- 1). Inflate the raft and gently press down on it while listening for a leak. Using a felt tip pen or marker, circle the area(s) where you found the leaks.
- 2). Cut a piece of patching material for each hole you need to cover. Each piece should be big enough to cover 3 inches from the hole on all sides.
- 3). Prep the raft for patching by gently rubbing 100-grit sandpaper around the hole and on the patches just cut, which ensures the patch will adheres to the raft when glued. Raft rubber has tiny bumps on the surface and appears dull; sand until the bumps disappear and the surface is shiny. If the rubber feels too thin and looks sheer when held up to light, you've sanded too much. If this is the case, cut a new piece of patching material. Or, if you sanded the hole area too much, cut a larger piece of patching material, enough to cover the three inches beyond both the hole area and the sanded area.
- 4). Coat the cut patches and the hole area with a thin layer of raft repair glue using a small, craft-sized paintbrush. When finished applying the glue, let the glue dry until it is tack-free, typically 15 to 20 minutes.
- 5). Apply another thin layer of raft repair glue to all patches and hole areas. Let the glue cure for 10 minutes.
- 6). Stick the patches glue-side down over each hole area. Gently press down and rub on each patch to adhere the material to the raft. Let the glue dry before using the raft (15 to 20 minutes).
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