Help repairing a new fabric tail! Need a protective coating for the bottom.

[Mermaid Joie]

Hey Merfriends
I need your help. After my second swim with my tail I noticed several small holes on the fluke where the zip ties sort of touched the monofin and the ground. I had gone to a dry event and forgot to put a towel underneath me and carelessly stood up in my tail and scraped it on concrete several times. Then I went for a leisurely swim and that is when I noticed the holes.

The holes are smaller than a penny and expose the zip tie and I was thinking of just filling them with tulip paint and smoothing over it, but if it was due to swimming at the pool I think the back of the fluke may need more protection. I am wondering if anyone has experienced with this and could make some suggestions for preventing the back from wearing anymore.

I have also noticed the paint flaking off in several places which maybe because it didn't cure probably. Mermaid storm suggested using a coating of Rustoleum clear coat has anyone used this before? How thick is it maybe I can use that as the protection and help prevent paint from flaking off.

[Mermaid Silverisa]

Hi! Can you post some pictures? Because there are different solutions depending on the type of fabric

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using MerNetwork mobile app

[Mermaid hannahML]

I had a problem kinda like this a few years ago and how I fixed it I just added (I think2 tubes)of 100%silicone from Home Depot ,so all I did was pipe it on and smooth it out with a putty knife . The tail was already panted and everything...hope this helps ��

[Mermaid Joie]

Hi! Can you post some pictures? Because there are different solutions depending on the type of fabric

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using MerNetwork mobile app

I keep trying to but they fail to upload on my phone.
I will try my computer

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[Mermaid Joie]

Finally got the picture to upload you can see the small holes showing the ziptie.

[Mermaid Joie]

The type of fabric is a swim spandex (I think nylon) mix. It feels like a regular swim suit.

[Mermaid Silverisa]

Hi! I think you would be able to handstitch the holes and once they're shut, you can glue a couple or rhinestones if you want to hide the stitch

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using MerNetwork mobile app

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Looking from the damage, I can see that the zip ties will always cause holes. Its because of the edges on them. You could replace them with tubing that you can get from aquarium shops. Get some end caps too, so that the tube is smooth all over.

[Mermaid Joie]

Looking from the damage, I can see that the zip ties will always cause holes. Its because of the edges on them. You could replace them with tubing that you can get from aquarium shops. Get some end caps too, so that the tube is smooth all over.

To clarify the zip ties are sewn into my tail like boning. I can't replace them without destroying the tail.

It is actually from scrapeing it on the concrete that is why the holes are only on the bottom. It is due to a flaw in my sewing technique I stretched the swim fabric out over the zip ties so tightly it put stress on the fabric. The zip ties are actually very smooth.

The dorsal was sewn without stretching and held up great and is very sturdy.

I just need to find an appropriate material to fill the hole and paint over it. I have thought about silcone but how would paint it with lumerier paints?

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Oh. Maybe sew up the holes and then sewn/glue on a sequin or some other decoration?

Then paint it over with silicone, like the way Sun Tails and Fin Fun have that rubbery tips on their tail skins.