What do you carry on board for leaks

-- Last Updated: Sep-06-12 3:23 PM EST --

As I posted a couple weeks ago I recently repaired my Hobie sport with plastic welding. Everything is going well but I now worry a little about getting another leak when out far.

Whats a good glue or repair solution to carry on board in my dry bag should I need to use it. (Hobies are made of poly-ethylene i believe.)

I should note, I wont necessary need something I have to repair in water..i am mostly in rivers and inlets where I can pull off for a quick fix

I do carry Duck Tape on board as well

bilge pump and float bag
I leave the repairing for when I get home.

DUCT tape nm

leaks
I carry an old nalgene water bottle with a skull and cross-bones drawn on it in permanent marker. Oh wait, what?

YeS
Definitly a wide mouth bottle, too. And I avoid carrying the lemon lime gatorade in the same kind of bottle.

Duct tape
I carry duct tape… and that’s it. if that can’t get me home, the damage is probably more severe than I can fix in the field anyway.

nashua brand super sticky tape
It’s a thick foil tape comes with a paper backing. Bought at Home Depot. Unlike duct tape, it sticks to a wet kayak hull. It’s so sticky you need a heat gun and/or solvent to remove. Used it to repair a 2 inch hole in a thermoform kayak.

hippo patch
I have used it for a few boat repairs. It sticks to wet boats. It is really hard to remove later but can be done with a hair dryer and some time.

I often rely on a used Gatorade or
Powerade bottle. But often I can get to shore in time.

if you need something more heavy duty
than duct tape… look up Rec-Repair patches.

plumbers epoxy
or other various names for a two part putty epoxy that you can buy at home depot or any hardware store, and likely at wal-mart as well.



comes in a “stick” about an inch in diameter - cut of the amount you need, roll it around in your hands to mix the two parts, and paste it on where you need it.



some are formulated more particularly for plastic than others, and most can be applies to wet surfaces and some even under water



so I carry a tube/stick of that in my repair kit



I’ve used it to “patch” worn spots on my royalex canoe on the stems - just plastering it on and smoothing a bit and it bonds well and holds up to use, though it has chipped off somewhat after many hits to rocks. So I’m pretty certain you could use it to plug and repair even a long tear in the hull if used from both sides - at least for a temporary solution. I also carry some wire, that I culd use to “sew” a torn hull together a bit, before using the epoxy to seal.

Seen that in use!
As have you, Nick!

hard water
Man that is some hard water you have. I’d keep a sharp lookout. Not trying to make waves, just a point. You’l scrape by with some duct tape because it’s a cut above the rest. Whatever floats your boat…

I was expecting you to say
"A sharp knife" (leeks).



But given your interpretation of the question, a sharp knife might not be the solution.

duct tape always
In fact it survived a year-long stint in my gear bag.



On trips I like to bring epoxy and a patch kit.

Duct tape & MRE chewing gum
The duct tape also pulls double duty in my first aid kit. The gum comes in handy for mermaid uncounters too…minty.

crap
I’ve been packing seaweed but so far it’s done nothing for my luck…

Leaks
I have used duct tape for some serious rock dings and holes in fiberglass, kevlar canoes and a wooden drift boat. It would have been hard to get home without it. Epoxy and cloth were used for permanent repairs later. For a long trip I would bring those materials along, or their equivalent for Royalex.

if they had duct tape on the titanic