Will this work for emergency repairs on thermoformed plastic?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L47VD9W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=AJ1I36VD0MUWL&th=1
Anybody have experience with similar products?
read the reviews or gamble 16 bucks
I have used Gorilla Tape to hold a door handle on my truck for months. It gets pulled on every day. And it’s waterproof.
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I’ve used Flex Tape, the as-seen-on-tv stuff, and it does make a waterproof bond suitable for a temporary repair. But I’ve only applied it to clean, dry surfaces. I don’t how well it would adhere to a wet surface. And it does need time to cure. I wouldn’t expect an on-water repair to be immediately usable, but I haven’t tried.
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I’ve used gorilla tape on fiberglass (patching a hole) and on Epix plastic (as skid plate) but not on rotomold and I don’t know if it will stick.
Aggressive adhesive, good luck getting it off. Lasts several years at least. Surface needs to be dry when you apply it, no curing time so great for emergency repairs.
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I don’t know about this stuff but there are roofing tapes that l have known hard core kayakers to carry. Cut to large square patch size
Clear Gorilla tape says it can be used underwater. I carry it, but have not had to use it for kayaking. Other uses it seems top notch.
These are quotes are from a couple well known kayak repair centers. They both caution against using “duct tape” and recommend a packing tape, instead.
#1 *** Notice: Any kayak brought in for service that has duct tape on it will be susceptible to a minimum 1 hour service charge ($80) or more to remove it. ****
PSA for kayakers. Duct tape is not your friend. Unless you are out on a longer trip and sustain damage while on the water there is never a good reason to put duct tape on your kayak. If you absolutely need to tape something please use clear packing tape and as soon as you’re done or back on land remove it. The adhesive bakes on to gelcoat and if covering damage just makes it exponentially worse. On top of that it adds a ton of cleaning time on top of your repairs.
#2 Even worse is flex tape, worth two hours of labor!
Safety first. When you need an emergency repair to be waterproof, two hours of elbow grease to remove tape residue will be the least of your concerns.
Packing tape has no stretch, so any boat flex in the repair area could dislodge it, and it’s harder to apply around corners, keels, and other non-flat surfaces without creases and gaps. And because of the thin adhesive, I don’t think it will make a good bond with rough or scratched surfaces.
Waterproof vinyl tape (Gorilla, Flex tape) is thick and stretchy and has a lot of gooey adhesive that sticks to pretty much any surface I’ve tried. That’s what makes it good for temporary field repairs that can survive being submerged.
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I have gotten wrecked canoes and wood driftboats home with silver duct tape many times.
Gorilla tape is even better. Always carry some.
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Scroll to 12:45 for comparison of guerilla tape and Flex tape.
Don’t know how well it will work, but gaffer tape is essentially duct tape but specially formulated to leave no residue. Waterproof and strong adhesion. Extensively used in the theater and movie industry.
Carried by theatrical supply houses and online.
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Great video, thank you.
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Flatwater boating mostly does not wreck boats. Big surf may be an exceptition.
Paddling moving water on rivers destroys boats by filling them with water and hitting obstructions like large rocks. They can get wrapped and broken into pieces.
A friend swamped a canoe on the John Day River in Oregon and sunk it. We literally pounded the boat back into shape with large rocks and used a whole roll of duct tape. With some bailing we were able to get home. We did a lot of eddy shopping recovering lost equipment on the way home.
I’ve had clear FlexTape covering a cracked tail light lens on my Mazda for 3 years and “band aids” of it over gelcoat gashes in the deck and hull of the composite Perception Avatar kayak I salvaged 2 years ago. The FlexTape adhered well and the patches are intact after much exposure to the elements, though the edges of the one on the tail light have recently begun to slightly curl and the material is slightly clouded, so I may replace it.
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The taillight lens or the flex tape? 
The edges of the FlexTape bandaid are curling. Sorry if that was unclear.
Not surprising since until last February I had no garage for that car so it was out in the sun, rain and snow 24/7 with that patch on for close to 3 years.
Joist tape is waterproof AND self sealing, in case you go putting another (small) hole on top of your big hole. It’s also expensive and i expect your repair shop will lock their door if they see you coming with it on your kayak.
I was joking about whether you were going to replace the taillight lens or just replace the bandaid.
Never mind. 
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