Patch a wing bladder pinch flat and prevent?

[Dhboner]

Look, it's your life but slow leaks have a way of becoming catastrophic leaks. If you are comfortable diving a life support system patched with aquaseal then that is your choice. You might want to let your buddies know ahead of time so they bring a lift bag.

 

[stuartv]

Look, it's your life but slow leaks have a way of becoming catastrophic leaks. If you are comfortable diving a life support system patched with aquaseal then that is your choice. You might want to let your buddies know ahead of time so they bring a lift bag.

I did mention earlier that I carry an SMB I can use for lift in an emergency.

ps. I am a semi-retired motorcycle racer and have ridden motorcycles at 160+MPH with a plugged tire. I raced for a long time, won several regional championships, and I'm still alive. And my limp is not because of tire failure. So, yes, I am comfortable diving recreational depths with a wing that has 3 small cuts in the bottom that has been patched and tested. Life is about calculating risks. I started this thread to get more experienced opinions to assist me in evaluating this particular risk. It seems very low. I take responsibility for accepting that risk.

 

[ams511]

Look, it's your life but slow leaks have a way of becoming catastrophic leaks. If you are comfortable diving a life support system patched with aquaseal then that is your choice. You might want to let your buddies know ahead of time so they bring a lift bag.

I think you are being a bit of an alarmist. Stuart fixed the wing using patches and aquaseal so the integrity of the wing should be intact. There is no way a little leak is going to develop into a big leak. Zeagle even sells a BC repair kit with patches. I am sure Tobin doesn't want to patch wings because it is not worth his while to do so. It is quicker for him (and not that much more expensive for the customer) just to replace the bladder.

 

[Dhboner]

Being a bit of an alarmist has kept me safe diving since 1973. His bladder was bought used and he found 3 holes fairly early. I would replace the bladder...end of story. This board is a vehicle for providing advice and that is mine. He can take it or leave it.

 

[mbs]

Would having air in the wing as opposed to fully deflated reduce the risk of the pinch when on the boat?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I would not dive a patched bladder that, if the patch failed would result in a MAJOR leak. Just not worth the risk to me. I have patched bladders many times, but they were relatively small holes that would be an inconvenience, not a problem if/when the patch fails.

Also, I'm not sure that a bike patch is the correct method to patch a rip. i have used aquaseal as a blob for small punctures and have used a water bed repair kit with a plastic patch for slightly larger holes.

I am not so sure that aquaseal is going to hold so well on a bike patch.

---------- Post added March 23rd, 2015 at 05:11 PM ----------

Also, I was not aware that pinch flats were such a big deal. I have never gotten one and never unfasten the plate and the wing. However, I just recently realized that most of my plates have wetsuit neoprene or a piece of carpet affixed to the plate. The wetsuit is tied on with string (via the perimeter holes in the plate) and it goes around the back of the plate, so the sharp edge of the plate is covered by a layer of wetsuit.

Why don't the manufacturers do something similar, if this is a real vulnerability? Disassembly before and after each dive, doing this action HUNDREDS of times per year is beyond ridiculous to to me.

 

[Hatul]

Can I ask you what size tank you are using?

 

[ams511]

I would not dive a patched bladder that, if the patch failed would result in a MAJOR leak.

Pinch flats are also called "snake bites" because this is exactly what they look like and are of a similar size. They are not large holes nor are they going to develop into larger ones. The Zeagle BC repair kit includes Tear-Aid Type A patches to repair BC punctures. I suspect that some wings are more prone to pinch flats than others, so manufacturers may not care. Also it allows them to sell you a new bladder.

 

[kelemvor]

One of the ways that this can occur is when a dive boat uses "holes" to stabilize the tanks. The tank bottom goes down into the hole, and the wing gets crumpled up by the bench, allowing the backplate to come down and cut onto it. The only way I know to avoid this is to make sure your plate is sitting high enough on the tank that the bottom of the plate is above the bench.

Thanks! I was kind of wondering how it happens. I (apparently wrongly) assumed it was related to tank and plate pinching the wing when no sta was used. With so few dives under my belt I've never seen it happen in person. That scenario seems pretty reasonable especially if you've got a smaller tank like a steel 80.

 

[ams511]

Being a bit of an alarmist has kept me safe diving since 1973. His bladder was bought used and he found 3 holes fairly early. I would replace the bladder...end of story. This board is a vehicle for providing advice and that is mine. He can take it or leave it.

I am happy you had such a long diving career. But if you remember back to 1973 (forgetting the Arab Oil Embargo which sucked), you will remember that many divers did not wear BCs at all. So in actuality wearing a BC is not really necessary.