Got it.
The $2 patch was cheaper than the $50 to $100 cost of a new lens. And by now, after 7 years of parking lot dings and other misfortunes (including kayaks scraping it during loading), the Mazda is battered enough that nobody is going to notice another patch. I am not one to keep my vehicles’ exeriors pristine, as long as they are safe and functional. I view cars (and trucks) as transportation appliances and not status symbols. And since I buy them outright and tend to maintain them mechanically so that they last me a long time and high miles, I have no need to keep them in showroom condition to facilitate maximum trade-in value or due to lease requirements. If they sustain damage that causes a break in the pain, I sand and seal it. (I could argue this gives them “character”).
In fact, I usually get a decent price if and when I do decide to sell a vehicle anyway because, even if they look somewhat ratty around the edges, they run really well and I can provide copious service records.
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Eternabond roof membrane tape (which only comes in black, white and grey) will absolutely seal any hole in anything permanently and will bond underwater. But you will NEVER be able to remove it as it forms a near chemical bond with any substrate. And trying to carry a small amount with you in a repair kit is a challenge because the polymeric bonding glue on the edges of the tape will also stick to whatever container it is in. I used to to seal a leaky vintage Class C camper I restored and still have some left over. Considered it as a boat emergency patch kit option but realized I would have to live with the patch forever.
Based on the above recommendations and reading reviews, I got a roll of white waterproof Gorilla tape 4" x 10’. This stuff is expensive—$1.50 a foot—so for those who haven’t used it before here are my observations based on my errors today.
This tape is a whole new experience with the concept of “adhesion.” I would love to know the physics of what makes things stick, because this tape is very, very sticky. It’s duct tape on steroids.
The first challenge is to cut it. My mistake #1: Do not start by removing the plastic backing. Cut first, then remove the backing. I had better luck cutting with scissors than with a knife. Whatever you cut with is going to end up with adhesive all over it.
Mistake #2: If even a tiny corner of the tape sticks to itself, don’t try to unstick it as an even larger area will stick to itself. If that happens, you have zero changes of separating it.
Mistake #3: You have ONE chance to position the tape. After that it’s not moving.
This tape seems very heavy duty and I can well believe that it would make an effective field patch. I didn’t use it for that today, but I’m definitely going to carry it in my kayak from now on. I would only use it for (1) emergencies and (2) things you really want to stick permanently. For temporary uses I would use duct tape. Thanks for the recommendation; I’m impressed with this tape.
Tape tech has come a long way, that’s for sure. Several years ago I used a 3M VHB tape (there are several variations) to attach glass corner shelves to a porcelain tile shower. Soap and hot water isn’t an ideal environment for tape, but it worked! So this spring I used it to attach foot braces to my Magic. Because it’s 1/8th inch thick foam, it can accommodate an uneven surface and the slight curve of the hull. Now, if I decide I want a bar instead, there will be no drilled holes left behind. My boat room is inside but unheated, so we’ll see if it’s still as strong come next spring after a few months of freezing and thawing (mostly freezing).