This is an issue not only with flotation bags but also with sponsons. 1. Leakage at the valve. This is fairly easy to check and was one of the points I made in a list of things to do to get a folding kayak ready for the season. To check for a leak in a sponson inflation valve, simply inflate the sponson and then place the valve end in a clear plastic cup and observe for any bubbles for a minute or two. Another potential weak spot is where the inflation tube enters the flotation bag or sponson. With the latter that is harder to check as you need to pull out the sponson, which is a pain in the butt. You could try placing liquid soap in that area as air would form bubbles in the soap film. 2. Dirty pipes. The clear tubes used to inflate flotation bags and sponsons get the look that only a petrie dish aficionado would love. Every time I go to inflate one my paranoia screams out "Legionaire's Disease!, Legionaire"s Disease!" when I look at those tubes. Rather than attempt to wash them out, and on the theory that what you don't see won't hurt you (or at least not scare you), I think the best solution is to replace the tubes with solid colored ones. I noticed that Feathercraft has lately switched to using red color inflation tubes for their sponsons rather than the clear ones that soon resemble the edges of a swamp. Replacing the tubes would also solve the problem of inadequate lengths you find in Kleppers among other folding kayaks. Feathercraft got it right the first time, i.e. the sponson inflation tubes should be long enough for you to top off the air in the sponsons while seated in your kayak (remember when the sponsons contact colder than air water they will decompress a bit). Go for tube lengths that you can reach while seated. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Oct 30 1999 - 08:06:23 PDT
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:16 PDT