Step-by-step instructions on how to seal a boat with PVC. How to choose quality glue for a rubber boat

However, the material from which inflatable boats are made - rubberized fabric or PVC - is quite vulnerable to mechanical damage.

The side or bottom of a small boat can be accidentally pierced by a sharp snag or damaged on a rocky shore. It’s good that almost any damage to an inflatable boat can be repaired with your own hands using glue.

Choosing the best glue for PVC boats

Inflatable boats made of reinforced PVC appeared on sale relatively recently and almost immediately replaced classic rubber products on the market. PVC boats are lighter, stronger, they are not afraid of frost, and are not susceptible to rotting. At the same time, like rubber analogues, they are repairable.

A PVC boat can be repaired even in hiking conditions, if you have patch material and one of the following types of glue on hand:

• TEXACOL M 150 PU.PVC (Italy). Texacol glue for PVC boats is a professional adhesive composition developed directly for gluing products made of polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane. This brand of glue is widely used in the production of inflatable boats and gluing conveyor belts. Texacol has a high initial adhesion. To increase the water and heat resistance of adhesive joints, it can be used as a two-component adhesive together with Desmodur RFE 750 hardener (add 6-10 grams of hardener per 100 grams of glue). Texacol glue is supplied in metal 17-liter canisters, but in specialized stores it can be purchased in packages of 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 ml. 250 ml costs about 300 rubles, a liter - about 700 rubles.

• Bostik Vinycol 1520 (France). Bostik glue for PVC boats is made on the basis of polyurethane with the addition of synthetic wax. It has a high initial adhesion and, after drying, produces a durable seam with high water resistance. Like Texacol glue, it can be used together with Desmodur RFE hardener (mixed in a ratio of 100:6). Vinycol 1520 glue is professional, therefore it is supplied in metal canisters of 10 and 25 liters. In specialized stores you can find this glue in packages of 30, 100 and 500 ml. 100 ml costs about 250 rubles.

• Glue for repairing PVC boats Kleyberg “Master” (Russia)- a universal one-component adhesive composition based on polyurethane, designed for gluing PVC products (boats, awnings, etc.), leather, rubber, polyurethane, etc. The glue produces an elastic and waterproof seam. The repaired boat can be used within 2 hours. This glue is included in repair kits for PVC boats and is also sold separately. A 30 ml tube of Kleyberg “Master” costs about 70-100 rubles.

• “Liquid patch” for PVC boats. This composition Russian production based on polyvinyl chloride and active reagents is intended for quick repair inflatable boats, swimming pools, awnings and other PVC products. It is enough to degrease the surface to be repaired and simply apply the product to the puncture site. If the cut is large, it is recommended to sew the parts to be glued together with nylon thread. The boat can be used after a day. “Liquid patch” is produced in 20 ml tubes, available in different colors- grey, purple, red and green. Costs about 200 rubles.

What glue is best to buy for repairing a rubber boat?

Rubber boats are becoming less and less common on sale, but some fishermen and hunters still go out on the water in boats of the “Ufimka” or “Nyrok” type, produced back in Soviet times.

Special glue will help extend the life of an old boat or return a damaged modern watercraft back into operation.

Here are the two best options:

• Adhesive 4508 for boats and rubber products(Russia)- universal one-component adhesive based on natural rubber. It is used both in everyday life and as a professional glue for gluing rubber products and rubberized fabrics. The use of 4508 glue together with French-made Desmodur hardeners significantly increases the strength and elasticity of the adhesive joint. The restored product can be used one day after repair. A 50 ml tube of glue 4508 costs about 80 rubles.

• Glue 88-NT is a universal contact special glue that perfectly glues rubber and rubberized fabrics using hot and cold methods. After applying 88-NT glue, the surfaces to be glued are kept for several minutes and pressed firmly against each other. In this case, the initial strength of the connection occurs immediately after compression. Thanks to this property, 88-NT adhesive is excellent for repairing old-style rubber boats. A tube of 88-NT special glue with a volume of 125 ml costs 80-100 rubles.

