West Marine Advanced Frame 1, Owner'S Manual

Advanced Frame 1™ Inflatable Kayak Owner’s Manual

1

PROBLEM
Does not hold air  

while inflating.

The kayak is sagging  

or under inflated.

The kayak will not hold 
full pressure for more 
than a couple of hours.

Kayak still loses air. 
 
 
 
 
 

Tube is kinked or  
bent in.

The fin is bent.

The floor has formed 

a large bubble. 

Water in the kayak. 
 
 
 
 

The kayak drifts to 

one side.

SOLUTION

The spring valve uses a plunger system.  The only time the plunger 
should be in the open position is when you are deflating.  Make sure 
that the plunger is closed to inflate. Push the plunger in and rotate 
counter-clockwise.

Be sure that the right pump is being used.  You need a bellows foot 
pump or a double action hand pump.  A 12-V electric does not supply 
enough pressure to fully inflate the kayak.  The 12-V can be used to par

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tially inflate the kayak but one of the other pumps is needed to top it off.

Make sure that the plunger is in the closed position.  It should only 
be open when deflating.  If it is open, the only seal is the black rubber 
gasket inside the cap.  Even then, a little air may still leak out.

If you have checked all the previous possible reasons for the kayak 
losing air, then there may be a pinhole or a puncture somewhere on the 
tube.  Pull tube from outer covers.  Inflate.  If you cannot see or hear 
where a leak may be, take a clean rag with soapy water and begin rub

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bing the tube.  If a hole is present, bubbles will continually form.  Repair 
using repair kit.  If it is a very small pinhole, a dab of the glue may be 
sufficient.

The tube just needs to be adjusted.  When kayak is fully deflated try ad

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justing the position of the tube inside of the outer shell. Then reinflate.

After inflating the kayak, turn upside down and leave out in sun for ap

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proximately ten minutes.  Fin will conform to its original shape.  Even if 
it is slightly bent, it will not affect the kayaks performance.

If two of the ridges in the floor have formed one large one, the I-beam 
has come apart.  This is caused by over inflation.  It cannot be repaired. 
It is important to take all over inflation warnings very seriously.

There will almost always be a little water in the kayak.  One reason is the 
water drips off of the paddle and into the kayak.  Another is some will 
puddle up on the deck and leak through the zipper.  Make sure that the 
deck lifts are fully inflated so a puddle does not form.  You can also get 
a spray skirt from our accessories list from a dealer.  This will help keep 
the inside of the kayak dry as well as you.

A kayak will always head in the direction of your last stroke. The longer 
the kayak the less this is usually noticed.  If it is drifting in the opposite 
direction, the floor may not be aligned.  Make sure that the floor is prop

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erly centered inside the kayak cover. If the floor is off-center it will cause 
uneveness in the kayak.

7.  TROUBLESHOOTING