Drysuit Seam Repair Cost

[Generic_Diver]

Hello,

I have an older dive rite 905 suit that developed a leak in the crotch area from the melco tape coming undone. The adhesive on the flap under the tape is lifting up as well, the seam stitching looks to be fine. I was planning on DIYing the repair until I removed some of the tape and saw that the problematic area was larger than expected and am now considering sending the suit in to get professionally repaired.

To those who have had their drysuit reseamed (melco tape and adhesive), how much did this service cost? I can't find anything on the topic and I would like to know what to expect before sending it in for repairs.

Would it be best to try and send it into diverite or would it be better to consider a drysuit shop like DRIS?

Attached are a few examples of the sections with degraded adhesive.

 

[happy-diver]

Weiterleitungshinweis

 

[Generic_Diver]

Weiterleitungshinweis

I have a roll of the melco t5500, my main concern would be that doing a "patch job" would potentially cover up what could become a larger issue in the future. There is an adhesive under the flap that the melco tape goes over which is degrading which I am more worried about than the melco tape itself.

I was considering removing the old adhesive and using neoprene cement (not aquaseal) to reglue the flap down and then use the melco tape on top of that. Most of the old adhesive looks to be still holding. On areas where the new adhesive would border the old adhesive I would be concerned that there would be issues. Any thoughts?

 

[scubaozy]

This is 1hr job tops. Whatever hourly charges for your particular location might be. In Europe I would guess 30-50 euros + vat. You need to glue the tape with 2 component contact glue such as Elastosal. Neopren glue is for neoprene to neoprene only.

 

[lexvil]

I, if it were mine, would clean it up and use aquaseal. A layer of aquaseal and piece of cloth pressed into the wet sealer and once it was cured to tacky another thinned coat of aquaseal.


after it dries but before I dive it I would order a Seaskin suit and dive this one until it arrives, save this one for back up.

 

[FengShui]

I'm in a similar boat with an old Andy's suit. If the melco tape is coming undone in one area, it's likely to come undone in other areas soon. I've tried to aquaseal the spots where the Melco is coming up, but despite doing that, additional leaks start showing up with each dive. I think the only solution for me is to re-seal the entire tape line with aquaseal, but that may be too much. Ordering a seaskin is probably less work than trying to play whack-a-mole with the seam leaks. (I've put some hours into my suit, and at least $150 in parts/glue, and am pretty close to the conclusion that it's beyond constructive repair).

 

[Generic_Diver]

I've tried to aquaseal the spots where the Melco is coming up, but despite doing that, additional leaks start showing up with each dive.

Yeah this is what I was considering and why I was trying to find the expected cost of getting the seams resealed. If it was just a small section of the melco tape I would DIY it. The unsealed seam was the only leaking point an the rest of the suit is fine so I don't really feel like getting an entire new suit would be necessary if I could get it professionally repaired for less.

If neoprene cement is rubber cement with neoprene added to it, why would it not be usable for tri-alminate?

 

[Still Kicking]

I'm in a similar boat with an old Andy's suit. If the melco tape is coming undone in one area, it's likely to come undone in other areas soon. I've tried to aquaseal the spots where the Melco is coming up, but despite doing that, additional leaks start showing up with each dive.

Thats the suits way of telling you it is done.