WORK SPACE AND TOOLS
1. Take care to position yourself in a clean, dry area with good ventilation. For proper
curing of adhesives, temperature should remain above 10°C (50 F). In most cases
you will need enough room to inflate the product.
2. Repair Kit Contents: PVC Patch material, PVC Glue, Fabric Repair Patches
(where appropriate)
3. Additional items that MAY be needed: Air pump, sharp scissors and/ or razor knife,
dish washing liquid, water, small bowl or spray bottle, 120 Grit sandpaper, solvent
such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) or rubbing alcohol, china marker, small ‘chip’
brush or disposable paint brush, clean dry cloth.
LOCATE LEAK(S)
1. If there is a problem with air leaks, you will need to locate the leak(s) first.
2 a. IF the leak is in a section of the kayak which is covered in polyester fabric, locate
the zipper for the leaking section and open it to access the bladder. Remove the
Boston valve Cap, Main Valve AND Ring Plate
(see Figure 2 for details)
. Once
this is done, remove the bladder from the cover.
2 b. Re-assemble the valve and inflate the bladder until filled with air. Some small
leaks can close themselves at lower air pressures, so it is best to maintain pressure
by re-inflating periodically while checking for leaks.
2 c. IF the leaking chamber is NOT covered in fabric, simply inflate the chamber
normally and proceed to #3.
3. Use a soapy water solution (50%/ 50% dish soap & water) and a cloth to check for
leaks. Work slowly around the product spraying or swabbing-on soapy water solu-
tion. Look for growing bubbles, which indicate a leak.
4. Once a leak is confirmed, dry the area well, mark it and prepare to patch.
PATCHING
PVC Patch with high-grade adhesive.
** IMPORTANT: air leaks must be patched with the item completely deflated, and
patches should be allowed to cure for 24 hours.
1. Completely DEFLATE the chamber to be repaired.
2. Using MATCHING material from the supplied Repair Kit, carefully cut PVC patch
material to size using sharp scissors or razor knife.
a. Patch should be least 3 - 5cm (1-2”) larger than hole IN ALL
DIRECTIONS around any air leak. This means a minimum patch
size of 5cm x 5cm (2” x 2”) for a pinhole leak. The larger the patch,
the better.
b. Square patches with rounded corners are usually best, as this
reduces the risk of peeling.
3. Dry-fit the patch over the area to be repaired to ensure good fit and coverage.
4. Use a clean 120 grit sand paper to rough up the surface to be patched AND ALSO the
back of the patch material.
5. Use solvent (MEK or Rubbing Alcohol) and a fresh cloth to clean the sanded areas,
removing all debris.
6. Dry-fit the patch again and use china marker (provided) to carefully outline where
the patch will be located.
7. Next, use the glue (provided). Use a disposable ‘chip’ brush to spread glue if needed.
Try to work neatly and quickly.
a. Using disposable brush, apply a thin, even layer of glue to the
repair area making sure to cover the area completely. Stay INSIDE
the china marker outline.
b. Using disposable brush, apply a thin, even layer of glue to the to
the back of the patch making sure to cover the area completely.
c. Allow glue to cure for approximately 60 seconds.
d. Starting at one corner, carefully align the patch over the repair
area using the china marker outline as a guide. Once the two
surfaces touch, the bond will be immediate, so take care.
e. Starting at one corner and working outward, carefully apply the
patch to the repair area using very firm pressure.
f. Rub the entire patch area and the edges of the patch using very
firm pressure.
g. Allow to cure for at least 24 hours before inflating.
8. The method described above can be used for NON-Airholding patches, such as cuts
or punctures in the kayak hull material (bottom skin). NON-Airholding repairs
to the hull are best done to the OUTSIDE surface of the hull, with the kayak fully
inflated.
9. Fabric-covered kayaks also come with a selection of matching fabric repair mate-
rial. Fabric cover repairs should be done by a sewing repair specialist such as a
sailmaker, or awning repair service.
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