What should you do if you get a puncture in the bladder of your Zodiac?
Of course, pneumatic floats are robustly designed (if properly maintained, a Hypalon bladder can last up to 25 years!), but no-one is immune from a puncture. An unfortunate snag with a sharp object while fishing, or a collision with rocks or coral are all things that can happen.
You then notice that the fabric of your inflatable bladders is relaxing, and you can feel the effects of deflation: you need to act fast!
The good news is that the bladders on semi-rigid boats lend themselves very well to repair in the event of a puncture. So what should you do if a bladder on your inflatable boat gets punctured? What steps should you take to repair it? Orca Retail has the answers.
1. Locate the leak
First of all, make sure you locate any spaces that may have been affected. Even if you've visually spotted a tear in your bladder, now's your chance to take stock and get rid of all the possible punctures.
The first method of checking can be done dry: reinflate your bladder as much as possible, then press it down (by sitting down, for example). This will force the air out through the "wound". Then listen carefully for the leak. For larger models, a little help won't go amiss. This method is simple, but unfortunately it's not always easy to spot the leak in a noisy environment, when there are various sources of leaks, or when the leak is very small.
That's why we recommend the second method instead, which is admittedly more tedious, but more accurate, using a body of water. Manoeuvre your paddle so that it is immersed in the water end to end, pressing down on it. If you see air bubbles escaping, you've found the culprit!
If you're still having trouble, you can also buy a leak detection spray in shop. This involves applying a coat of product to the suspect areas. A thin film will be deposited on the surface of your inflatable float, and if there is a leak, bubbles will form.
As a last resort, call on a repairer specialising in RIB boats near you! To do so, check out our section dedicated to our repair partners or our blog.
2. Repairing the puncture
If the damage is limited, as with any tyre you can simply use Zodiac patches. However, in the event of a larger tear, we recommend that you seek professional help directly and use our adapted repair fabrics.
We will return here to a repair with patches, the steps of which are as follows:
- Spread your fully deflated bladder on a flat surface.
- Cut out a patch. It should be rounded and larger than the hole.
- Degrease the surface to be glued with a cloth and acetone, as well as the patch.
- Brush the patch with special glue. Repeat this step 2 or 3 times, allowing 10 minutes for the glue to dry.
- Also brush some glue around the hole.
- Once you have the space around the hole and your patch, install the patch accurately.
- Evacuate any air bubbles by running over the newly fitted patch with a tool, and press down well to allow the patch to set and the glue to dry.
- Finally, clean the perimeter still using acetone, in a superficial manner.
And there you have it! You've repaired your punctured bladder all by yourself! For best results, wait 2 days before putting your RIB back in the water.
Tips to avoid punctures
You've finished your inflatable float repair session, what precautions should you take to prevent it happening again?
1. Inflate your bladder properly
It may seem counter-intuitive, but an over-inflated inflatable boat bladder will wear out less quickly than an under-inflated one. So you can inflate your float without hesitation, especially as pressure relief valves have been fitted to most models for over 10 years.
2. Invest in fenders
This is particularly useful for mooring phases, as the use of fenders in the driving phase is not ideal. But using it to enter or leave the port is a good idea. Even if impacts with boats or docks are minimal, over time they can wear out your RIB floats.
3. Strengthen your float
Use our tyre repair fabrics to offer unparalleled strength to your floats. Orca Retail offers a wide choice of boat lengths, colours and finishes, so you can customise your inflatable bladders to suit your needs. Our Hypalon (Neoprene / CSM) fabrics are guaranteed for 5 years and are recommended by hundreds of repairers!
Another way to improve the strength and sturdiness of your floats is to buy scratch strips to stick along them.
