# Yak Leak - Liquid Sealant?



## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Seeking advice thanks?

My Hobie Outback has developed a rather bad leak - 4 hour trip = about 3 buckets of water inside.

I've checked the hull with a magnifying glass and can't find any hole/crack etc. I suspect the hole or crack maybe in an unusal spot (i.e. inside a scupper hole or an area that only opens up when sitting on it.

So apart from guessing where the hole might be with a tube of Selley's All Clear, is anyone aware of any liquid sealants that I could pour into the inside of the hull in liquid form and swish around (coat the entire inside) and then let dry?

Any advice would be very much appreciated thanks? Otherwise it will mean I need to install a bilge pump. :lol:

Cheers,

Pete


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2007)

Pete

Thought you were going to fill it with red cordial and wait to see the leaks  :lol:

I'd be doing that first but use the food colour dye like we discussed.

Then see wat you are up for, might be leaking where the rudder lines are going through in the rear of the hull, the seals there can wear out. I know the ones on my Quest look a bit worse for wear.

Cheers


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Hi Sel,

Did that and didn't find any leaks. I even pressed down on the seat of the yak to try and force and opening of the crack/hole but no luck. The rudder holes on the Outback are always above the water line.

Kilkenny mentioned that the hole for the Mirage Drive has known issues - particularly where the drive seats front and back, as the plastic is thin there. But didn't see any water leaks around there either.

I asked Mal about a liquid sealant but he said just use Selleys All Clear. But I can't identify the hole to use the silicone. So was thinking about a liquid sealant to wash around inside. Might contact a few specialty sealant companies to see what might be available that won't affect the polyplastic.

Cheers, Pete


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## landyman (Oct 17, 2007)

has it only happened once ???

if so.. give it another go and if it fills again take it back to the dealer if still under warranty


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Landyman,

Nah has increasingly become worse.

Nope, not under warranty.

Pete


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## polylureosis (Jul 24, 2006)

Have you tried pressurising it with air and looking for leaks with soap/water?


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Hi Ash,

Nope. Having added a few rod holders etc. and drilled a few holes on the top not sure I would have an air-tight chamber in it anymore.

Cheers, Pete


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## landyman (Oct 17, 2007)

Gigantor said:


> Landyman,
> 
> Nah has increasingly become worse.
> 
> ...


bummer... I have heard of "issues" around the drive area.. not sure if it affects your model though...

good luck


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

polylureosis said:


> Have you tried pressurising it with air and looking for leaks with soap/water?


 I reckon that is the best way to find this leak. 
Pull a valve stem through an existing hole (remove an attached item to access the right sized hole) or dill a new one for the valve stem and reseal when the job's done. Pressurise with a bicycle pump or 12vt. compressor.
Sure you'll find several minor unsealed screws/bolts etc. but via a process of eliminating/sealing them one-by-one,
you'll eventually find the mysterious culprit allowing the majority of water within.
The added bonus is....all those little ones needed attention anyway.
To seal the entire interior with a flowing/congealing compound would take bucket loads of material and perhaps not be yielding enough (once set/hardened) to flex should deflection (sitting on or rack loading etc.) cause the crack to open.


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## polylureosis (Jul 24, 2006)

DougOut said:


> Pressurise with a bicycle pump or 12vt. compressor.


I think a compressor would be the only option.

As Pete says there are plenty of holes (rudder cables for example) where air is going to escape. 
I think you would have to be continually pumping air in (perhaps use the drain plug hole - There is a plug in it isn't there?  ) quicker than it would naturally escape through the genuine holes.

Then look for leaks where there shouldn't be any.

Ash


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

I had a similar problem with mine. It ended up being split in the plastic in the scupper hole. Ended up bunging the hole with a scupper plug and silicone. It's still OK.

Oddly I filled the kayak with water to track the leak but that didnt work.

I think the best solution would be to put it in a swimming pool and have yourself or someone who is of similar weight or bigger sit in it, while some one swims under it looking for air bubbles. Using a compressor will help, but just having someone sit in it while in water will pressurise the insides. If you cant see air bubbles you might be able to feel around or look inside the yak through the access hatches to find the leak.


