dinghy has a leak

My 3 week old RIB has a leak at a seam. The dealer wants to put a can of sealant in the tube and call it good. It's a small leak and that will probably work. Taking it back is not an option nor is any local dealer. My question is do I want this gunk inside my new boat? I have the correct gule for some D rings I'm adding to the boat and it looks like I can get a patch over the leak so should I just bite the bullet and fix it with a patch myself?
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Old 25-04-2013, 10:55   #2
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

Is this brand new purchased from an authorized dealer? Sealant is BS. Don't let them do it. What brand RIB?
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Old 25-04-2013, 12:33   #3
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

Brand new , never been in the water, Defender 265 Hypalon RIB
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Old 25-04-2013, 12:40   #4
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

Have Defender deal with it properly. They stand behind their products. Who told you to use sealant?

Quoted from their website: This is a safe and durable craft that not only delivers unmatched value, but that also earns such confidence that we stand behind the 5-year warranty ourselves
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Old 25-04-2013, 12:59   #5
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

You must be far away from the store then?? Refusing to exchange a RIB that leaked and had never touched the water would be pretty crap service for a shop!

Anyway - regarding repair - I used (if memory serves) a glue called VynaBond on my RIB, but it wasn't Hypalon. The boat leaked along a number of seams, and like you - mine had never hit the water. I bought it at extreme discount knowing full-well about the leaks.
Because the leaks were slow and small, I didn't use a patch. Just ran a few beads of the glue over the problem area. It has been holding perfectly fine for two years BUT the glue has yellowed and is quite noticeable. For me - it was just a choice between poisons - do I want to put big patches on a brand new looking RIB or just live with a couple of yellowed glue spots.
Good luck.
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Old 25-04-2013, 13:20   #6
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

I am not sure what I should expect. There was no discount other than their spring sale. The shipping was $330 and the rather big crate is long gone. Am I going to build a new crate somehow get it loaded on my minni-van and back to a truck terminal? No. I would expect a new boat to be leak free and tested before delivery. Afterall these things are hand built and should be tested.
I am dealing with the boats and motor department at Defender and they are the ones who say that they will have me put sealant into the tube. "Just like you would a tire" I believe they said.
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Old 25-04-2013, 13:28   #7
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

A seam leak is unacceptable. It will never be as strong as a properly constructed boat, even after the sealant.
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Old 25-04-2013, 14:09   #8
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

FWIW, when you put the sealant in the tire, you then drive around and the sealant circulates and finds the leak. How are you going to get the sealant to the leak in any event? I'd be concerned about that. Plus the interior volume is so much bigger.

It's too bad to have a problem like this, but I'd favor a large exterior patch, using SC 4000, which is a conveyor belt adhesive, and has worked very well for us over the years on hypalon dinghies, under water as well as above. SC 4000 has pretty much supplanted SC 2000 in this part of the world.

Good luck,

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Old 25-04-2013, 14:21   #9
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guy View Post
The dealer wants to put a can of sealant in the tube and call it good. It's a small leak and that will probably work. Taking it back is not an option nor is any local dealer. My question is do I want this gunk inside my new boat? I have the correct gule for some D rings I'm adding to the boat and it looks like I can get a patch over the leak so should I just bite the bullet and fix it with a patch myself?
Since you said that returning is not an option, I'd go with the interior sealant. If it works, great! You're dink still looks new. IMO patches would be plan B.

Or...
If you've lots of time and money...
And the leak is along one side...
Cut patches into some clever design and apply to opposite sides of the dink to personalize it. Sort of "I planned this" and my new dink doesn't leak.

James
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Old 25-04-2013, 14:24   #10
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guy View Post
I am dealing with the boats and motor department at Defender and they are the ones who say that they will have me put sealant into the tube. "Just like you would a tire" I believe they said.
You don't put sealant in a new tire either; you fix the leak. Sealants are for odd situation when you are simply stretching life for pennies, and then only for leaks you can't get to.

Appearance doesn't mean much to me. If you aren't going to return, a quality patching job. Patches can last the life of the dingy.

Bummer.
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Old 25-04-2013, 17:45   #11
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

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Appearance doesn't mean much to me.
Good point. And maybe it helps in the anti-theft campaign to have a beat-up looking dinghy.
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Old 25-04-2013, 18:06   #12
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

G'Day Guy,

One thing to consider: if you have a leaking seam in a Hypalon dinghy, it means that the glue that holds the seam together has failed in at least one spot. I would be concerned that there were other weak areas in the glued seams throughout the boat. IF there are such, then the sealant will not be of much help in the long run.

Your situation re being too far from the vendor to realize the benefits of a warranty is common to those of us who cruise far from home, and with frequent moves from place to place. We no longer really pay much attention to warranties because we never have been physically able to take advantage of one.

Finally, putting a patch over a leaking seam is difficult. I have had only occasional success with such repairs because it is very difficult to seal up the area at the edge of the seam. Professional repairers would disassemble the seam completely and then reglue it... a somewhat daunting job for the novice DIY yottie. I wish that I could offer encouragement, but you are kinda stuck.

Hope that you can resolve it successfully, mate!

Cheers,

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Old 26-04-2013, 03:32   #13
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This is all very surprising. I find it hard to believe that the folks at Defender do not want to make this right. Why did you throw out the packaging before you inspected the dinghy? Why is a return out of the question? I know that defender would gladly take it back so they could assess the problem and get you a fix.

Can you describe the problem area better? Photos would be ideal.
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Old 29-04-2013, 14:41   #14
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

Defender and I have come to an agreement on the dinghy leak and everyone is happy enough. I am going to patch the leak and they are giving me a credit.
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Old 29-04-2013, 14:57   #15
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Re: New dinghy has a leak

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Originally Posted by Guy View Post
Defender and I have come to an agreement on the dinghy leak and everyone is happy enough. I am going to patch the leak and they are giving me a credit.


another idea is to have them ship out a new dinghy and you ship back the old one in the same packaging. that is how it should be handled. good luck
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