Glue for repairing rubber boats, which glue is best for a rubber boat

If you need to repair a rubber boat, then you need to look for a good glue. There are many varieties of adhesives on the market, but to repair a rubber boat, you need really high-quality glue. It will be very insulting and not by the way if the adhesive bond sticks. It is especially dangerous if this happens on the water, while moving.

Therefore, many believe that with the help of the glue that is commercially available, it is almost impossible to repair a boat with high quality.

What kind of glue to glue the rubber boat?

Glue for a rubber boat should be somewhat different from ordinary rubber glue, for the better. Therefore, when choosing glue for a boat, you should focus on some recommendations:

• It is necessary to immediately discard cheap products, since such adhesives do not differ in quality. In addition, sometimes they are made of incomprehensible components. In addition, they can render repaired areas unusable.
• You should not resort to buying superglue (cyanoacrylate) if you need to seal the boat with high quality and for a long time. Despite the fact that superglue gives a strong connection, it will not last long. As a rule, such a connection does not withstand temperature differences.
• It must be an adhesive that has high temperature resistance and can withstand temperature differences.
• First of all, you need to give preference to special, but not universal adhesives that can glue everything, but not so high quality.
• When gluing the boat, you need to remember that the presence of a small amount of moisture can lead to loss of bond strength. Therefore, before the repair process, the boat must be thoroughly dried.
• The main focus should be on its non-stickiness. Many believe that the more sticky the glue, the better it is. Actually this is a delusion.

The most suitable glue for repairing a boat is the glue that came with the boat. If there was no glue in the kit, then you can purchase black rubber glue “Radical“. It is affordable, water-repellent and gives a quality connection. Not bad results can be obtained with the use of polychloroprene adhesives.

The composition of the adhesive is always indicated on the packaging, so you need to have such information.

The higher the temperature conditions of the surfaces to be glued, the better the quality of such a product.

In any case, before starting work, it is better to carry out experimental gluing of two pieces of rubber. After complete drying, maximum efforts are applied to the parts. According to the results of the experiment, a conclusion is made about the quality of the adhesive.

The process of repairing a rubber boat

Repairing a rubber boat is not as easy as it seems, especially for beginners. For owners who have already encountered a similar situation, boat repair is not a big problem.

The most important thing is to at least have an idea about the repair technology in order to know where to start. And they always start by preparing all the necessary materials and tools. For example:

1. Prepare patches from pieces of rubber, the size of which should be larger than the size of the crack or gap.
2. Special rubber adhesive.

The main task is to determine the location of the leak if there are no visible gaps. To do this, the boat needs to be pumped up and launched into the water. If this is not possible, then the boat can simply be watered. Air bubbles will definitely appear at the puncture sites. Now this place needs to be marked, for example, with chalk. After that, the air is bled from the boat, and the boat is installed in an open area. This is necessary so that it dries well. In this case, you should not rush too much, since the presence of a minimum amount of moisture can ruin everything.

Only after the boat dries well, you can start repairing it. In order to get a high-quality and reliable repair of the boat, the glue is applied strictly according to the technology. Even minor deviations from the gluing technology will lead to a poor-quality connection of the surfaces to be glued. Under the influence of the temperature difference – the temperature of the water and the temperature of the surface of the boat heated in the sun, a hastily made joint can easily peel off.

A few simple recommendations

1. To get a strong and reliable adhesive bond, you should follow some rules. Without fail, each glued joint must go through a degreasing process with a solvent, acetone or gasoline. In addition, the bonding points are rubbed with sandpaper. This technique improves the process of gluing the base and patch.
2. If the cracks on the boat are too large, then it is advisable to tighten them with nylon threads before gluing. Such a technique will strengthen the bonding point.
3. Most adhesives, during the bonding process, require constant drying of each layer. An ordinary hair dryer or a building hair dryer will help to cope with this task.
4. Working with glue requires a well-ventilated area. The best option is to work outside, but on condition that the humidity of the air does not exceed 60%.

