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12
REPAIR
If repairs are required, DO NOT WAIT until spring to get your boats fixed. Be sure to inspect all of your repair
materials prior to the start of a new season, especially your adhesives. Adhesives usually have a one-year shelf
life so it is important to bring in fresh materials every season. Without discussing the technical aspects of repair,
let’s discuss the overall concept of repair.
1. Minor repairs are easily made at your place of business only with the proper equipment. An investment of
less than $100 will buy you proper glues, solvents, grinding wheels, rollers, etc. We regularly stock everything
you need for boat repair and maintenance.
2. Cosmetics are critical to raft repair. Your clients may not return if they see rafts have sloppy repairs. Repairs
must be of the same color fabric. Properly cut and rounded patches and all excess glue cleaned off from
around the repaired area.
3. Major repairs will most likely need to be completed at a repair facility. If the raft needs to be returned to
service quickly, call the repair facility and advise them of the problem. With advance notice, they can set
aside time to do your repair promptly and return the raft on schedule. If you have enough rafts to cover
your needs, set aside major repairs until the end of the season. It’s usually a good investment of 10% to
30% of a new raft to recondition your raft at a quality repair facility. Generally the work performed comes
with a one year warranty. Call us for a list of authorized repair centers in your area or checkout hyside.com.
STORAGE
As mentioned under “Storing your HYSIDE”,
rafts should be stored clean, dry and out of the sun. Wash the raft
at the take out to get rid of sand, sticks, etc. and allow the raft to dry upside down in the sun. After the bottom is
dry, turn the raft over, wipe out excess water with a sponge and allow the inside to dry (in hot weather, this will
only take a few minutes). After the raft is dry, store out of the sun. UV rays are your worst enemy. Raft colors will
fade and the fabric can become dry and brittle (cracks) with constant exposure to the sun. Store in a building or
under an awning or tarp. Never allow rafts to bake in the sun.
Occasionally, water may enter the inside of the tubes. This water must be removed immediately and the inside
dried. Moisture will eventually deteriorate the glue around the seams, so make sure boats are dry when stored.
Remove the inflation valve and pour out all the water possible. Insert a 1/2” hose to the end of the air chamber
and connect it to the exhaust hose of a vacuum cleaner. Let the vacuum cleaner run for one hour or more to
remove all moisture.
During the off-season, rafts may be stored inflated or deflated. It is best not to roll up the raft during the off-
season as this may eventually cause cracks in the material. When deflating, open the air valves and deflate one
raft on top of another. Do not suck the air out and close the valve, this again may cause cracks in the material.
A word of caution: Do not store on cement (because of moisture) and put plenty of bait out for mice and rats (they
love to chew on and nest in your rafts).
