It’s always best to have a professional repair your inflatable paddle board. However, if you have a minor scratch or tear on your inflatable paddle board, follow the guidelines below to perform a minor repair. Leave the big repairs to the professionals!
Follow these steps to to Patch your Inflatable SUP:
Locate the area of the board that is leaking by inflating the board and spraying soapy water onto it. At higher pressures you may even be able to hear the leak.
Clear the soap. Then, make a mark with a pen to remember where the leak is coming from.
Once you’ve marked the area that needs to be patched, deflate the board.
Use rubbing alcohol acetone to thoroughly clean the area of the board that needs to be patched. Make sure you don’t lose the spot that needs to be patched.
Place the patch over the center of the leak. Outline the patch with a pencil so you know where to apply the glue.
Apply a thin layer of glue on the surface of the board being careful not to go over the lines you drew earlier.
Apply the glue on the bottom (the matte side) of the patch.
Wait for three minutes until the glue gets tacky. Then, place the patch on the board. Use a tool, such as a spoon, to get out any air bubbles.
Clean the excess glue, and apply masking tape over the patch.
Let the glue dry for at least 24 hours in order to reach maximum bonding strength.
After 24 hours, take off the masking tape, inflate the board, and make sure it’s airtight. The repair now complete, and you’re ready to get back on the water!
Jay Regan
Chief Paddler - Jay has been surfing and paddling for over 5 years. When he's not dreaming up new stuff at GILI, he's writing articles about paddling, out paddling, or often traveling.
