07-28-2003, 11:12 AM
[cool]Seam splits are a bad thing. They are usually a result of either abuse (over-inflation or heat expansion)...or degraded materials due to age and improper storage (heat and/or mildew). No matter what the cause, a split seam is often difficult to repair effectively.
A few questions: 1. How long is the seam separation? 2. What is the fabric or bladder material involved? 3. Is it a heat weld, chemical bond or a stitched seam? 4. Do you have a repair kit...including scraps of extra material for patching? 5. Does the outer bladder have to hold air, under pressure, or is it merely a protective cover for the air chamber beneath?
I have used Aquaseal to successfully repair seams on waders, at stress points, so I am guessing you might be able to make it work on the raft seam. The key will be whether or not you are able to turn the bladder inside out. Is it zippered to allow this? If so, you can first seal the seam from the inside, with a patch of Aquaseal along the failed seam, and then apply a large patch over the outside, followed by a bead of Aquaseal around the edges of the patch for good measure.
The tough part about fixing seams is that they have a raised joining edge. A patch will not seal it totally, but it will help, and you can finish up around the edges with the Aquaseal. It won't be pretty, but it may be serviceable.
If this doesn't give you enough to go on, get back with the answers to the questions I posed and we will explore it further.
Like yourself, I hate to give up on something until I have given it a good shot. If you have great personal attachment to this craft, it is worth trying to repair before trying to get rid of it on Ebay.
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A few questions: 1. How long is the seam separation? 2. What is the fabric or bladder material involved? 3. Is it a heat weld, chemical bond or a stitched seam? 4. Do you have a repair kit...including scraps of extra material for patching? 5. Does the outer bladder have to hold air, under pressure, or is it merely a protective cover for the air chamber beneath?
I have used Aquaseal to successfully repair seams on waders, at stress points, so I am guessing you might be able to make it work on the raft seam. The key will be whether or not you are able to turn the bladder inside out. Is it zippered to allow this? If so, you can first seal the seam from the inside, with a patch of Aquaseal along the failed seam, and then apply a large patch over the outside, followed by a bead of Aquaseal around the edges of the patch for good measure.
The tough part about fixing seams is that they have a raised joining edge. A patch will not seal it totally, but it will help, and you can finish up around the edges with the Aquaseal. It won't be pretty, but it may be serviceable.
If this doesn't give you enough to go on, get back with the answers to the questions I posed and we will explore it further.
Like yourself, I hate to give up on something until I have given it a good shot. If you have great personal attachment to this craft, it is worth trying to repair before trying to get rid of it on Ebay.
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