Air Bob - standard pack

Air Bob is a patented device for emergency hull breach sealing. It is simple, efficient, durable and versatile.

This pack contains an anchoring bar, a balloon with an axial duct, a circular plate and a rope linking them, as well as a storage bag.

Inflating the balloon between the breached hull and the plate ensures a strong, immediate and lasting counter-pressure.

We successfully used it at sea on shredded and splintered hull breaches, and irregular or angular surfaces. Notably, we used it on the 15 by 9 cm breach of a small sailboat, sailing autonomously for 60 miles and more than 36 hours.

Presentation and usage

The bar is passed through the hull breach, which can be as small as 12 mm. The balloon and the plate are placed against the damaged surface, and the rope is tensioned and locked on the plate.

Manually inflating the balloon yields a strong pressure on the hull around the breach, ensuring an immediate and durable sealing with breaches up to 30 by 30 cm large.

The balloon is inflated until its surface is rid of folds, reaching a low pressure of about 50 mbar. Its volume varies from 30 to 50 litres depending on where the rope is locked on the plate.

The pump tip adapter kit, included in every pack, is compatible with most hand air pumps (inflatable dinghy, paddle or kayak, kiteā€¦).

Installing the system takes a single person and 2 minutes, even when facing large water flows.

Technical specification

Air Bob

included in every pack

  • thermoplastic polyurethane balloon (crystal TPU), 60 by 25 cm with an axial duct, 840 dtex fabric reinforcement and Halkey-Roberts gaz valve
  • injected polyamide pressure plate, fiber reinforced (PA6 GF 30), 45 cm diameter, dark blue color, with an integrated rope clamp
  • epoxy / glass fiber bar, 50 by 2 by 0.72 cm
  • polyester knitted rope, 5 mm spliced on the bar, with a blocking ball
  • pump tip adapter kit

storage bag

included in every pack

  • nylon storage bag, 50 by 50 cm (total weight including Air Bob: 1.6 kg)
  • laminated user manual

documents

user manual
technical documentation