Raft Repair..rubber Paint, Liquid, Etc. ???

[jahmon77]

Hey to all !!! I have an old pvc 10' raft that is a great boat for smaller rivers, etc....its my palteau creek boat basically....it served me well this year and last, but the material has many tiny leaks in it....I'm looking at painting the entire boat to help those little leaks...any suggestions on inexpensive ways to help the boat last a few more...thanks in advance.....

[WhiteLightning]

Some people do this with Gaco paint. I don't know how well it will work for extending the life of your boat, but that would be the answer to your question. Google Gaco paint.

[liquidchaos]

Gaco is a good option, and they also make a neoprene type paint that works pretty well. NRS carries a good line of all of that stuff, just call them or go to inflatables in denver and have them take care of it or see what they suggest. They will fis small leaks, but if it is more than small patch it first then paint it. oh yeah and invite all of your friends over before you do it, free buzz!!! he he....

[Dave Frank]

The gaco flex is good product. It does add significant weight to the boat though.

PM ZBaird if you have more Q's. He is the man when it comes to fixing rafts, and has just started a business doing it.

[Andy H.]

Ditto Dave Frank - ZBaird will make it air-tight and all-right.

[raft3plus]

Like the folks say, the flex option is a great one, and the more you add, the more weight you get. It's the same stuff as is in the truck-lining material, only the primer is specifically for pvc (be sure to tell them when you order that it's for pvc). We've been able to eliminate small leaks with this.

Inflate your boat such that it barely holds its shape, mask off you sections and mix all components in a 50/50 mix. Primer - 50% part A, 50% part B. Stir well, then add as much primer as you have the flex stuff (50/50 again). The smell is super nasty, but hey, free headache with buzz. You have probably 45 minutes before the whole mixture hardens to an unappliccable mess at the end, with it speeding up the curing process at the end. I was really surprised at how quickly it went from being able to roll it on nicely to barely being able to get the roller to separate from the tray towards the end. It's roughly $100 per gallon, which can do an entire underside of a 16 footer *thick*, so purchase and use wisely. Pull off masking tape before you decide to let it dry.

If it's a bigger leak and you live on the west slope, drop by and I'll fix it for you for a sixpack.

d

[AndTheLab]

what the hell do you expect from a boat you traded a pair of freakin' sunglasses for. Lots of tiny holes? Sounds like the the secret rooms in the bars you hang out in. Get a big self bailer unless you like men sitting that close to you. Brokeback forever mofo. Peace

[tuberslickmysweatyballs]

i'd try this stuff before going the gacoflex route. allot less prep,ect

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1989&deptid=1032

i used it on a old maravia i picked up cheap. it helped allot but the boat was a hopeless pile of shit anyway. more of an experiment boat.

[zbaird]

thanks for the plug dave and andy.

jahmon, i am a good option but it is not the most economical. i have not used gaco to cure pinhole leaks in the past so i dont know how well it works but i have had success with flex tuff urethane. it is not made to cure pinholes and manufacturs claim it wont but i have. if you decide to go with urethane shoot me a pm or give me a call and i'll give you some tips. z 720 240 3628

[jahmon77]

thanks for all the suggestions....except i don't thank "andthelab"