Patch a Hole in a Boat
Do you enjoy boating but keep crashing your boat into rocks? You can make minor repairs yourself without paying a professional. Small boats can be made of Aluminum (Canoe or Rowboat), Fiberglass (Sailboat), Wood (any boat) or Plastic (Kayak or canoe). Then here's how to fix any holes you might have.
Contents
Steps
- Determine the type of repair kit needed based on what the boat is made of. Fiberglass or wood repair kits can be found at a marine supply store. Aluminum or Plastic repair kits might also be found at a sporting goods store.
- Read the instructions on the repair kit for surface preparation. Getting the repair to stick is the most important part of the repair and depends almost entirely on proper preparation of the surface.
- Before buying the repair kit make sure you understand the total cost of doing the repair. Read the instructions carefully. You may need to buy additional tools or chemicals to do this properly.
- Wash the boat with fresh water to remove any salt if you use it in the ocean.
- Determine if the hole goes all the way through the boat or if just a surface damage. If it is a hole you will need someone outside the boat with a hose to spray around the damage to see how big the hole or crack might be.
- Another way is to fill the boat with water and see where it leaks out, but be careful not to break the boat by putting in too much water or not supporting the boat when filling it. Water is extremely heavy.
- Mark the edges of the area to be repaired and bonded to inside and outside and make sure your boat is completely dry inside and out. Prepare the surface around the damage so the repair will stick properly.
- For a small repair you want the patch to extend a few inches away from the hole. If you simply plug the hole it might flex and break open quickly.
- For a new boat remove the wax around the area by washing the area with solvent.
- If the hole goes through the boat and the surfaces do not align you may need to grind away a small amount of material so the surfaces can be re-aligned or on an Aluminum boat hammer the pieces back to where they need to go.
- Tape over the inside of the boat while fixing the outside. If the hole is large you might need a piece of Plexiglass to act as a backing.
- Make the Repair.
- Mix together a small amount of the materials that came with the repair kit, usually a type of resin and a hardening agent. Fill the hole.
- If the hole is large you may need to add some filler to bridge the gap. Pack it in up to the backing on the inside of the boat. Do not overfill the hole.
- Smooth the area with release paper or cellophane.
- Let this mixture harden enough so it cannot be moved around anymore.
- Cover the repair area with a thin layer of resin. For a fiberglass repair you may lay in new fiberglass cloth.
- Cut the cloth to the right size. Mix more resin and hardener and spread it on the boat around the hole. If fiberglass then put the cloth on the resin. Add more resin on top so the cloth turns clear. Let the resin cure.
- Repair the inside of the boat opposite this external repair for the best result. When you are sure that every hole is sealed, make sure the seals keep the water out. You can use a hose to see if water seeps through.
- To quickly fix a leak, use duct tape. However, remember that this is temporary.
Tips
- Remember, a toilet wax seal (available at any hardware store) can be a quick temporary fix if you happen to hole your boat. Simply form the wax into a ball and ram it into the hole from the outside of the hull. Smooth the wax on the inside of your hull to hold it in place. This should slow the ingress of water sufficiently for you to make port for permanent repairs.
