07-07-2007, 09:37 PM
Well, one bladder has a very minor leak somewhere. I used it last weekend and only lost a very slightly noticeable amount of air after 3-4 hours.
However, the other bladder is stretched out. My wife and I were a bit lazy after returing from several hours on the water, and we left our tubes in the yard in the sun. Normally I would have deflated them and laid the craft out to dry, but this time I didn't. You can probably guess what happened then. I just wouldn't have thought that the air could expand so much it would bust out the seams of the nylon, but that is exactly what happened. We both heard a loud bang when it blew out, but neither of us even thought to look at the crafts to see if that was it. I discovered it later.
So we have one craft whose air chambers are both blown out along the seam. We have another with the threads streched out a little, but still intact. We have a bladder with a minor leak, and another that may blow out completely when we inflate it again because the side wall is stretched thin. She is going to get some nylon and try to make an overlapping patch for the ripped out seams. But I am not sure what will happen when we try to inflate that bladder again. The nylon of the craft should hold it, but it may leak through the stretched out wall. I can only wait and see.
Stupid mistake. Stupid and costly, but not one we will make again.
Dave Riley
[signature]
However, the other bladder is stretched out. My wife and I were a bit lazy after returing from several hours on the water, and we left our tubes in the yard in the sun. Normally I would have deflated them and laid the craft out to dry, but this time I didn't. You can probably guess what happened then. I just wouldn't have thought that the air could expand so much it would bust out the seams of the nylon, but that is exactly what happened. We both heard a loud bang when it blew out, but neither of us even thought to look at the crafts to see if that was it. I discovered it later.
So we have one craft whose air chambers are both blown out along the seam. We have another with the threads streched out a little, but still intact. We have a bladder with a minor leak, and another that may blow out completely when we inflate it again because the side wall is stretched thin. She is going to get some nylon and try to make an overlapping patch for the ripped out seams. But I am not sure what will happen when we try to inflate that bladder again. The nylon of the craft should hold it, but it may leak through the stretched out wall. I can only wait and see.
Stupid mistake. Stupid and costly, but not one we will make again.
Dave Riley
[signature]