Thundercat inflatable repairs

[riverrat321]

Hi again. My 1996 Jemini Thundercat inflatable has 2 leaking front nose cones and one rear one. Also has some leaking valves and a leaking hi jacker. Didn't pick all these leaks until after I purchased it... Anyway does anyone have any advise for repairs? Are these things things a novice can repair? Also how much air preasure do I inflate these things to? I may have to buy a preasure guage. Anyway any help would be great. Thanks again.

[Fast Fred]

6psi in the top four chambers, 12psi in the speed tubes, use a two part glue,
if you never done it , well it can be a mess, how bad its it leakin? the speed tube ain't easy to fix, all depends on ware its leakin, more times than not
I open the sail to fix it, how old is the hull and what shape is it in?

[riverrat321]

Hi Fast Fred. I'ts a 1996 model hull and looks in ok shape. It has several small leaks and one big one. I think the big one is coming from the valve. How do I repair or replace the valves and nose cones? I just wan't to keep it for a year then mabe buy a new one. The new ones look narrower and lighter which would be good.

[Fast Fred]

the valve will unscrue and come out, that should have "door nob" valves, just get a new one, get some ruba boat sealer put about a cup of sealer in each front tube, stand the boat up so the sealer runs to the tips, that should do it for ya

[riverrat321]

That sounds pretty easy. Lucky I was gonna start glueing stuff around the nose cones but that would stand out a bit. The nosecones are leaking up where the rubber raps around the cone, a couple of inches up. I take it I should leave it inflated when I do this and put the sealer in through the valve?

[Fast Fred]

yup, unscrew the valves and poor it in, do the hole boat,if the moda is off roll
the hull over and over so the sealer coats the chambers, keep it out of the sun,
don't keep it at full psi, only when your in it.

[riverrat321]

Thanks heaps for the advice. Never owned one of these before. They seem like a lot of work but they are fun boats. Brand new here they cost about $6000 + just for the hull for a Gemini. What are they worth over there? When I decide to buy a new one it might be cheaper to have one sent over.

[Fast Fred]

in X-class we run them at 70mph+, thay are way fun, let me know how ya make out

[riverrat321]

Sorry but while i'm on the subject I might ask one more question. Is it true that they all leak a bit? I'm finding more leaks (small ones) as I go. Do the new ones ever leak a little?

[Fast Fred]

yup , mom nature allways wins, thats why you only go to full psi just before
you go out, and burp it when you are done, the little dingeys only take 3psi
thay can hold the psi longer, been fixin ruba boats for about 10yrs, yet to see
any one that lever lost some psi, the standard is 20% over 24hrs, so say its 5psi
over 24hrs if it stays above 4 psi, that good, geminis hold air well, as thay get older, well

[riverrat321]

Shame about that. Oh well I guess you can't have everything right? These boats seem a little high maintance. I haven't been out in the surf yet but will be giving that a go once all these leaks are sourted. Anyway thanks again...

[Fast Fred]

some shops are beter at the standard than others, the sealer will do ya right,