Nauticam Carbon Fibre Float arms

I wondered if anyone might be able to help. I have a set of the Nauticam Carbon fibre float arms and one of them appears to have taken on water. I can hear it sloshing around inside and obviously this is affecting the buoyancy of my rig.

I had a look at if there was a way to open it to check the seals but the screws and each end appear to be in pretty firmly and I didn't want to go to town on it in case I snapped something.

So has anyone else had this issue, and if so how did you resolve it.

Had the same issue while in indonesia on a live aboard so I opened it up the arm removing allen screws inside ball heads then they pull apart and have an oring system inside I drained water and closed its very difficult to do but they flooded again. So I drained them again borrowed some epoxy from the crew and coated all joints with epoxy. They proceeded to flood again and then I could not take them apart. When i returned I purchased a new one to replace the flooded one and after my next dive trip both had flooded I returned them to reef photo and got replacements under warranty. While waiting for them to be shipped I bought some Inon float arms. It took almost 2 month to get my new arms and to be honest I still have not opened them I will be staying with the inons. so to sum up you can open them but it probably will make it worse. Hope that helps

The Nauticam ones sucks. Many friends have the same problem. Some kinda save it with similar epoxy method as above.. But they are saying.. Till it next food. They will chuck it and use others...

Currently waiting in transit in Hong Kong after diving Anilao for three weeks. Great muck and reefs, but out of 6 Nauticam arms, one completely flooded and one with a small leak, you can hear some water slouch with you shake it. Also used H2O tool carbon fiber float arms and they did not leak.

The carbon fibre floats may be porus allowing water to seep in at depth.

Even a minute pore could allow a drop per minute.

In industrial applications a 'quick & dirty' solution is called 'impregnation'. (google "casting impregantion ...".

If the leak is very small, spraying the outside of the float with clear coat could stop the leak, providing it is not a mechanical one in the closure joints.

Additionally, if it is porosity then: they may be more that one, and it is a basic manufacturing defect. If the later, then Nauticam seems to be a reputable company and they should resolve the problem.

Yes, one of mine had taken water as well. It had taken water and obviously reduce its positive buoyancy.

I brought the arm to the Nauticam reseller and they fix it. Now is ok.

I had the same issue. I returned the leaking one after first dive and re-seller sent back a new one under warranty.

This has definitely been a frustrating, ongoing issue, but it is one that Nauticam is committed to solving. There have been a number of improvements to the arm design over time. Each one improves reliability, but failures are still being reported from older stock in circulation.

I would not recommend trying to repair these, I would contact your dealer for replacement under warranty.

I switched to stix floats. They can't leak.

I switched to stix floats. They can't leak.

Stix do not leak, but they lose buoyancy with depth and also over time as the foam compresses

That's why I swapped from Stix to Nauticam arms. Not had any issues with mine. But will keep an eye on them now...

Ryan. Is it a batch issue? Quite common?

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I was interested by the comments from eyu and Richard (the trickster) not the Stix floats.

I bought my Stix floats off a colleague of Ryan's when he visited KBR in 2010 - so then they were second hand. I must have done about 700-800 dives with them and haven't seen signs of post-dive compression or lack of buoyancy. Maybe I've just been lucky with them. They have probably never been below 32m but they are often in the 25m-30m range.

My Stix floats had been past 60m and they compress a lot!! But they do regain their shape after awhile.

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Ahhh, yes, 60m.... I'm not sure I'd regain shape after a 60m dive

http://www.fun-in.com.tw/oc/index.php?route=product/product&path=31_81_84&product_id=2129

Friend use these on a trip. Really nice

I'm interested in the 10bar floats (especially after I left a set of Stix floats next to the rinse tank on my left trip!). Will they work with or can they be adapted to ULCS arms?

If not I'd be interested in the arms but I only see a 200mm version so far and would like something shorter as I shoot mostly macro. I suppose these also require the wider clamps if used in pairs?

I'll second the recommendation of the H20 Tools carbon arms. I've used them for 4+ years and they are still going strong. Travelled over 300k miles in cargo hold and hundreds of dives in demanding conditions and other than nicks in the CF veneer, it's been great!
Comes in various lengths and buoyancy.

Well all credit to the folks at Nauticam, they are replacing both float arms for me.