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 Post subject: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:13 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:50 pm
Posts: 5
I’ve had my I12S for a year and a half and inflated it about 20 times. It has been leak free until about a month ago, when the tube extending forward of the floor in the bow compartment began to leak badly. The source of the problem was the black cap at the end. The cap is only accessible by removing two screws located inside and at the top of the bow compartment. It can then pulled out of the compartment after the kayak is deflated. The cap is not exposed to the elements and has not been damaged. The rest of my kayak seems to be leak-free.

The entire circumference of the tube-cap union leaks, and my repair efforts have not worked. I was unable to remove the cap from the tube because most of original bond was holding, and I’m not so sure this would have been advisable anyway. Instead, I cut a repair strip (from the Hobie kit) and wrapped it over and around the tube-cap joint circumference. However, my repair (using the glue that came with the Hobie repair kit) was not successful and there were still significant leaks. The glue held fairly well on tube, but poorly on the cap. Even after a full day of drying I was able to remove the repair strip, and then try again. The second time I prepared both surfaces with MEK, but the result was the same. It seems that both times the leaks were limited to the connection with the repair strip-cap, and not the repair strip-tube.

I have a fair amount of experience gluing PVC to PVC and the tube looks to be PVC so I don’t know why the bonding wasn’t successful. I do think there is a problem with the cap--I can’t tell if it is PVC or some other material. If it is non-PVC then is seems a different glue should be used.

Perhaps there is a also related problem. At the same time of the tube-cap failure the glue on the four Hobie name panels (on the sides of the kayak) started to fail badly. These do not appear to be PVC either.

Has Hobie experienced these problems and are there any suggestions?


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:32 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15021
Location: Oceanside, California
I'll have our engineer respond...

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:45 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:50 pm
Posts: 5
Matt, any word from the engineering guys?


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:06 pm 
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Site Admin

Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15021
Location: Oceanside, California
I copied a link to to this forum... to them...

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:49 pm 
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Site Admin

Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15021
Location: Oceanside, California
Due to the difficult location / type of issue, the Hobie engineer has suggested we get this hull back for repair or replacement. Can you ship to us? We would refund the freight costs. You can keep the drive seat and paddle.

Hobie Cat
4925 Oceanside Blvd.
Oceanside, CA 92056
Att: warranty

Be sure to leave us complete contact info for the return hull.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:33 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:50 pm
Posts: 5
Thank you Matt. It will take a week or so, but I'll get it packaged and shipped.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:33 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:50 pm
Posts: 5
Followup: Hobie deserves a big thank you for the way this problem was handled. I have a received a new kayak and am very pleased. Matt and Brendan at Hobie did a great job. Could not ask for better service.


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:14 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:08 pm
Posts: 1
I know this is an old post, but my i14 has all the same problems. It is an 08 so out of warranty I guess. What is the best method for self repair or is this a factory repair?

Thanks,
Charley


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 Post subject: Re: Serious Seam Leak
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:59 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 12:29 pm
Posts: 1
I have an i12s with that same leak around the tube in the forward compartment. It was purchased almost exactly two years ago in 2010 at Boise Idaho. What is the process for getting this repair done? Is it a factory repair or can a dealer perform this task. Thanks so much, Rick. :D

My wife has an i9s and we just love our Hobie Kayaks!


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