An example of working with glue - gluing the bottom to a rubber boat

Bottom repair inflatable boat in most cases it is associated with eliminating a puncture or cut. This is a simple procedure that does not raise any questions: a patch of a suitable size is prepared, glue is applied to it and to the damaged area, gluing is performed, and a press is placed.

Much more questions arise if you need to completely replace the bottom of the boat. However, even such repairs of a rubber boat can be done at home with your own hands. Let's consider the process technology using the example of repair (replacement) of the bottom of a Ufimka type boat using glue grade 4508.

To work you will need:

• glue and brush for application;
• marker;
• sandpaper - “zero”;
• rubber for the new bottom;
• tape made of thin rubberized fabric.

The procedure itself is performed in the following sequence:

1. The tape comes off from the old bottom (from the outside);
2. The boat is inflated, the outline of the old bottom is outlined with a marker;
3. WITH inside cylinders, the tape is also outlined around the perimeter with a marker and then removed;
4. The oarlocks are tied with a rope, the bottom is carefully torn off (it is better to start from the nose);
5. The cylinders are completely cleaned of traces of old glue and degreased with gasoline;
6. First, the inner tape is glued along the entire perimeter (you need to glue the tape half its width);
7. Glue is applied to the bow and stern areas of the boat, and it is also applied to similar areas of the new bottom (the glue is applied in 2 layers with an interval of 20-30 minutes);
8. The boat is placed in a vertical position, first glued top part, then the bottom (gluing is done by firmly pressing the surfaces to be glued);
9. Then the boat is turned over and both sides are glued alternately (the inner tape is also glued in parallel);
10. After 2-3 hours, the outer tape is glued.

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

The time for complete drying of the glue is two days.

Every angler who wants to have a good catch has rubber boat, since it is necessary. Fishing from the shore is not available everywhere, but if you have a boat, it significantly increases the space for fishing.

Allows you to transport it in the trunk of a car. There is no noise that scares away fish and it is much easier to operate than boats made of wood and metal.

Disadvantage of an inflatable boat

Perhaps the only drawback of such a boat is its great tendency to damage. Careless movement of the oar, getting caught on an underwater snag, or simply pumping air can damage the rubber coating.

The nature of the damage can be different, ranging from a small hole after being pricked by a piercing object, a small cut, crack or peeling, which appears as a result of improper storage or pumping of the watercraft, or careless handling. Such damage is not uncommon, so we will further tell you how to seal a boat at home.

How to properly seal a boat

How to seal a boat? First you need to detect any existing damage. Each missed hole under air pressure turns into a gap bigger size, the tiny damage left to the material will still crack over time. Finding holes in a boat is not difficult. When the inflated boat is lowered into the water, air bubbles will come out of each damage. To mark them, we insert matches into them, but large cracks and cuts are already visible. It is also advisable to inspect all abrasions and possible peeling. After inspection and determination of the extent of damage, repairs can begin.

Cutting the patches

To repair boat patches, it is advisable to cut similar material. Some manufacturers supply their materials for these purposes; it is better to use them. It is advisable to cut the patches in the shape of a rectangle, but round the corners. The size of the patches must correspond to the parameters of the damage and completely cover it.

Surface treatment

First, you need to treat the areas around the damage with coarse grains. sandpaper. Thus, talc residues are removed from the surface, and roughness is formed. The rough surface is quickly set by glue and becomes stronger. We process patches in the same way.

Sew up the incisions

When the roughness is ensured, we sew up all large damages with nylon threads. It is advisable to apply the sutures very tightly to reduce the risk of new damage. Then, once all the large cuts are stitched, you can begin degreasing.

Degreasing

Before sealing the boat, you need to degrease all damaged areas. This is done using acetone, gasoline or ethyl acetate. Any of these substances are carefully applied to the rough surface around the hole, and to any cut patch. This is how we degreased the material, the surface seemed to swell after treatment, and the remaining dust remaining after treatment with sandpaper was removed. In addition, the materials contribute to better adhesion of the parts by glue.

Glue

It is advisable to use a special glue for rubber boats, as provided by the manufacturers. “Super Glue”, and especially “Moment”, and other quick-setting adhesives are not suitable for us. The adhesives used for rubber boats do not set quickly, although in the end we will acquire high-quality, reliable fastening, not affected by air. If a repair kit for rubber boats is not provided with the rubber boat, I advise you to use rubber adhesives.

