With some proper care, your inflatable kayak should last you for many years and still be in near perfect condition.
These simple steps will help to ensure the health and longevity of your inflatable kayak.
How To Care For Your Inflatable Kayak
Store it in a cool, dry spot.
Make sure the kayak is clean and dry before you pack it up so that no mold can accumulate.
If there is a little moisture left over (possibly in the tubes) after you have dried it, leave it partially inflated for a few days in a dry area to completely dry it out before packing away.
Use a protectant to help with UV damage protection.
A 303 Protectant spray like this one at Amazon will greatly prolong the strength and the life of your inflatable kayak material by protecting it from the harmful UV rays.
It is really cheap to buy and easy to use. This is your inflatable boat “sunscreen” and should be applied every 1 – 2 months for ultimate protection.
Use an inflatable boat cleaner.
A good boat cleaner will remove dirt, oil and tough stains. After cleaning your kayak material you can then apply the 303 protectant.
If you don’t have a specific inflatable cleaning agent then you can also use an all natural cleaner as well… just stay away from harsh chemical cleaners that could do harm to the material.
Store your kayak properly.
If you leave your inflatable kayak outside, raise it off the ground and cover with a tarp.
Don’t allow it to be exposed to direct sunlight, leaves, berries or rain.
Ideally your inflatable kayak will be deflated, dried off completely and stored away in a dry cool space.
How To Repair Your Inflatable Kayak
If your inflatable kayak should need some simple repairs you may be able to easily follow the instructions provided in your owner’s manual with your kayak repair kit (comes with all inflatables).
Follow the instructions carefully and have them with you on all your kayak outings.
It’s useless to have the repair kit with you but not the instructions on how to use it should you be stranded somewhere. Try not to carry out the repairs in direct sun or rain.
Inflatable kayaks are some of the safest boats in the world.
They are used by the Coast Guard as well as the military and many rescue agencies around the world.
Punctures occur occasionally and if they do, most leaks only take a few minutes to repair.
Have A Small Leak? No Problem…
For small repairs, deflate your boat, clean and dry the area to be repaired thoroughly. Apply a small drop of glue. Let dry 12 hours.
If you need to get on the water sooner, let it dry 30 minutes then inflate the boat, inflating the area with the repair only ¾ full. Then make a permanent repair later.
For larger repairs, you may need to use a patch. A good rule of thumb is any leaks larger than a pinhole – use a patch.
Most patches can be done very quickly within a few minutes. If it is major, contact the supplier and see if it is on warranty or take it to an inflatable boat repair center.
How To Locate The Leak
If you are having a hard time locating the leak – apply soapy water, as it will bubble out from the source of the leak. From there, follow the instructions above.
Using the proper care and doing the right repairs will leave your kayak in near new condition for a long time.
Repairs are not needed often, in fact sometimes never at all. Knowing how to handle one though will help you to be prepared for the worst.
Always study your owner’s manual when you first get it so you know the ins and outs of your own specific model of inflatable kayak.
Next Article: How To Prolong The Life And Durability Of Your Inflatable Kayak.
MISSING INFLATABLE SEATS.
I need to byt both inflatable seats for my stearns back country kayak. I’ve had this boat for over 15 years and is Istill in brilliant condition. Unfortunately my daughter borrowed it and left the seats behind.
Is their a retailer out there who sells them??
Hey Russell, I can’t believe you’ve had it for 15 years, that’s amazing!! Unfortunately I don’t know of anywhere that sells just the seats. I did a quick search and didn’t find any options. If you can’t find them another option could be to glue some D-rings to the side walls and then you can grab any kayak seat from Amazon and clip them on. Extra D-rings with PVC patches can also be found on Amazon and they are really easy to glue on. Good luck, hope it all works out!
Hello My name is marilyn!
I have a Element inflatable kayak that was gifted to me. last summer I took it out for the first time and I was borrowing it from the same friend for years until she gifted it. Well, As I was coming in to the bank i must have come in to fast and rolled over some rocks. The Tear is about 1 and half inches it is located right on the seam where there is a strip of some kind. I looked online and bought Gorilla pool cocking glue and the waterproof gorilla tape. I have read some things about warming up the material do you think that will make it harder to hold the glue and keep it from drying before i put the tape over the top?? Any advice would really help me! I am at loss here. It almost seams like i might have to make the hole bigger in order to seal it with the glue but i have even touched it yet.
Hi Marilyn, Oh that’s really too bad. It should be fixable however. I don’t normally warm it up, I just add some glue to the seam and in and around the tear. Then cut a PVC patch that is slightly larger than the tear and glue the patch over the tear. Then put something heavy on it or use a clamp over the patch to help it stay glued until it dries. Hopefully that will do the trick, good luck!
Hi.
What is your suggestion for best patch to use for small tear?
