# Protruding bump inside raft. help



## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

So I just bought a new Sotar and was able to take it out once last week. Today I was adjusting the frame. I had to deflate the boat a little to adjust the frame. I noticed a hard bump on the inside side tube about half way down. It protrudes out slightly and is hard. When the boat is mostly inflated it disapears. Anyone know what this might be and if it's any concern?


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

https://m.imgur.com/a/rRl9m


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

https://m.imgur.com/a/rRl9m


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## climbdenali (Apr 2, 2006)

I'm gonna say it's your baffle. Looks like the chamber furthest away from the camera might be at a higher pressure than the near chamber. Try inflating/deflating more evenly around the raft as you go.

A pressure gage can be helpful for a while to help you learn the pressures better. It is often easy to see that one chamber is more/less inflated than the adjacent one, but can be really difficult to tell which one needs more air. The gage will help learn that until your built-in gage (thump with hand) is better calibrated.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

Is this something that will need to be repaired? Pretty disappointing as I have gotten my Sotar on the water once.. I made sure to go around the boat putting air in evenly and I did the same when taking air out. When all the tubes are at pressure, it disappears..


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

The boat did come with a gauge and we did use it to properly inflate the raft. We had planed to go fishing this week, should we avoid using it until it's fixed ?


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## mkashzg (Aug 9, 2006)

If there's a problem it's likely you created it by over inflating one chamber when it was initially pumped up possibly.


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## mkashzg (Aug 9, 2006)

Sorry just re read and sounds like u had that under control. Send pic to sotar.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

I would definitely send a photo back to Sotar.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

I sent a photo to Sotar. I'm hoping this is something that is minor and can be sent back in at the end of the season for repair.


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## Vasevida (May 2, 2017)

That's your baffle between chambers. I do not think that is a problem. Inflate all four chambers 1/2-2/3rds and then go around and top them off. This is simply the baffle in between chambers reacting to uneven pressure. It looks pretty typical.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

Thanks for the replies. Another thing I noticed was that when I pushed down on top of the tubes on that side I felt like I was coming in contact with something directly underneath and would make a clicking type noise. When I tried the other side it just feels like I'm pushing on a ballon and I don't feel anything underneath. Is it possible that something got dislodged inside the tube? 



From what I've read the K pump pressure gauge seem to be junk. I adjusted the screw inside it and put the adapter on to check the pressure before our first float and it worked fine. When we tried it last night it didn't register at all. I'm fairly certain that it was at least 1.5 PSi. It seems that leaf field has a gauge that goes from 0-8 instead of 0-20. Going to pick one up tomorrow and see if it registers.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

Maybe it's a big glob of glue or material that was missed. I'll bet you'll (or someone) will have to open it up to see whats going on in there. I'd send it back in if it were me and see if they (whoever you bought it from) have a loaner boat you can use. Good luck. Should be nothing but air... inside there.


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## Waterhopper (Jul 3, 2017)

I have both a K-pump Kwik Check gauge and a Leafield 0-8 psi gauge. The Leafield is much more precise and much easier to read. I got mine at a good price from the Man of Rubber River Gear shop in Tennessee.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

I found one at a shop near by for 50.00

A repair shop send me this,

"It might be a piece of the baffle, this can be seen when all baffles are not inflated with equal pressure. While inflating your raft, top each section off to about 80% pressure all the way around. Then work diagonally to top the raft off to 100%. This should equalize the pressure of the baffles inside."

Once I get the new gauge, I guess I'll inflate it to 2.0 then I'll do as she described and top each off at 2.5. Sotar suggests 2.5-3. Where it seems most places say to stop at 2.5


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## climbdenali (Apr 2, 2006)

Impossible to say for sure without exploratory surgery, but I wouldn't worry about it much unless you _know_ the baffle's blown (inflate one valve, two chambers fill up, or inflate one chamber to full but not topped off and leave overnight.). Many of the SOTAR SLs I worked with commercially did this- and the bump disappears when fully inflated. We had 40+ boats when I worked there. 

I think it's just the baffle working as designed. Curious what SOTAR tells you though.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

I appreciate all the replies. I was getting pretty stressed over it last night. We're doing a half day river float on the Madison tomorrow so I'll see if anything changes. Just waiting on Sotar to email me back. Times like this I wish I bought an AIRE...


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## Floatin mucho (Mar 25, 2012)

walterwhite said:


> Times like this I wish I bought an AIRE...


If you feel that way now, just wait until you have a warranty claim and Sotar doesn't stand behind the boat they sold you. As someone who has owned 2 Sotar rafts and no longer owns any, I couldn't be happier with my Aire.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

I've heard plenty of stories about Sotar's warrenty and they haven't been good. I'm hoping everything works out, time will tell. What problems did you encounter with your Sotar?


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

"Yeah it is the baffle. But it is not a repair issue. It is a pressure
issue where there was more air pressure on one baffle than the other, which
caused the other to shift. You just need to deflate the tube some on one end
and add more to the other. Or if it's already deflated, then air it back up
and it should shift back to normal."


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

Vasevida said:


> That's your baffle between chambers. I do not think that is a problem. Inflate all four chambers 1/2-2/3rds and then go around and top them off. This is simply the baffle in between chambers reacting to uneven pressure. It looks pretty typical.


This.

I have the same issue. There baffles are very large. ..i inflate to shape (soft) go around to top of starting with bow and stern, that keeps the baffle going into the side chamber instead of into the bow/ stern. 

Then art the take out, i let a 5 second count out of each valve to reduce pressure. I've found that 40 pumps on my k200 in each brings out right back to pressure. Just start in the bow and stern and all will be well. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Mountain Buzz mobile app


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

So I deflated each chamber to probably 30-40% I then started with the front, the side I have a problem with and inflated it to about 3/4 going around counter clockwise. At 2.0 PSI the bump is maybe less noticeable, but still there and hard to the touch. Even at 2 psi when I push directly down on the tube I get that clicking noise from underneath. I don't get the same noise/feel when i do it on the opposite side. Sotar states pressure should be between 2-3psi. Should inflate it to at least 2.5?


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