How to Do Hull Repair on Inflatable Boats

Just as repairs are needed on conventional boats, there are times when you will need to do hull repair on inflatable boats. When you purchase an inflatable boat, an inflatable boat repair kit is included with the purchase. You do need to do regular maintenance on inflatables to keep them in good condition, such as washing them off and checking the hull for tiny rips or tears that might turn into a larger problem.

In order to do any repairs to the hull of your inflatable boat, you need to know the type of material in the inflatable. The products contained in the repair kit you get with the inflatable boat will be the right ones to use. Even if these are all gone, you should take note of the product names and buy the same ones. This is because of the different materials used. For example, glues that will adhere to Halycon material may not adhere to PVC material.

When you need to do repairs to your inflatable boat, there are some repair products you should never use. Take note of the contents of the kit and you will see there are no silicone sealants. Silcone sealants and coatings will prevent any patches from sticking to the inflatables and should never be used for repairs to the hull of the boat. The repair kit will help you patch most small holes or punctures in your inflatables, but experts recommend that tears longer than 4 inches should be repaired professionally.

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You should always clear sand out of inflatable boats before you deflate it and store it away. This is because sand often causes problems with the valves by blocking them. To do repairs to this part of the boat you need to blow out the sand with an air pump. Although this is not a problem with the hull of the boat, it is very common and worthy of mention. The pump is not a standard part of a repair kit, but this inflatable boat accessory is not very expensive and you should have one aboard the boat.

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