Applying glue

Glue is applied only to the rough surface of the inflatable boat; glue is not applied to the patch. The glue is applied in 2 layers. Initially, carefully, using a well-known glue brush, apply the first thin layer of glue and wait until it dries. Depending on the situation, rubber glue can dry from 17 to 95 minutes. Using a knife or pen, check whether the glue has dried or not. When the glue has already dried, another layer of glue is applied in the same way.

Attaching patches

Without allowing the other layer of glue to dry, the patch is applied. We hold the patch with both hands and carefully, evenly, avoiding wrinkling, place it on the glue. All this must be done carefully, since after applying the patch to the glue-covered surface, it will be impossible to change its position. When the patch is applied, use your thumbs to even it out in area, smooth out any unevenness, removing air from under the patch. The work is done.

As Sergey Astafiev writes, there are several simple rules, for boat operation:

• When purchasing an inflatable boat in a store, also buy patches for this boat. If the store doesn't have the patches, order them.
• For patches, use only rubber cement.
• Do not try to get rid of greasy stains with gasoline.
• Do not overinflate the rubber boat.

Video - repair of inflatable boats:

Conclusion!

Remember, rather than gluing a boat and “losing” precious minutes of rest on eliminating defects, it is better to use the product normally. The boat will still have to be glued, nothing lasts forever, although in this episode it’s better late.

Rubber boats are more popular. But it’s no secret that rubber is a very specific material and can be damaged quite easily. In order for your rubber boat to please you every time you use it, you need timely care and necessary repairs. After all, punctures and cracks in an inflatable boat are a very common problem. Unfortunately, this is not always the boat owner’s fault; there are also factory defects, but most often damage occurs from improper storage or during operation.

It’s good that minor damage to rubber can be repaired yourself. To do this, in most cases you only need special glue and patches. Currently consumer market can offer big choice glue for rubber and caoutchouc. But before purchasing, it would be better to figure out which glue for a rubber boat is suitable in your case, because the characteristics, purpose and composition greatly influence the quality of the repair performed.

What glue to use to glue a rubber boat

Under no circumstances should you use such seemingly traditional “Super Glue” or “Moment” to seal a boat. This glue is unreliable and difficult to clean off the surface. When choosing an adhesive, first of all Look in the instructions for it to see if there are recommendations for use with rubber material.

The most popular and in demand glue among its analogues is glue 4508. This glue is rubber, based on DP rubber (chloroprene rubber). The base gives the adhesive good fire resistance, high bonding ability, excellent resistance to weathering, as well as natural oxidation, wear resistance and low temperature. After hardening, the glue becomes strong and elastic, withstanding pressure and loads, not to mention waterproof. With such popularity and effectiveness, it is difficult to doubt its reliability. The main difference when working with this glue is that it does not need to be heated during operation.

People experienced in this matter advise using it in combination with hardeners, so the abrasion resistance will increase significantly.

Most often, 4508 glue is used to repair surface damage to a boat hull. Before you start doing it yourself repair work, it is necessary to determine the location and type of damage.

Also good feedback Among users, Rogneda and Super-NN glue were received, but it is better to combine it with the addition of Izur-021. In camping conditions, Loctite Super Fast glue will help to patch up the boat; it sets within 5 minutes, but this is its drawback, since its distribution over the surface is almost always uneven.

Also thanks to the cold cooking principle, frequent attention Consumers use Tangit PVC-U or GRIFFON UNI-100. Adhesive Radical is able to withstand low temperatures, and also adapted to sea ​​water. Adhesives 88 SA, 88-NP, 88-N are usually used in certain problems.

DIY rubber boat repair

Holes, surface and seam tears, deformed tapes, leaky bottom, damage oarlocks, all of these are the most common problems requiring immediate repair.

If there is a problem with the location of a small puncture, the easiest way is to use soapy water. First, the boat's compartments are inflated step by step, and then the damaged compartment is lathered. This way you will find a defect where soap bubbles accumulate.

