MAINTENANCE & INSPEC TIONS
GENERAL BOAT MAINTENANCE
WARNING
Do not cover the boat with a canvas until completely dry, as this could
damage the tissue of the tubes due to mildew and water stains.
Upholstery
Wash the upholstery regularly with soft detergent and warm
water in a 1:1 proportion; you can also use automotive vinyl
cleaners to keep the cushions, canopy top and vinyl
coverings in good condition. Keep the cushions from
becoming soaked, and dry them off thoroughly after
washing to prevent mildew accumulation when the boat is
covered. Prop the cushions up in the boat when covered to
allow air circulation, and spray with mildew repellent.
Fiberglass Hull Repair
You must periodically inspect every square centimeter (inch) of
the rigid hull of your inflatable. The best way to do it is by
rubbing you
r
hand over the surface. Generally, you will feel
the scratches and chips before seeing them, more so when
they do not extend right through the gel coat to the
laminate underneath. Mark these areas with a waterproof
felt pen for further inspection. When you see the same
color right through the scratch or chip, the gel coat has been
damaged. In this case, simply lightly grind out the cavity
with an emery disc in an electric drill or with emery paper
used by hand, and fill up the hole with gel coat. To complete
the job, grind the gel coat filling flush with the surrounding
surfaces using a very fine emery disc and polish the whole
area with an abrasive cleaner so that it blends in. Small
chips and scratches of this type can be left in most cases
without fear of damage
worsening because the gel coat still provides a seal against
water entering the laminate. The touching up treatment
suggested is only necessary if you are greatly concerned
about the cosmetic appearance of your boat.
Be aware of c
hips and scratches which extend into the laminate.
These can usually be identified as a white surface under the gel
coat with a fibrous texture. If the damage is minor with only the
gel coat having been removed, then follow the same procedure
as described above, but make sure that you grind back the gel
coat to a point where there is positive adhesion between the gel
coat and the laminate underneath.
For major fiberglass damages, please take your inflatable to an
authorized service center.
Repair of the tube
Your AB boat is supplied with a maintenance kit for patching
minor punctures. This kit consists of several patches of (CSM)
Coated Fabric Material, sanding paper, glue and catalyst,
which are exactly the same as those used for the manufacture
of the boats.
If your boat has suffered a major accident, the repair should be
completed by an authorized service center in your area.
Contact your closest AB dealer for assistance in finding this
information. If your boat is leaking, a test of five hours duration
is sufficient to give you a good idea of its status, but one should
stabilize the pressure at 0.2 bar (3 psi) during the first half
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Summary of Contents for ABJET 285
Page 1: ...Owner s manual ...
