Repairing an inflatable

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Gary C

I have the opportunity to buy a used West Marine inflatable ($100). It has the wooden floor boards and a transom for a small engine. It is pretty weathered (rubber is brittle) on the bottom. There is also a small hole. The seams are in great shape. Can a weathered bottom be repaired? If so, how? I know holes can be patched, so I'm not too concerned about that. Would I be better off spending a few hundred more on an inflatable that is in better condition? Thanks for your input! Gary
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
May be repairable!

Gary: If may be repairable if it is Hypalon (West Marine sold some that were). Most W/M units are PVC. Personally if they gave me a PVC unit I may consider fixing it, but would not pay for one to fix. Once PVC starts to go there is nothing that can be done to repair them. The Hypalon units can almost be repaired for ever.
 
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Ron

Inflatable Repairs

If the inflatable has ever been treated with a silicon-based wax (many are waxed as an anti-fouling measure) you won't get a patch repair to stick. Hypalon or PVC. --Ron
 
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