Just got a 1/2 inch tear in my dry suit neck gasket. The suit is only two years old and has been worn about 20-30 times. Thought it should hold up better than that. Used 303 on the gaskets regularly too?
Has anyone had a gasket replaced by some one who does the repair PROMPTLY ? I am going on a week long trip soon and would sure like to have my drysuit allong as the water is still cold up here.
Don’t feel bad
I replaced 2 in 1 year. Those things have a finite life and will fail eventually even if well taken care of.
You may try to stop that tear with some aquaseal, but you should go ahead and order a replacement gasket for a backup.
You can order them from Kokatat or from a company called OSS (or something like that. They have a commercial weight neck gasket that is a little heavier duty than the norm. Costs about $5 more or so.
Kokatat has a PDF file you can download to instruct you on how to install the gasket. It was a little scary at first, but it’s not too bad once you get into it.
Good luck,
Joe
Just did my first repair
I bought George Gronsleth (sp?) knock-off of the Kokatat repair tool and think it was well worth it. It is sturdy plastic and can be used for field repairs. His directions are a useful addition to Kokatat’s, too. Just take your time and the repair isn’t too hard. He’s at www.kayakacademy.com.
Os systems is beefier
– Last Updated: Jun-19-05 11:46 PM EST –
and if you have one week you might consider have fedexed one out to you and gronseths tool to. if you look up nystrom on webshots you will find this eventually:
http://community.webshots.com/album/139866810INJYFc
Not as slick and gronseths tool but clamps are versatile.
so if you have access to a band saw or a jigsaw and a bunch of clamps you can be working on tuesday or wednesday and paddling next weekend.
remember to thank bnystrom when you run into him, and trim the gasket. You can stretch it over something an inch bigger than your neck in circumference for a day or two but trim it; don't stretch it into weakness.
Otherwise you can take it to you local paddling shop and see what they can do for you.
It’s A Straight Forward Repair
I have done two neck gaskets and replaced ankle gaskets with booties too. I use OSsystem because their offer neck sizing. I have small drysuit but need a medium neck.
The neck gasket forms can be made out of corrugated cardboard. You can also make foam ones but seems like overkill unless you expect to change neck gaskets for other folks. I prefer to use foam for outfitting my boats. I go through the stuff like beer. Not too much but steady consumption by the “fleet.”
sing
I made mine from 3/8" plywood…
…figuring that I’d be using them many times over the years. 
What’s the difference…
…between the Gronseth tool and Kokatat’s rings? Although my obsession with clamping may lead people to think otherwise, the method I use is the same as Kokatat.
I was wrong
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I thought that his tool was cylindrical but I was wrong. it is also disc shaped like yours and kokatats.
Thanks for squaring me up.
I was just wondering…
…if I was missing something new and useful.
G’s tool
George’s tool has one disk and one ring. The ring is split in 2 pieces. He includes clamps but no yogurt container to help hold the new gasket.
The main attraction for me is that his is plastic so it is better suited for carrying along for a field repair.
His and Kokatat’s instructions are a bit simplified from yours but basically the same. I cut the old gasket off first and then just centered the remainder on the disk. The split ring means you can get the new gasket set down without the ring getting in the way. No sticking the gasket down to the ring first. The yogurt container up through the neck makes a good handle but probably isn’t necessary. Then the 2 halves of the ring are put around the new gasket and clamped to the disk. I only used 8 clamps. Also I used Aquaseal as glue.
FWW George G. told me that he didn’t think there was much difference in quality or beefiness between OS and Kokatat’s gaskets and he sells a lot of both.
I think I had seen a picture with the
– Last Updated: Jun-25-05 10:28 PM EST –
yogurt container and thought it was a part of his commercial kit. Never really thought to do a neck gasket myself, juts make you do it for me :-) .......................................
Such a bad joke
Thanks for the details
I don’t ever anticipate attempting to install a new neck seal in the field, so I guess I’m set with the forms that I have. Perhaps if I was doing lots of long trips, it would be a different story.
BTW, the advantage of sticking the seal flange to the ring is that it prevents it from wrinkling or from sticking where you don’t want it to when you’re trying to position it. I’ve done it both ways and it’s much easier with the flange stuck to the ring.