Basic inflatable boat repair

Small repairs and the addition of small accessoriesApply glue with a paint or glue brush with the
may be attempted by the owner if factory gluingbristles cut short (1/2 to 3/4") so they are stiff.
instructions are followed closely.It must be natural hair (i.e. OK for lacquer); bound
Rips or holes larger than one inch in the airin metal not plastic; preferably with wooden or
chambers or within two inches of a seam shouldmetal handle. Careful not to get glue on areas of
be repaired with internal and external patches byyour boat besides the repair area.
a professional repair technician at a certified repairOld glue must be completely removed -- solvent,
facility.sandpaper, scraping, grinding with a Dremel tool.
A quick patch repair may solve your problem forGlue will not stick to old glue. Clean it off
a short period of time, but we recommend youthoroughly. Be careful not to burn or melt the
have it redone by a professional.fabric if using a Dremel tool. Constant motion with
We recommend that major repairs and thethe tool will prevent this problem.
addition of large accessories such as oar locks,If your boat has ever been protected with
seating or towing rings be done by a professionalƒâ€šÃ‚® or another silicone
repair technician at a certified repair facility.or petroleum based product, you may have great
If your boat is still under warranty and you aredifficulty getting a bond. Wipe the repair area well
experiencing a seam failure; the wooden transomwith MEK, follow the gluing instructions closely and
separating from the molded transom flanges orhope for the best.
tubeset; or the fabric is turning yellow and sticky,Pinhole size leaks in most Hypalonfabric or PVC
call your dealer immediately. Defective seams orboats sometimes may be repaired simply by use
sticky fabric may result in complete warrantyof either Seam Seal or Air Seal liquids. You might
coverage and you may receive a new boat forbe able to avoid a patch on the boat.
free or at a small prorated fee.To find tiny leaks, take floor boards out, inflate
If you plan to attempt a small repair, please followboat hard. Put some liquid detergent in a bucket
these instructions closely:of water and with rag or big wash brush, scrub it
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR USING ALLall over boat. Keep watch for elusive, tiny bubbles.
GLUESWhen you find the first leak, keep looking. You
AND ALL FABRICSmight as well fix them all at the same time!
LOW HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLRemember, the number one cause of slow leaks
Relative humidity must be less than 70%,is a poorly seated valve. Unscrew, clean. Make
preferably as low as 40%.sure little rubber O-rings are good. They are the
Temperaturecheapest repair possible.
€šÃ‚° toIf patching, cut patches 1 to 2 " larger than tear
€šÃ‚°F.in each direction and round the corners (a quarter
Never fiddle around with these. Bond strengthmakes a good template for the edges). Little one
drops very rapidly with heat or high humidity.inch circles pasted over a pin hole won't last. Try
Take your boat indoors.to get the same fabric used by the manufacturer
Don't even think about trying to glue on the dockfor your boat. The inside and outside surface may
or near the water or in direct sunlight.be different. If you can't match color, sometimes
Professionals use a specially built, climate controlleda cleverly shaped patch in contrasting color can be
room, and still don't attempt to work on a rainymade to look like decoration instead of a
day.Band-Aid. e.g. arrow, lightning bolt, even a new D
Note: You are using a two-part contact cement.ring if in right spot.
The solvents in the glue must evaporate beforeProfessionals often put one on each side to look
assembly. When ready to assemble parts, thelike they came with the boat.
glue must not be tacky at all to the finger. ItInflate boat to apply accessories.
must not have spots of whitish glaze. If so, youDeflate to patch air leaks, even if very small. Air
may have spread the glue too thick, not waitedpressure will bubble the patch before glue sets.
long enough between coats, or a sudden drop inUse our inflatable boat restoration paint if your
temperature or gust of humid air may haveboat is old looking, looks faded, is sticky or
occurred. Someone may have opened the door,generally looks old and ugly.
or you may have leaned too close and breathedDo Not Smoke! Glues and solvents are flammable.
on it. Plan to stay in the room until finished.No open flames (e.g. furnace or pilot light when
GENERAL TIPSworking in a cellar.) Use in a well ventilated area.
Mark out your patch or accessory perimeterFumes can be overwhelming. A carbon filter
where it will be glued on. Then use masking taperespirator is recommended. MEK solvent smells,
to tape off the area to ovoid getting MEK or gluebut is relatively safe. It is recommended that you
on other parts of your boat during the repairnot use Toluene - the factories do but it is quite
process.dangerous.
This takes a little time but is well worth it in theAccelerator (small bottle) is toxic. If spilled on on
end as the glue is hard to get off the boat afteryour skin WASH IMMEDIATELY with soap and
it dries and looks very messy when it dries andwater. If in your eyes, IMMEDIATELY FLUSH
goes brown from the sun.WITH WATER for at least 2 minutes and consult
If using small cans ( 1/4 L) mix the entire cana physician.
with the dose of accelerator.(Accelerator is an isocyanate based product.)
Inaccurate measurement will weaken the glue.Always wear safety gear as recommended by
Once opened the accelerator cannot be kept. Dothe manufacturer of glue, solvent, accelerator,
not try to save it. The quality of your final bondetc.
depends on it.