How to Repair an Inflatable PVC Boat

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.

Things You'll Need

  • 1/4 cup mild liquid soap
  • Plastic bucket
  • Clean water
  • 2 Microfiber cloths
  • PVC patch material
  • Stabond repair adhesive and accelerator
  • Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) water-based solvent
  • Small disposable plastic container with lid, such as a margarine tub
  • 1-inch paint brush
  • Wooden stir stick, such as a popsicle stick
  • Ruler or yardstick
  • Permanent marker
  • Scissors
  • Rubber gloves
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Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 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.

    • 5

      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.

    • 6

      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.

    • 7

      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.

    Apply Adhesive

    • 8

      Mix Stabond adhesive with accelerator and MEK in a plastic margarine tub according to the manufacturer's directions. Stir with a wooden stick until thoroughly blended.

    • 9

      Lay the patch with side that will contact the raft facing up. Apply a thin layer of adhesive mixture to the patch and the area of the raft where the patch will be applied, being careful to keep the adhesive within the area to be covered by the patch. Let the adhesive dry for 15 minutes. Repeat the application of adhesive twice more, allowing it to dry between each application. This ensures all surfaces are covered and promotes watertight chemical bonding when the patch is applied. Place the lid on the margarine container between applications to prevent the glue from drying out.

    • 10

      Apply a final coat of adhesive to the patch and surface of the raft. Allow it to become tacky, which takes about five minutes.

    • 11

      Grasp the patch carefully by its outer edges and carefully align the marks on the patch with those on the raft before allowing it to make contact. Once the patch contacts the raft, do not move or slide it, as the bond will be compromised and you will need to start again. Press carefully, making sure to press out any air bubbles from the center of the patch toward the edges.

    • 12

      Allow adhesive to dry for 24 hours before inflating and using your boat.