Repair a Rubber Boat Using Silicone
River rafts and inflatable boats are designed to withstand extreme abuse, bounce off of jagged and sharp rocks and still keep the hull integrity. Occasionally punctures take place, necessitating the need to patch and repair the puncture. For inflatables that are damaged in the field, use a quick emergency repair tape. These tapes use silicone to provide a stout and near ballistic level of protection in the tape material. The counterintuitive part is that you don't clean the raft itself with silicone-base cleaners like Armor-All, as they prevent the tape's glue from making a solid bond.
Instructions
1. Wipe off the puncture area with the warm soapy water and sponge. Let it dry and then wipe the area down with an alcohol wipe. Let the area dry from the alcohol.
2. Cut off a piece of the silicone-base emergency repair tape about two inches longer than the puncture. Remove the back of the tape to expose the glue.
3. Press the glue side of the tape onto the puncture and hold in position firmly for 30 seconds. Press the entire length of the tape. Pump the raft back up and press around the tape, listening for any leaks. Apply an extra strip of the emergency repair tape if there are any leaks.
Tags: emergency repair, emergency repair tape, repair tape, Boat Using, Boat Using Silicone, Repair Rubber