To describe the entire process of repairing a boat with your own hands, let’s take the Ufimka rubber boat as an example. In the old days, this rubber boat was in great demand. A light, compact two-seater rowing boat that can be rowed forward or backward. It consists of two inflatable cylinders, fastened together by a bottom and overhead gussets. But this boat has a significant drawback: the cylinders on the left and right sides do not have their own partitions and therefore, when punctured, the entire side is deflated. And since fishermen eagerly take advantage of the Ufimka’s ability to walk not only on water, but also through aquatic thickets, damage to the cylinders is inevitable. In this connection, the Ufa boat needs to be glued very carefully.

What do you need?

To repair the boat we will need:

• glue,
• suitable patch,
• scotch,
• sandpaper,
• scissors,
• gasoline or thinner,
• small brush,
• spray.

Many people advise using solvent 646 or Galosh gasoline. You cannot use a regular car one, because... its composition includes oils. If you decide to add hardeners or other components and additives to the glue, then it is better to prepare the finished mixture in advance. The patch should have rounded corners, so it will last longer. It is better to choose the material for the patch similar to the material of the boat, for example, rubber is needed for Ufimka. Sandpaper should be fine-grained.

Having found a defect on the surface (you can mark this place with a marker so as not to lose it again), having learned its size, you can begin processing the edges of the damaged area.

To increase the adhesion ability of the glue to the material, the gluing area must be cleaned with sandpaper. It would also be a good idea to sand the patch on the gluing side. Next, the cleaned areas are treated with solvent or Galosh gasoline for degreasing.

A thin layer of glue 4508 is applied to the patch and the damaged area of ​​the boat. It is necessary to ensure that the patch is completely coated with glue at the edges. By the way, when the glue dries, it may curl up. Next, wait for the first layer of applied glue to dry, it lasts about 15 minutes, and then apply the second layer. After 10 minutes, the patch is applied to the damaged area on the boat and immediately rolled with a roller or other similar object. For proper adhesion, you can place the gluing area under a press for several hours.

Do not forget that it is better to begin repairs immediately after discovering a minor puncture than to leave such minor damage until next time. A larger hole will require much more effort to repair the rubber boat.

A pleasant Sunday walk on the river or fishing can suddenly end if a hole is discovered in the boat. In order not to immediately throw away the watercraft, you need to know how to properly seal the boat with PVC. Even with a patch, it will last for more than one season.

Boat preparation

Before repairing, you need to find the hole; it is worth remembering that there may be several damages. Punctures are not always noticeable. Therefore, the inflated boat must be inspected in the water. When holes are found, you need to circle them with a marker or something else so as not to repeat the search procedure.

Then the boat descends. No glue will hold the patch when air whistles out from under it. You need to place a flat object under the damaged area: a board, container, stone, etc., whatever is at hand. The base should not sag when pressed.

Before sealing a PVC boat, you need to clean it from dirt and degrease it. To do this, you can use gasoline, toluene, thinner, alcohol or vodka. Acetone can damage PVC, so its use is not recommended. You cannot use sandpaper or anything like that, because... It's easy to damage the boat and make the holes bigger. The degreaser must completely evaporate from the surface. Only in this case can you start gluing.

Patch

When the boat is ready, you need to prepare the patch. It is cut from similar material. It's best if you have a repair kit with you. As a rule, it contains the same fabric as on the watercraft.

The size and shape of the patch are determined by the size of the hole. The glued piece of fabric should extend 3-5 cm beyond the edges of the hole. The most commonly used patches are round, oval, rectangular and square. It is worth remembering that corners tend to cling and peel off.

The patch needs to be prepared in the same way as the boat: degrease and dry.

The last stage is fitting. The patch is applied to the puncture and traced along the contour of how it will lie.

What glue to seal a PVC boat with: choosing a product

The most important thing is what will connect the boat and the patch. It is the quality of the glue that determines the reliability of the repair. Of course, if you have a repair kit, then there won’t be any particular difficulties. However, it is not always at hand. What do you need to remember to choose the right product?

