One of the distinct advantages of inflatable boats is that they are still reparable when they sustain minor punctures. In the event that you find yourself in these situations, there are solutions that you can do yourself to mend it.

Inflatable boat repair is fairly simple if you know the material your rig is made of and if you have the right tools on hand. Make sure that you always have the following in your boat's tool kit so you are armed and ready anytime your blow up needs fixing: MEK or Methyl Ethyl Keytone (sold in most hardware stores), scissors and the right kind of glue for your boat. You can ask your boat's manufacturer for the kind of glue you should use. In case you cannot find MEK, rubbing alcohol will do.

In case your hull is made of unsupported PVC, follow these instructions to repair punctures and scratches:

1. Clean the puncture area with MEK or rubbing alcohol.

2. Use your scissors to cut a patch that overlap the damaged area for about half an inch on all sides.

3. Apply a layer of glue to the punctured area and another layer to the smooth side of your patch.

4. Wait for 5 minutes before pressing down the patch. You may use a weight to press down the patch. Better yet, you can clamp it down. Apply a small amount of glue to the sides of the patch.

5. Wait for 24 hours before removing the weight or clamp.

For bladder construction boats made of nylon or polyester fabric on the outer shell and an unsupported PVC or urethane used for the inner air compartment, follow these steps:

1. Examine the type of material and process used in construction.

2. For rips and tears on welded PVC coated polyester, glue a PVC coated patch over it. For urethane used in the inner compartment, glue it with a patch made of urethane as well. For nylon fabrics sewn in the outer shell with a PVC, you need to sew another nylon fabric over the tear. If the puncture uses unsupported PVC, follow the steps mentioned above for repairing this material.

If your hull is made of supported fabric with PVC coating, these are the steps to follow to repair your inflatable boat:

1. Check that the puncture or tear is not a manufacturing defect. Openings at the outside seams usually indicate this. If you suspect that it is a manufacturing defect, bring it back to the store so the warranty can cover the cost of repair.

2. Otherwise, follow the steps for repairing unsupported PVC.

If your hull is made of supported fabric with Hypalon coating, follow these steps to repair your inflatable boat:

1. Follow step 1 above.

2. Otherwise, follow the first two steps for repairing unsupported PVC.

3. Apply glue to the damaged area and to the patch. Make sure that you use a 2 part glue for this purpose- a base glue and an accelerant so that your patch will stick.

4. Wait for 5 minutes before pressing down the patch. You may use a weight to press down the patch. Better yet, you can clamp it down. Apply a small amount of glue to the sides of the patch.

5. Wait for 24 hours before removing the weight or clamp.