subject: Inflatable Boats Maintenance: Checking for Leaks [print this page] Checking for leaks in your inflatable boat is a process that needs to be done first time you use your boat after months in storage or if you suspect that your inflatable has leaks. Inflate your boat hard. Make sure it is clean so that its surface has no sand or dirt on it. Pour 2 to 3 ounces of liquid soap and an equal amount of water in a container. Apply with a 2-inch brush the soap solution over the seams of the boat. If there are leaks, bubbles will appear on the leak. Mark the leaky part using a grease pencil. To check other parts of the boat, ask someone to help you hold the boat upright and on its side so you can check the inside seams too. If your boat has an inflatable keel, check that too.
Paint the inflation valves next with the soap solution. Make sure the caps are screwed tightly. If there is slight air-leak, that is expected and normal. Next, check the outside surface of the tubes. If there are no more visible bubbles indicative of leaks, hose down the boat to free it from the soapy paint.
Finding leaks in the bottom fabric is not as easy since the floor is not pressurized. The first step is t leave the boat inflated and inside a dry location. Make sure it is completely dry as you invert it and coat the bottom with talcum powder. Turn the boat right side up and support it from the ground. You can support it with four stools or ideally sawhorses. Add about 2 quarts of water inside the boat. Have someone slosh it around making sure no water sloshes out of the boat. View the bottom of the boat and if you see any dark spot (wet spot) on the powder, then there's your leak. Mark the leak and prepare to fix it.
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