• Instant glue (such as “Second”, etc.) is not capable of providing high-quality repairs to PVC products. The patch will fall off as quickly as it sticks. In addition, cyanoacrylate compounds can “burn through” the material.
• To repair a boat, it is better to use polyurethane glue. This is exactly what is found in repair kits.
• Good glue will not stick to your hands when it dries.
• It is better to opt for a special product.
• After drying good glue, even its excess cannot be removed from the surface.
• Heat resistance is not the last factor you need to pay attention to when choosing adhesive. The higher this indicator, the better, because In the sun, the boat can get quite hot.

Instructions: how to seal a PVC boat

So, the boat and the patch are ready, degreased, and dried. The glue has been selected. You can collect everything into a single whole.

In case of a serious puncture

Sometimes quite serious holes appear in the side or at the bottom. Cuts or holes about 5 cm in size will not cause any difficulties. But if the snag has torn out a significant piece of fabric, then it is better to contact a specialist. Therefore, it is advisable to know where to seal the PVC boat in case of serious damage. Perhaps there are special workshops in the city. By the way, some tire shops also provide boat repair services.

Unfortunately, in some particularly difficult cases the boat may not be repairable. Then you'll have to buy a new one.

That's all for how to seal a PVC boat. Given that quality repairs it will last for a long time.

None of the avid hunters and fishermen needs to be explained that an inflatable rubber boat is a wonderful and convenient thing. However, despite all its undeniable advantages, the “elastic band” is a rather impractical thing. Any snag sticking out of the water, severe overheating in the sun - and your beloved “rubber friend” turns from a helper and breadwinner into something shapeless and useless. That is why the topic of today’s article is rubber repair. Unfortunately, not every novice angler knows how to do it correctly and without much expense.

Boat inspection

Self-repair of a rubber inflatable boat begins with a thorough inspection for damage. First you need to thoroughly inflate all the compartments with air and carefully inspect the watercraft, listening to the possible hiss of air coming out of the hole.

If damage cannot be detected by sound, you need to cover the boat (the entire boat) step by step with thick soap foam: where there are holes, the soap will “bubble.” If damage is found, circle it with a marker or ballpoint pen.

Repairing rubber boats is not a difficult task, but very painstaking. Even if it seems to you that you have already found all the damage, do not rush. Inspect the entire surface of the boat - there may be scuffs, abrasions, peeling of seam tapes and other damage that could soon destroy an ineptly repaired boat. So if you decide to repair a rubber boat yourself, the stitching seams and bottom should not be left without your attention. Once you are sure that you have found all possible damage, you can “bleed” the air and begin repairs.

What you need for work

To make repairs easy and the boat to serve for a long time, you will need:

• a piece of patch material similar to that from which the craft itself is made;
• fine-grained sandpaper for cleaning surfaces;
• glue for repairing rubber boats - 4508, 4NBuv, 88NT, SV-1-5M, 4010 and others;
• a clean brush for applying glue;
• solvent for degreasing the surface (alcohol, acetone, Galosha gasoline); Attention: motor gasoline cannot be used - it contains oil;
• scissors;
• ruler;
• nylon threads;
• thick needle;
• pencil, marker or chalk;
• or household;
• rolling roller or any other round object - spoon, knife handle, bottle, etc.

Seal the punctures

As already mentioned, the repair of rubber boats begins with a thorough inspection and detection of damage. If a small flaw in the form of a puncture is found, then you need to proceed as follows:

• Using a ruler, measure the diameter of the damage and cut out a patch of the appropriate size; Please note - the size of the patch must be at least 2.5-3 cm larger than the damage site and have rounded corners;
• Apply the patch to the damaged area and trace it with a marker;
• Using fine sandpaper, carefully but thoroughly clean the marked area and the lining itself;
• carefully remove all accumulated debris and dust and degrease the surface well;
• glue both parts together.

There are two methods of gluing - hot and cold, let's look at each of them.

Hot:

• using a brush, carefully apply glue to the patch and puncture site; It is best to place a sheet of paper or cardboard under the patch, then its edges will not curl into a roll;
• wait 15-20 minutes until the glue dries a little, and apply a second layer;
• we stand again allotted time, usually 10-20 minutes, and heat both surfaces to 50-60 ˚С;
• Now we connect the heated surfaces to each other and press them firmly against each other;
• Using a roller or any round object, we roll the entire surface of the patch in order to eliminate excess air;
• we clamp the repair site into a clamp or press it with any even and heavy object and leave for final drying for at least 24 hours.

