i12s has developed leak in center compartment !

Looking for help I have an i12s that has developed a leak in the center compartment and I am having quite a time determining where it is actually coming from. I spent some time down at the dock going over it with soapy water on the top parts but have not found any areas bubbling yet. My next thoughts are either around the mirage drive or in the bilge area but all those areas are covered as well as the entire bottom in skirting material that does not hold pressure. The idea of major surgery on it with a knife is not what I want to try. I have a heat gun if that is an effective way to start taking it apart to see if I can find the leak. Or can I send this back to Hobie and let them repair it even though it us no longer under warranty? Thoughts

I would suggest adding some glycerin (I bought a 4oz bottle on Amazon) to a mixture of Dawn and water. When I was trying to find my leak just Dawn and water wouldn't bubble enough to locate it but adding a small amount of glycerin to the mix increased the bubble surface tension.

I have an i11s purchased from Austin Kayak in April 2016 which developed a series of leaks in the middle chamber where the black plastic section for the Mirage Drive attaches to the kayak fabric. I contacted Austin Kayak to ask about a repair as the kayak leaks so much now it is useless. They contacted Hobie who denied my claim but offered to try and fix the kayak for free if I'd ship it back to them. Given how much I paid and that I'm just outside the warranty period I was extremely disappointed in their response and will likely never buy another Hobie of any kind.

I had the same problem, spraying the entire middles section with soapy water. Turns out the leak was in the dry storage area. There is a tube that inflates that goes along the bottom, turns up to form the nose, goes along the top of the nose and connects to a short solid tube. Even though I found out where it was leaking, I don't know how to fix it. The rubber cement for fixing holes does not seal rubber to plastic. Going to need some type of tape, I'm thinking. Any suggestions?

Maybe pour some dye inside the hull and flip the boat around a lot and see if you can see the leak?

Hi all, am having the same center bladder air leak in my 2014 i12. I discovered a water leak from the left scupper into the bilge under the air bladders. I put a rubber cork in the bottom of the scupper and poured water in. It disappeared into the bilge. I am wondering if that is also where the air leak is. I will be testing that today and will update this thread when done. Let me know how you progressed with your leaks. Thanks, Dave

Currently I have sent my i12s off to a repair facility recommended by NRS and it is a place I used to repair an inflatable Starboard SUP. Please keep us informed of your progress.

I had the same problem with my 2012 i12s. Turns out the leak is where the mirage drive collar meets the central air chamber. I can't give you any help in repairs. I chose not to repair mine and replaced it with a hardshell kayak since I now have the space to store one. 99% of my kayaking is in the open ocean and I don't think it can be repaired good enough to make me feel confident.

_________________
2012 i12s
2017 Revolution 11