Durable PVC material ensures inflatable boats can withstand battering from sharp rocks on whitewater rivers, deflect stray hooks while fishing and weather exposure to other boating hazards. An occasional puncture or tear can invoke visions of costly repair at your boat dealer. However, armed with the proper repair materials and a little patience, you can create a durable patch that will remain effective for the lifetime of your raft. While slightly more difficult, tears can even be fixed at water's edge.
1 Deflate your boat and move it to a flat, solid surface where it will be protected from direct sun, blowing sand, dust and other particles. A garage is ideal if you are making the repair at home. If you are repairing at water's edge, move the raft into a shaded area that is out of direct wind current and away from loose dirt or sand.
2 Clean the area of the tear with a microfiber cloth dipped in a solution of 1/4 cup of mild liquid soap in 2 gallons of clean water. Warm water is preferable. Remove any loose grit from the boat's surface which could blow onto the area of the tear.
3 Measure two inches outside the tear on all four sides. Place a mark on your raft with a permanent marker at the two-inch mark on each side.
4 Measure the length and width between the marks to determine the size of the patch. Cut the patch from PVC material using scissors to round the corners. This will help prevent your patch from peeling up once it is applied.
5 Center the patch over the tear. Draw a line lengthwise with a permanent marker down the center of the patch, extending the line onto your raft at both ends. Repeat by drawing a line crosswise on the patch, extending onto your raft on both sides. This will make it easy for you to center and accurately apply the patch when it is covered with adhesive.
6 Moisten a corner of an unused microfiber rag with MEK. Clean the area immediately around the tear where the patch will be applied, as well as the side of the patch that will contact the raft. The MEK chemically abrades the PVC material, ensuring a solid bond once the patch is applied.
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