Inflatable Boats Repairs: Minor Damage
Leaks and punctures are natural occurrences for inflatable boats
. No matter how careful you are, at one point in your inflatable boat's lifespan, it will somehow develop leaks. Leaks are caused by punctures, abrasions and even pinched fabric of the boat. Lucky are you if leaks are found when still on dry dock but when leaks are found when you are in the middle of a raging river or in the middle of the sea, then you might have to be more resourceful than most to fix the leak.It is imperative that you always see to it that you do bring your boat's repair kit. You might want to check too from time to time if the contents of the kit are in order no dried up adhesive or no missing patches. Most repair manuals say that the repair kit is for use in emergency use only and that as soon as able, you should bring the punctured-but-repaired inflatable boat to a service center for a proper patch. Stories vary but majority of seasoned boat owners claim that their "temporary" repairs are still fine five years later. Of course you need not hold on to this claim but as a general rule, if a patch's edges are not curled and it is still able to hold air, then it should still be fine. Inspect patches carefully before you sail out.
Emergency Repair Kit Contents
You should never use your inflatable boat without making sure you have an emergency repair kit with you. Here is a list of contents for a typical repair kit.
Complete instructions manual
Assorted patches of 1 to 4 inches in diameter the same color as your boat
A tube of appropriate adhesive for the patches
Waterproof sandpaper or coarse stone for roughening-up the edges of the fabric to be repaired.
These are the basics but if you want an upgraded version, you might want to include 3x6 inch repair fabric in the colors that you prefer. You should also consider stout sewing needle like the #1S sailmaker's needle. Make sure you do include 5 to 6 yards of 3 or 5 ply polyester thread. Tubes of glue do dry up so make sure you have extra tubes. You also need a form of cutter for cutting patches accordingly, a permanent marking pen, acid brushes and a spare valve diaphragm if appropriate. You should also have spares of small items that you might lose or break during a trip.
How to Repair Leaks
Punctures happen at the most unexpected time. If your boat springs a leak because if an object that accidentally hit it, make sure you don't take out the offending object if it's still lodged into the boat. Doing so would only hasten the boat's deflation.
If you are in the middle of a body of water, bring out the pump and inflate the boat every so often to inflate it. Look for a place to "land" the boat so you can fix it. Once on dry land, mark the puncture with a marker before totally deflating the boat. Dry the area to be patched. Abrade the area around the hole using the coarse stone or sandpaper. Do the same to the patch. Make sure the patch is the right fit for the puncture. A good fit will have at least a inch of excess patch around the puncture
Coat the outlined area of the puncture in excess of at least inch. Coat the patch and let dry. Make sure that the area to be repaired is on a flat surface and the fabric stretched to a point. Coat a second time. When the glue no longer sticks to the finger, press the patch into position. Make sure you press the patch with pressure to make if glue to the hole perfectly.
You can inflate the boat immediately after but if you choose to wait a while before you do, the extra curing time is a plus.
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Inflatable Boats Repairs: Minor Damage
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