Make it on board? Saving you the Airbob balloon
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It is called Airbob and is a quick and effective solution in case of leaks on board. The device consists of a cylindrical inflatable balloon equipped with an inflation valve and a central channel, through which passes a line tied to a fiber rod that acts as a “lock” once inserted into the waterway. The line is attached to a choke mounted on a composite disk above the balloon.
HOW AIRBOB WORKS
If you have a leak, there are six steps in the procedure to follow. Connect the pump of a hand inflator to the valve of the balloon, inflate the balloon to one-third of its volume, insert the rod into the waterway, apply the half-inflated balloon to the flaw, pull the selvedge and choke it, then proceed to the final inflation.
AIRBOB – THE VIDEO PROOF
THE TEST.
The test in the video above and illustrated by the photos below was performed on a 19-foot boat with an artificially created hole 12×7 cm wide, like a 0.33 can (enough to cause a water flow of hundreds of liters per minute, sinking the boat in ten minutes). It took just over two minutes to apply the Airbob and stop the water. The device held up without any problems from Porquerolles and Hyères. Airbob will be available soon. www.nautinov.com
THE TEST GALLERY
THE ALTERNATIVES.
There are other solutions for sealing a waterway; we illustrate three of them.
1. Stay Afloat Turafalle Pasta. Stay Afloat is a paste to plug any leaks on board in emergency situations. Suitable for all boats and applicable on different types of surfaces, it allows water intrusion to be instantly blocked both above and below the waterline. Learn more!
2. Bale-breaking cones. This is by far the most economical solution, but once applied it requires constant monitoring.We are talking about a set of 10 wooden cinder cones, with diameters from 8 to 49 millimeters. In case of irregular fractures (in most cases), however, they will still let water in and should be duly swabbed with rags. Learn more!
3. Swab Rupture Seal. Rupture Seal instantly seals leaks on board: both those in the tanks and bilge pumps, and (small) ones in the hull following a collision. It consists of a silicone-based spherical plug traversed by a rod that ends in a locking system. Simply insert Rupture Seal inside the leak and then pull the rod to seal the leak. Learn more!
HERE instead we explain what to do in case of a leak on board
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