Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]Well, today turned out to be just right for MaDFisher55 to come over to the tubeatorium with his surgery patient (knife slit pontoon) to see if the poor thing could be restored to health...and to the water. Good news. After a short session with Dr. TubeDude, on his well used tube table, the wounds were patched and the prognosis is good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Mark and I had agreed that it might be interesting and helpful to take pictures for the benefit of other tubers and tooners that might encounter similar problems. I was especially anxious to try the urethane repair tape that I bartered from Flygoddess. Thanks Joni. I was hoping it would work on the PVC toon cover and not just the urethane bladder. Yee hawwww. It did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the sequence of pictures you will see two types of repair materials. The Kirsch clear urethane patch material was used on the air bladder. It is a paper backed film that you cut to shape, peel and stick. The clear urethane tape was used on both the inside and outside of the toon cover. You just roll and stick it down as you go.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Both materials should have a clean surface. Rubbing alcohol works well to remove dirt, oil and grime to help provide a better sticking surface. There are a couple of alcohol patches that come in the Kirsch repair kit. You can also use wet wipes or glasses cleaner in a pinch. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After a basic stick down of the patch material, you should lay the patched area over a hard flat surface and press it hard all over with either the pressure scraper in the kit, or the round hard end of a table knife, pair of scissors or whatever. That starts the bond that improves over time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]These patch materials are great...especially if you develop a leak while on a trip. You can deflate your air bladder, find the leak, put the patch on and be back on the water in a very short time. No overnight curing necessary as with Aquaseal.[/#0000ff]
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Glad to hear that all was repairable and that the patient came through with flying colors.[:p]
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Thanks to TD for the education and the "How To." for anyone that has not had this experience. It nice to have the knowledge and materials now to fix the Boo boo's.

If your "tooning" or "tubing" long enough odds are you will have to a repair sooner or later. In my case it was sooner and will most likeley be later also.

NOW TD, lets go fishing!
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Great job you guys ! Thank you for the step by step repair
and pictures. You just never know when this kinda
thing may happen.

Peter
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A follow up on the toon repair.

The bladder repair worked flawlessly. Holding air like a champ as we expected.

TD and I tried to repair the outer shell with the roll tape he acquired from FG. It looked good at the time but when I aired up it just would not hold. This was just an experiment and we did not now how it would turn out, now we know.

The tape made for Urethane will NOT work on PVC.

I purchased a vinyl repair kit Sat. Cut an over sized patch on the inside. Sanded with 120 git paper, both the toon cover and the patch. Applied Vinyl glue on cover and the patch. Let it dry. Put more glue on just the cover and let it get tacky then applied the patch. Let it dry for and hour and did the same procedure on the out side but with a smaller reinforcement patch. Let it dry for an hour then put a bead of Aqua seal on the edges of the patch.

I went to work Sat. night let the it all cure and dry and aired it up this morning to 2 psi and it looks very very good. It may not look pretty, (especially with my inking) but I think the key is good reinforcement on the out side as well. I feel confident that I won't have any problems on the water.

Attatched are a couple of pictures.

Thanks again for your help TD. Your a great teacher and mentor.

Now, lets go fishing!
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I could have told you the tape wouldn't work on the outer cover, but where is the fun in that[]
That is where th patch and aquaseal come in. That is why the tape won't work on my Bladdereless.

A guy on another forum has got two MADISON pontoons...NEW for sale for $200. URETHANE! plus a red cover[cool]
Just to toons, no frame.
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[quote flygoddess]I could have told you the tape wouldn't work on the outer cover, but where is the fun in that[]
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I agree......Where's the fun in that! [sly]

My name is MaDFisher55 and Im a "bull headed non listener-aholic"

Admitting I havd a problem is the first step to recovery, right?

Are the Madisons your talking about 10 footers?
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