Tube repair

[Catcherman.]

My fish cat has a small hole by the seam what's the best way to repair this??
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[flygoddess]

Aquaseal.
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[Catcherman.]

Thanks. Where do I get it and how do I put it on?
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[flygoddess]

I have seen it at Walmart in the Camping gear, or Sportsman's Warehouse.
Clean the area with alcohol then put a thin coat of Aquaseal on . It generally will take a day to dry real good.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Aquaseal is good for repairing any kind of air bladder, waders, etc. It is a gooey liquid that you spread over the hole...on a flat surface...and allow it to dry and cure for several hours. Once cured it sticks to anything and makes a good flexible patch.

You can also buy the Cotol accelerant in a small bottle along with the Aquaseal. If you mix a bit of that in with the Aquaseal patch it will cure much faster. That can save a trip.

Almost any outdoor supply store will have Aquaseal. Sportsmans has it and so do many other places that recommend it for fixing tents, kid's vinyl toys, etc.

After you open it and use it the first time, put the lid on tightly and put it in the freezer. It is very volatile and will harden up in the container if left out at room temperature...even with the lid on tight. Just thaw it out and reuse it whenever you need it in the future.

One thing I do when making a patch is to spread the area to be repaired over a small box or round container...rubber banding it tightly to form a flat surface. That keeps the patch in one place and it doesn't run.
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[flygoddess]

This is off an inflatable boat site:
Ideally, Aquaseal® should be applied in a warm, dry environment and left to dry in direct sunlight. It should dry clear. If your Aquaseal® dries with a milky color, it has contaminants in it, probably tiny air bubbles. While it may work fine for the rest of your trip and perhaps for a long time thereafter, milky Aquaseal will eventually peel and fail. We recommend applying it only in the morning or early afternoon, when it will have time to dry in daytime conditions.
Store your Aquaseal® in a cold place, such as a freezer. This will lengthen the life of the tube when it's in storage.


I have also read that while using the Accelerator can help when out in the field it is not as strong as straight Aquaseal. If you have the time, try it straight[] If not, you should be fine for at least a season.[]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I quit buying and using the Cotol after a bad experience. I had a patch that turned grainy and crumbled...requiring a scrape removal and reapplication of plain Aquaseal.

But I have successfully used it for a wide range of repairs on tubes, waders, etc...even neoprene seams.
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[pontoonman]

TD and FG are the best and give good advice. I'll add some things that have worked well for me, but have to be done carefully.

Seam repairs are the toughest areas to patch, because of the flexing and heat seal line weakening. Usually I don't use patches unless there is a rip, but sanding the adhesion area helps.

The way I do it is to make sure there will be a small amount of aquaseal on the INSIDE of the bladder at the hole so that it forms a PLUG. Then, even if the aquaseal loses adhesion there is an interior mechanical plug head that can't be pushed out. How to get it inside without sticking where you don't want means you have to be careful. I use a toothpick to enlarge the hole slightly, then push a tiny amount of sealant inside and around the hole on the inside with the toothpick. If you get any sealant on the other inside wall, just keep the two sides separated so you don't glue to the other inside wall.

Aquaseal UV for quick repairs in the field.

Hope this helps.

Pon


[quote Catcherman.]My fish cat has a small hole by the seam what's the best way to repair this??[/quote]
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[Catcherman.]

Thanks folks for the help! The hole is by the seem not on it so I think it Should be easy to fix!
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I have a partial tube of Aquaseal in my freezer. You would be welcome to bring your tube by for me to goop up for you. You know where I live.
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