Tag: Leak Repair

You tied the dock off last night firm as a tabletop, and this morning one corner is sitting low in the water while the coffee goes cold. A soft dock is usually a small fix: a pinhole from a sharp rock, a fishing hook, or a valve that needs a quarter turn. This guide covers inflatable dock repair the way the makers describe it in their manuals: how to find the leak, how to patch PVC, why Hypalon needs a different glue, and when to stop and call the maker instead. An inflatable dock is a floating dock held up by air, so most floating dock repair on it means finding and sealing leaks in its air chambers.

In short: inflate the dock, find the leak with soapy water, deflate, clean the area with rubbing alcohol, glue on a round-cornered patch that overlaps the hole by about an inch, and let it cure for a full day before you pump it up. Use the adhesive made for your dock’s fabric: PVC glue for PVC docks (most consumer docks), Hypalon adhesive for Hypalon. Large tears, seam failures and anything that might be a defect go to the maker first.

Before you patch: warranty and seams

Two checks save trouble. First, warranty: Aquaglide’s repair instructions say that if you believe the product has a manufacturing defect, you should submit a warranty claim before making repairs, and a DIY patch may complicate a claim with any maker. Second, the kind of damage: RAVE’s Aqua Dock manual tells owners to contact RAVE for large holes, tears or seam failures, and to handle only minor holes and tears themselves. Seams on many docks are welded (Island Hopper says its docks have no glued edges or corners), which is factory work, not a kitchen-table repair.

Step 1: find the leak

1. Inflate the dock to its normal pressure on a clean, flat surface away from sharp objects.
2. Mix mild soap in water and spray or sponge it over the deck, sides, seams and valve, a section at a time. RAVE suggests mild soapy water; Aquaglide says Windex or soapy water and a sponge.
3. Watch for a stream of small bubbles. Check the valve and the area around D-rings and handles as well as the flat surfaces.
4. Mark the spot with a grease pencil or tape, and note how big the hole is.

If you find nothing and the dock still goes soft, remember that air pressure falls as the deck cools in the evening and rises in the sun. Re-check it at the same time of day before you decide it is leaking.

Step 2: patch a PVC inflatable dock

Most consumer docks (RAVE, Solstice, BOTE, Island Hopper, VEVOR and others) are PVC drop-stitch. RAVE’s manual gives these steps for minor holes and tears, using the patch kit that comes in the box:

1. Cut a patch 1 to 2 in (3 to 5 cm) wider than the hole, with all corners rounded. (Aquaglide’s instructions are similar: cover 1 in beyond the leak in every direction, corners rounded to about 1/4 in.)
2. Deflate the dock.
3. Clean the patch and the area around the hole with rubbing alcohol, and let both dry completely.
4. Read and follow the warnings on the glue, and work somewhere ventilated.
5. Apply glue to the patch and the area around the hole, and let it dry until tacky to the touch (RAVE: about 30 seconds; Aquaglide: 30 to 60 seconds, until the surface glazes slightly).
6. Lay the dock on a flat, hard surface, place the patch, and rub out air bubbles working from the center to the edges.
7. Let the patch dry for 24 hours before inflating.

Then inflate to pressure and run the soapy-water test again over the patch. If bubbles still appear, peel and redo it rather than stacking a second patch on top.

PVC vs Hypalon: use the right adhesive

Some docks, mostly on yachts, use Hypalon (CSM rubber) instead of PVC. Henshaw’s superyacht jet ski docks, for instance, have a Hypalon tube base under a drop-stitch top. The two fabrics need different glues. Polymarine, a UK maker of inflatable boat adhesives, says it is “very important to use the correct adhesive” for PVC or Hypalon, and its Hypalon adhesive guide states that the Hypalon glue is not for plasticised PVC.

	PVC dock	Hypalon dock or tube
How to tell (Polymarine)	Same color both sides; stays glossy when sanded; feels tacky after a light solvent wipe	Dark grey or black on the inside (look through the valve); sands to a matte, suede-like nap
Adhesive	PVC adhesive (for example the vinyl cement in a PVC patch kit)	Hypalon adhesive; Polymarine uses a two-part glue for permanent repairs and calls its one-part tube an emergency fix
Surface prep	Clean; Polymarine says don’t sand PVC	Sand lightly until it looks like suede, then clean with Hypalon solvent
Cure	RAVE: 24 hours before inflating	Polymarine: at least six hours to dry; full cure 48 hours per its product sheet

Polymarine’s two-part Hypalon method is more involved: mix the adhesive with its curative at 25 to 1 and use it within four hours, don’t glue in humid air (it “blooms,” turning slightly white, and must be removed), paint a thin first coat and let it dry at least 30 minutes, add a second coat to both surfaces and wait until tacky (5 to 15 minutes), then press the patch down hard from the middle out. Damage over 75 mm in any direction needs an inside patch as well as an outside one. The solvents involved are very flammable, so work outdoors or with good ventilation and no flames.

Valve leaks

If the bubbles come from the valve, it may only need cleaning and tightening. Many docks use H3-style high-pressure valves like those on paddle boards. Check that the stem is in the closed position (on RAVE’s dock you depress the stem and rotate a quarter turn to lock it open or closed), clear any sand from the seal, and if the valve body itself is loose, tighten it with the valve wrench your maker specifies. Replacement valves and parts come from the maker or its distributor; Aquaglide’s manual sends owners to its distributor or website for valves, handles and rings.

Repair kits worth keeping in the dock bag

Your dock’s own kit is the first choice because it matches the fabric. As spares for PVC docks, these were in stock on Amazon when we checked:

The JLF kit’s patches are thick PVC raft material and the listing says its wrench fits 6-prong valves (check yours before relying on it). Stormsure’s kit is a quick, flexible fix sized for small punctures. Neither is Hypalon adhesive; for a Hypalon dock, follow your maker or a Hypalon-specific product.

Avoiding the next leak

• Carry, don’t drag. RAVE’s manual repeats it: always carry the dock to the water.
• Inflate on a clean surface, free of rocks and sticks.
• Keep it firm on the water. RAVE warns that muskrats may chew PVC; keeping full pressure or taking the dock out at night helps.
• Don’t over-inflate. Stay within the maker’s pressure (RAVE: never beyond 5 psi on its dock).
• Store it well. Clean, dry and out of the sun; see how to store an inflatable dock.

More care guides live on our Setup and Care hub, including inflation and maintenance tips. To understand the fabric you’re patching, read drop-stitch docks explained; for spare pumps, lines and ladders, see dock ladders and accessories.

Inflatable dock repair questions

How do I find a slow leak in an inflatable dock?

Inflate it fully and go over every surface, seam and the valve with soapy water, watching for bubbles. Re-check pressure at the same time of day, since temperature alone changes it.

What glue do I use on an inflatable dock?

The adhesive for its fabric. Most consumer docks are PVC and take PVC adhesive, usually supplied in the dock’s repair kit. Hypalon needs Hypalon adhesive; Polymarine says its Hypalon glue is not for plasticised PVC.

How long before I can inflate after patching?

RAVE says 24 hours for a PVC patch on its dock. Polymarine gives at least six hours to dry for a two-part Hypalon patch and 48 hours for a full cure.

Can I fix a leaking seam myself?

Makers generally say no. RAVE asks owners to contact it for seam failures, large holes and tears, and Aquaglide asks for a warranty claim before repairs if you suspect a defect.

Can I patch a dock while it’s in the water?

Not properly. The steps in RAVE’s manual call for a deflated dock, a clean and fully dry surface, and a flat, hard work surface, followed by a day of curing.