[Public-List] Inflatable repair tips...

[Rod Symmes]

Hi Brian;
    I had the same seam let go a few years ago, from old age.  When I asked for an estimate to re-glue the seam, the service manager dismissed it with " it will be whatever it costs".  I pressed him for a "ball park" figure and he just seemed to lose interest in talking to me.  I think he has been spending too much time doing business with the mega-yacht crowd who just say " here are the keys - have it ready for the weekend - send me the bill."
    I went to their parts department and bought a small tube of the proper glue ( I think it was over $10 for a travel toothpaste sized tube ) - the repair lasted one season
    The next time it lasted 2 months.
    The third time I got a cement from the automotive store ( 'cause I couldn't get to the marina ) and it lasted 2 minutes.
About this time my wife spotted a brand new unit on display at West Marine for $800 and (bless her heart) said " the summer is too short and you paid that much for your used Zodiac."
It had there own name on it but claimed that it was made by Zodiac and somewhere in the fine print I did see "made in France".
I have plans in my head to use the tubes of the old one to make a hard shell using the cedar strip technique that I learned for making a canoe.
Don't hold your breath - it is pretty far down even the winter project list - but if it ever comes about, I will try to document the project.
In the mean time, I can transport family and stuff in a nice dry dink.  And it is much lighter than my old wooden floor model.

Cheers,    Rod

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Palmer 
  To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all 
  Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 9:06 PM
  Subject: [Public-List] Inflatable repair tips...


  I need to repair my 2001 Zodiac inflatable dingy, and am hoping some of you
  out there might have some expertise to assist in which product(s) to try.  I
  blew a seam out where the floor attaches to the tubes at the bow to about 18
  inches back on either side.  I had the dingy in a cradle right side up, and
  the cover didn't keep the water out.  It filled up from a couple summer
  storms, and the weight blew the floor seam out.

  I don't want to pay for repair, since the cost sound like it will be fairly
  high.  I'm interested to try it myself. I've found some tips online, but
  each one refers to a specific product, and I want to make sure I don't use
  something that doesn't work well with Zodiacs, or is overly expensive and
  overkill considering the seam that went bad isn't under pressure, like an
  air tube.

  Any advice?

  -Brian
  L'Esprit #288
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