Your inflatable boat, kayak, or raft is an investment into having a good time on the water. But nobody can have any fun i the water craft is not functioning properly. One common issue with inflatables is when the compartments become soft. Soft compartments can be a very frustrating incident, especially as it occurs over a longer period of time. If the tubes or floor of your inflatable water craft is becoming soft over time, it usually signifies that there is a leak somewhere. Quality inflatable boats, rafts, kayaks, and SUP’s are all tested at the factory, and these inflatable water craft are inflated at maximum pressure and left inflated for a full 48 hours. Sealed Air Repairs provides premium pvc boat repair for your inflatable craft. Contact us at any of our national locations for your inflatable repair and maintenance needs today!

Air Leaks And What To Do

If your inflatable beach raft goes soft the first time you inflate the boat, then it is very likely you are not locking the air valve of the inflatable dingy properly. Fishing boats and diving rafts are often left out in the sun for long periods of time, and this type of exposure over time will cause the PVC fabric of your inflatable raft to fade and wear out, increasing the likelihood of a leak. The ideal care of your inflatable raft or boat would be to deflate it after each outing, and this will increase the life of the water craft. But when a leak has already happened and you need to pinpoint its location, there are some guidelines to follow in order to increase your chances of locating the leak for repair.

Inflatable rafts, especially the less expensive ones, often get air leaks which need to be repaired. Sealed Air Repairs Inc. can help with pvc boat repair at any of our national locations. If there is a leak in your inflatable rescue boat, then you should check the raft’s air chambers to find which of the 4 air chambers is causing the leak. There are often 3 or more chambers in an inflatable boat, and when checking for a leak on the surface of the inflatable raft, you must inflate each chamber and leave it for some time. You can also apply soapy water on the chambers to find the pin holes and slow leaks. If no bubbles are observed, and the chamber isn’t softening over time, then the leak is being caused by another chamber.

Leaks In an Inflatable Water Craft

If a valve looks like it’s leaking, you should fill the inflatable air chamber completely up to full pressure, then apply soapy water all over the surfaces, including the cover cap, plastic body, cap body, valve housing, and around where the string securing the valve cover cap in place is. There are many ways to figure out a softening of the tubes in an inflatable raft, such as painting on a bit of acetone on the seal ring to remove dirt and grime from teh inflatable raft valve cap seal.

Contact Us Today

Sometimes your inflatable water craft will have tubes that go soft, and require maintenance. For pvc boat repair near you, call Sealed Air Repairs Inc. at any of our national locations!