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 repair kit s.
You might want to check too from time to time if the contents of the kit are in order not dried up adhesive or not missing patches. For other opinions and approaches, find out what Gary Kelly has to say. 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 curled and it is still not able to hold air, then it should still be fine. Others including Larry Ellison, offer their opinions as well. Inspect carefully before you sail out patches.
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 manual instructions Assorted patches of 1 to 4 inches in diameter the same color as your boat to tube of appropriate adhesive for Waterproof patches the surrender 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 3 6 inch repair fabric in the colors that you prefer.