Cold

This method is almost no different from the hot method, except that the surfaces do not heat up, but stick to each other when they are cold. This method is used only in cases where heating is not possible.

Stitching up the cuts

As you can see, repairing rubber boats is really not a difficult task. However, if your rubber assistant is seriously torn, then you will have to put in a little more effort to “treat” it.

In the case where the tear or cut on the boat is quite large, then after sanding it must be carefully sewn up. In this case, you need to ensure that the edges of the cut are not pulled together too much.

If the tear has torn edges and it is not possible to sew it up, then gluing must be done both from the outside and from the inside. We have already figured out how to apply the external patch, but we will have to tinker with the internal one. To make your work more convenient, you need to do this:

• We do not cover the patch with glue completely, but only halfway - this is done to make it more convenient to insert it into the hole;
• carefully place the patch inside the gap, after which it must be pressed and the gluing area rolled with a roller;
• after some time, use a brush to coat the second half of the patch; to ensure that the edges do not interfere, they need to be carefully lifted and held with a ruler or knife;
• repeat the gluing procedure;
• Now we glue the top patch in the usual way.

Re-gluing the oarlocks

No repair of rubber boats can be done without a thorough inspection of the rowlocks. The fact is that this unit is subjected to the greatest load during operation and over time begins to gradually peel off.

The gluing process itself is exactly the same as with patches, but there are some subtleties:

• in order to easily tear off the rowlock, it needs to be heated with a hairdryer;
• It is necessary to glue a new spare part when the cylinder is deflated, otherwise the connection will be loose and will not last long.

Replacing the tape

In order to repair a rubber boat along the seam, you will need a special tape. Re-applying protective tapes on the cylinder is also easy. This is done in a hot way better connection surfaces. There are also little tricks here:

• the tape for repairing a rubber boat should be cut at an angle of 45˚ and made of;
• It is best to replace the tape when the cylinder is full - this will avoid deformation after drying, and the seams of the boat will not “begin”.

Repairing the bottom

Sometimes it happens that your “rubber friend” requires serious, thorough “treatment”. Repairing the bottom of a rubber boat can be classified as just such work. Let's break this rather labor-intensive process into several stages:

1. First of all, you need to fully inflate the cylinders and mark with a marker the place where the tape will be glued and carefully remove it from the outside and inside.
2. Using the same marker, we mark the location of the bottom and carefully remove it. For the process to be as efficient as possible, you need to start from the bow, and to separate the parts more easily, you can use a hairdryer.
3. Now you need to carefully clean and degrease the surfaces marked with a marker, thereby preparing them for gluing.
4. We turn the filled cylinders “bottom side” up and begin gluing a new inner tape. Please note that you only need to apply glue to half the area, between the marker marks. Since the boat is upside down, you need to start from the bottom mark and apply glue in a strip to the middle. According to the already familiar technology, the glue is applied twice with a break of 15-20 minutes. You need to start gluing the tape from the bow of the boat, and do this only half of its width.
5. Now we begin to attach the bottom. Since you need to glue quite large surfaces together, you can divide the work into several stages. First, we connect the surfaces on the bow and stern of the boat, and only then move on to the sides. The glue, as you remember, is applied twice, with a short break. There's another one here small nuance— when gluing the bottom, you need to carefully ensure that the part of the inner tape left free also sticks to the bottom.
6. The last step is to apply protective tape to the outside. Here it is necessary to ensure that the boundaries of the adhesive layer correspond to the width of the tape.

Small subtleties of the process

As you can see, repairing a rubber boat with your own hands is not such an overwhelming task, however, there are some nuances that are worth remembering:

• work should be carried out with good ventilation, but you should not do it outside - dust and dirt will always get into the gluing area, and the quality of the repair in this case will not be very good;
• You should not start repairs when the air humidity exceeds 60% and the temperature is 25˚C; if the temperature drops below 15 °C, you need to additionally heat the room;
• if repairs have to be carried out in field conditions, move the boat to the shade, or better yet, build something like an “operating room” out of a tent - this will help protect the damaged area from dirt and dust.