When gluing surfaces, other important factors should be taken into account. Hands should be clean, and most importantly – not greasy. It is not recommended to glue also in the sun, when the place of gluing overheats under the influence of sunlight. A quick setting of the adhesive will not lead to a reliable result. Plus, you should never forget about excess moisture.

How to glue the bottom of the boat?

As a rule, the bottom of the boat is subjected to the greatest mechanical stress, which can cause various kinds of damage. To glue the bottom back to the rubber boat, you need to follow certain rules.

Before the gluing process, it is necessary to completely tear off the bottom from the boat, after which, warm it up with a hairdryer and clean it well with sandpaper. Then you need to glue the sealing tape. Only after that, you should start gluing the bottom.

The operation of gluing the bottom is carried out at full, maximum pumping of the boat. After that, the air is completely vented and the boat should be in this state for 48 hours until the glue dries completely. In the process of work, it is necessary to strictly observe the technology of working with glue, otherwise a high-quality connection will not work.

Popular brands of glue for rubber boats

Glue, brand 4508, is the most popular adhesive in our time. This adhesive is based on natural rubber. Distinctive features of this glue:

• acceptable stickiness;
• acceptable elasticity of the joints.

You can also find polyurethane glue, which has strong adhesive properties. Gummi glue, made from rubber, is able to withstand moisture. It can also be recommended for use.

Glue “Radical”

Many owners of inflatable rubber boats use Radical glue. It is resistant to low temperatures, strong mechanical loads and salt water, which is ideal for repairing rubber boats. This glue is made on the basis of rubber, with the addition of various solvents and fillers, which provide it with excellent performance.

F.A.Q.

Repair of rubber boats can be accompanied by certain difficulties, depending on the nature of the damage, as well as the personal capabilities of the owner. Some take the process very seriously, while others try to “cover up” the damaged area than they have to. In this regard, some owners of rubber boats turn to professionals for advice or look for answers to their questions on the Internet.

Some customers are interested in the question regarding the application glue “Moment” for the repair of rubber boats. The answer to this question can be very simple: if the instructions indicate that they can glue rubber products, then Moment glue can be used to repair rubber boats. But at the same time, you need to take into account some features of this glue: you need to work with it very quickly. It is a contact adhesive, similar to superglue, although there are other developments. The advantages of using Moment glue can be considered:

• bonding speed;
• ease of use.

Despite this, you need to be prepared for the fact that the surfaces to be glued will not last long. This glue is sensitive to elevated temperatures and how it will behave after warming up in the sun is unknown.

Glue “Moment” is a good option for a quick solution to the problem. For example, you can take it with you on a fishing trip or on a trip, and in which case, quickly and reliably repair a hole. The advantage is that you do not need to wait until the connection gains its strength, as it can be exploited immediately. The glued surface can serve throughout the journey, but upon arrival home, it is advisable to re-glue the damaged area with another glue, adhering to all the technology.

That is why, experienced owners refuse to use Moment glue: why glue twice, if you can do it once and for all.

How to get rid of old rubber glue?

It is very difficult to wash the gluing places from the old rubber glue. The fact is that the glue is connected to the rubber surface at the molecular level. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to use force when removing the old adhesive, as this can lead to even more damage to the boat. It is also not recommended to remove it with various solvents or other aggressive agents. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to recommend anything. Unless you can try and remove some of the old glue in an abrasive way, armed with sandpaper, but very carefully so as not to damage the boat’s balloon.

Repairing a rubber boat with shoe glue

Some owners use shoe (nairite) glue to repair their boat, as it has excellent water-repellent properties. In addition, the adhesive bond has a certain flexibility and strength. In addition to rubber, it also glues other materials such as leather, wood, fabric, and so on. Naturally, you need to glue strictly according to technology.

Before each approach of the summer fishing season, you should check the boat for flaws in advance. Moreover, the boat was in storage for the whole winter. The sooner this is done, the sooner the problem will be solved. The most important thing is to choose the right glue so that the repair is not temporary, but lasts a long time and you don’t have to fear that the boat will stick at the most inopportune moment. This is very important because you have to fish at considerable depths. Personal safety should always come first.