Inflatable boats have developed immensely over the years and cuts, leaks and tears are far less common than they used to be. However although the technology has come a long way, some tenders and inflatable dinghies will inevitably need repairing due to general wear and tear, a sharp object piercing through the inflatable structure or going over rocks.

If this has happened to your boat and you’re wondering how to repair an inflatable dinghy we’ve outlined the steps you need to take in order to fix your vessel.

Step 1 - Locating the issue

Some problems such as a big tear are easy to locate and you may not need to consider this step, but if you don’t know where your mystery hole is, then this can be quite frustrating for boat users.

To find smaller holes in your inflatable dinghy follow the steps outlined below:

  • Ensure your boat is fully dry and lay on an even surface
  • Prepare approximately 2L of soapy water in a bowl
  • Gently and evenly pour the water over the dinghy (in sections or as a whole)/li>
  • A small hole will cause the soapy mixture to bubble - you will need to observe the boat carefully to see
    any bubbles
  • Once the problem has been located, wipe the surface dry and clearly mark out the hole

Step 2 - Preparation

As with any repair involving rubber, PVC or Hypalon, you will need a patch to fix the problem. Most repair patches come in square rolls, but applying it like this can sometimes cause your hard work to be undone as they can snag on things such as lifejackets and movement brushing across it. We would suggest you cut your patch into a circle as this will give you the best result.

As you may have done when repairing a bicycle tyre, you will need to gently sand the patch and the area you’re going to apply the patch to. This only needs to be done gently with fine-grain sandpaper.

Step 3 - How to patch an inflatable dinghy

Before applying your patch to the identified area, you’ll need an adhesive (most repair kits will come with an adhesive). Apply a single coat of adhesive to both the patch and inflatable dinghy and let it cure (dry) for approximately 30 minutes. Once this has dried, you should add a second coat and let it cure for 10-15 minutes, then add one last layer of adhesive to dry for 5 minutes.

The patch and inflatable boat shouldn’t be wet or sticky, but a little gummy - if they are wet and sticky, leave them to dry until they no longer are.

Attach the repair patch (either rubber, PVC or Hypalon - most likely PVC) carefully and evenly over the hole, tear or rip. Once you have applied it and smoothed out the majority of wrinkles and air bubbles, take a roller and firmly press against the patch to ensure there are no gaps for air to leak out and water to seep in.

Once the patch has been applied, leave it to dry and harden for at least 24 hours with 48-72 hours being the better option.

Summary

If you’re looking for the best way to repair your PVC, rubber or Hypalon inflatable dinghy from air escaping to water seeping in, placing a patch on top of your hole should rectify the issue.

If your dinghy is beyond repair, it may be time to invest in a new inflatable dinghy or tender. If your existing dinghy is many years old, this could actually be the better long-term solution.