TIA
Shauna
Hi I’m new to the world of Kayaks / Canoes and have just bought a second hand Stearns back country canoe. Excellent visible condition and holds air but have noticed that the tape around the fabric seams has split. My question is … a). does this matter ( I can live with a soggy bottom as long as the integrity of the canoe is sound) and b) can I buy tape to go over the tape that has split – if so any recommendations …… the tape jhas split where the canvas joins the polyurethane base ? Many thanks in advance for advice ….
Hey Tony, Hmm it’s really tough to say without seeing it myself. There’s a couple things you could try. If it’s a smaller area you could use some PVC boat glue around the seams. However I’m not sure if that will be enough. I have heard of some people using gorilla waterproof patch and seal tape. I haven’t tried it myself but that might be something to look into.
Hi
I have a pretty big hole ( 1cm diameter )in the center inflatuable part where you sit on, it is als pretty close to the seam. I have tried the repair patches that come with it , but to no luck, is it still repairable?
Hi Thomas, That’s a tough one. Small leaks in the seams on easy to repair but a hole is a lot tougher. Honestly I would be inclined to contact the manufacturer to get their advice. I’m not sure if it is best to plug it with something before patching it up or if there is a better way to fix it. Good luck!
Allison, do you have any recommendations for an after market repair kit. I have recently purchased 2 Intex Challenger K2 Kayaks and have read some bad reviews about the patch kit that comes with the kayaks. I would like to be proactive and purchase a top quality repair kit so I am prepared! Thanks!
Hi Rob, I apologize for the late reply! I haven’t tried any of the after market repair kits. I have heard of a few people who have used Tear-Aid and said it worked well. However if not there are a few different ones on Amazon that include PVC patches and marine glue.
I have an Intex K2 and the scupper hole has torn halfway out which lets water in the boat now. I was thinking about just cutting the plug off completely and then sealing the hole over. Does that sound like a good idea to you? Thanks
Hmmm hard to say. It might work and sounds like you have to try something. If you do that, I would suggest plugging the hole with something before patching it up. Good luck, I hope it works out!
Can you use a bicycle patch to repair a hole in an inflatable Kayak?
Hey Matt, I’ve never tried using a bicycle patch. To be honest I’m really not sure if that would work. If you end up trying it I’d love to hear how it goes! Good luck!
Hi,
I have an older inflatable which works great. But the fabric material the covers the top of the kayak has started to rip at the edges/seams. To clarify the top material is still good, it’s the stitching at the edge that connects it to the kayak that has started to tear.
Any tips or suggestions?
A couple options, you could try adding some PVC patches over the areas where the stitching is starting to tear. The patches will add a layer of protection to that area and hopefully stop any more tearing or leaks. Or if that doesn’t seem like it will help you may have to take the kayak to a boat shop that is able to deal with inflatables and get them to stitch it back up properly. If the tearing is minor I would try the patches first and see if that helps, it usually works quite well. Good luck!
Hi Guys, I have a Clear Blue Hawaii inflatable canoe, with a see trough floor, All the seams where glued and now all the seam fall apart and I would like to know how it can be fix if it is possible.
Bruno
Hey Bruno, I have had good success gluing seams back together with the glue that comes in the repair kits. However it might depend on how bad the seam damage is. If your kayak isn’t that old you might want to try contacting the Clear Blue Hawaii company directly. Good luck!
Hello Allison – I have a Traveller Solstice II and the cement that came included with patch kit has set up in the tube and is hard. Can you recommend a suitable glue for this IK?
Hi Chris I missed your comment I’m sorry to be replying so late! The Weaver 2-part PVC glue is usually the best option for big repairs. However for small leaks and tears all you will need is a single part glue, which is what they normally include in the repair kit. Polymarine has some different glue options that will work… https://www.polymarineshop.com/. Or you could also try contacting Solstice and see if they will send you another tube of glue. Good luck!
Hi! I have a big puncture on the floor of my Sea Eagle 370. Any idea on how to repair big holes? Thanks
How do you repair a leak at the valvue? A friend used a compressor on my kayak and blew the valve seal…
Hi Heather, Check out this video, it provides steps to fix a leak at the valve… https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=138&v=sXSdzpzfMS0 . Hopefully one of those steps works. At worst you may have to replace the valve. You can grab one at Amazon.com. Good luck!
There are many types of pre-moistened wipes such as Lysol wipes. Is this something you would recommend for cleaning an inflatable? Could they damage the material?
Hey Mark, I wouldn’t recommend using the Lysol wipes. I think they might be a little too harsh for the material. I would stick with a more natural soap or an actual boat cleaner.
How do you repair a leak in a seam?????
Hi Karen,
Here is a link to an article that explains exactly how to repair a leak in a seam…
http://www.ehow.com/how_2253032_repair-holes-seams-inflatables.html
The article says to use plumbers goop… you can normally also use the glue that comes in your kayak repair kit (if you still have it). If not you can also get inflatable kayak glue from most IK online retailers, or inflatable boat companies.
Hope that helps!
Allison