05-07-2013, 01:57 AM
[
] Good news!
Upon further examination, there was only 1 pin hole in one bladder. The other "patches" I saw were new / unused and just laying loose in each bladder compartment. I guess that's a good of place as any to keep some extra patches. ;-)
I found the one leak after a partial inflation bathtub test to check for bubbles and a tight inflation followed by the soapy spray test.
I patched the one pinhole and the next day did a full, tight inflation and there has been no loss of air for the last 5 days. I think I'm good to go!
Should I be concerned about the "age" of the urethane regarding the date 12 / 98 marked on the bladders?
Does urethane have a "Use by Date?"
Any thoughts, anybody?
With the "just out of the box" appearance, the extreme cleanliness of the cover and the bladders, it certainly seems like it was used only once or twice and put away.
Maybe the one pinhole leak soured the previous owner on the "water worthiness" of using a float tube?
I still don't like the funky little red bladder valves. They inflate OK but it takes forever to deflate. Perhaps that's due to a design feature to intentionally slow the bladder deflation due to a valve diaphram failure?
Probably not, but you never know.
Any thoughts from the old pros here would be much appreciated. Thanks!
I also fired off another email to Outcast asking for guidance regarding the age of the bladders and availability of possible future replacements. Maybe I'll hear something back this time.
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] Good news! Upon further examination, there was only 1 pin hole in one bladder. The other "patches" I saw were new / unused and just laying loose in each bladder compartment. I guess that's a good of place as any to keep some extra patches. ;-)
I found the one leak after a partial inflation bathtub test to check for bubbles and a tight inflation followed by the soapy spray test.
I patched the one pinhole and the next day did a full, tight inflation and there has been no loss of air for the last 5 days. I think I'm good to go!
Should I be concerned about the "age" of the urethane regarding the date 12 / 98 marked on the bladders?
Does urethane have a "Use by Date?"
Any thoughts, anybody?
With the "just out of the box" appearance, the extreme cleanliness of the cover and the bladders, it certainly seems like it was used only once or twice and put away.
Maybe the one pinhole leak soured the previous owner on the "water worthiness" of using a float tube?
I still don't like the funky little red bladder valves. They inflate OK but it takes forever to deflate. Perhaps that's due to a design feature to intentionally slow the bladder deflation due to a valve diaphram failure?
Probably not, but you never know.
Any thoughts from the old pros here would be much appreciated. Thanks!
I also fired off another email to Outcast asking for guidance regarding the age of the bladders and availability of possible future replacements. Maybe I'll hear something back this time.
[signature]