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## water_baby (Oct 26, 2005)

ive gotta agree with the others, but if you filled it up with water and its not air tight, then water should have come out somewhere (screw holes, rudder cables etc)

3 litres is a lot of water to get in the yak, especially from a crack that wasnt apparent when you filled the yak with water.

i had a problem a couple months back similar to yours. couldnt find a leak, and resorted to taking everything off and resealing with allclear. i found that the problem was in one of the flush mount rod holders - the bottom seal (sink plug + silicone) had developed a hole, and everytime the rod holder filled up it would put 500ml into the yak. siliconed the inside and epoxyed the outside of the rodholder and it seems to have fixed my problem.

this also doesnt show when you fill the yak with water, unless you look down the rodholder tube and notice water - did this happen?

thats about all i can suggest.. sorry :?


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

sorry to hear of your problems....i get water in my OB yak in rough water with waves crashing over the front and the water comes in via the front hatch......

ps putting the yak in a pool and loading it will NOT work since air will escape via the easiest route which will NOT be under water

if you possibly loaded a quite a few buckets of water into the yak whilst it was supported by the very front and rear you create enough pressure to open the crack up by simulating close to operational conditions.....


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2007)

kraley said:


> occy said:
> 
> 
> > I hope the fault isn't terminal, but I know several other members on here have had to get a new hull.
> ...


Ken, Pete's hobie is out of warranty so I don't see how Hobie needs to get involved.

Cheers


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Mal from Sunstate Hobie has offered to checkout my yak and find & fix leak if I am unable to locate it myself, which is a very generous offer and much appreciated. So I'll have another go at finding it over the Xmas break. I'll particularly focus ont he scupper holes.

Mal particularly mention to be careful in not overloading the insides of the yak with excessive weight in the form of water, which could split the yak. He also mentioned that "water doesn't always come back out though the hole that lets it in".

So hopefully will get it sorted out soon and be back on the water.

Thanks to everyone for their much appreciated advice.

Cheers, Pete


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Hi Pete

I've got a waste deep 6 mtr swimming pool as well as a compressor. If you want I can PM you my phone no. and address. Should be home off and on from now right up to Christmas. Being a plumber I'm quite good at finding leaks and getting my hand in tight spots. Happy to help just let me know.


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your very kind offer. I'll have another go at it over the next week. If I can't find and fix it I'll be in touch.

Thanks once again.

Cheers,

Pete


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## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

G'day Gigantor,

Found this issue on the net, I know it relates to the adventure but may be worthwhile checking out on your Outback.

http://kfs.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5086057385/m/5671028444

Good luck

Marty


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Chaps,

Hopefully I have found the leak (fingers crossed). With some much non-kayaking weather over the Xmas/NY break had plenty of time to play with the leak problem.

I only discovered the leak after filling with some water then actually putting the Mirage drive in and locking it in and wriggling it around. Previously I had just filled it with a small amount of water and waited to see something leak - but it never did.

The leaking spot was the front section slot where the mirage drive seats up against the plastic. When I pushed the mirage drive forward and put pressure on this point the water came leaking out. Kilkenny told me of this issue a little while back...in that the plastic at this point can be quite thin and if you have ever run into something solid with the fins down the mirage drive puts a fair bit of pressure on this spot (all makes sense now).

Anyhoo I have plugged the area with plenty of Selleys All Clear (as suggested by Mal, Sunstate Hobie). Mal reckons Selleys All Clear is a bout the only silicone that will stick to the plastic.

So the test will be hopefully this week end when I take it out for a run and see what (if any) water gets inside the yak. I'll report back and let ya know what happens.

Cheers,

Pete


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Sadly didn't get out on the week end to test my patch-up work - mainly due to drinking alcohol and bad weather. Hopefully get out next week.


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Happy to report that finally got the Outback out on the water on Saturday for a 6.5 hour trip and the Sellys All Clear worked well. Only noticed about 1 tablespoon of water in the yak after the long trip. Yeee Haaaa!

Pete


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