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On the one hand, iSUPs have proved to be extremely robust: you can drag them over rocks – provided they aren’t too sharp – with virtually no risk (making them ideal for white-water use), and children can even romp about on them on the beach (the perfect family board). However, the adhesive joints – particularly on older boards – remain a weak point, and air can sometimes escape from the seams (welds). For this reason, too, the edges of modern boards are increasingly welded under heat and pressure rather than glued.
However, if the pressure in an older board drops noticeably within a few hours – without the board having been moved, for example, from direct sunlight into a cool storage room – this is a misleading sign. You can sometimes spot a leaky seam on a SUP even in clear lake water, or you can find it by wetting the board along the seams with a solution of water and a few drops of washing-up liquid. Wherever small bubbles appear, that’s where you need to focus. It’s best to mark the leak(s) straight away with a waterproof felt-tip pen.
However, if there is bubbling along the edge, as in a whirlpool, it is usually a sign that the adhesive has become brittle, and the repair will turn into a never-ending saga. In such cases, it is worth How to find a repair specialist, who can assess the situation. Two or three leaks, on the other hand, are by no means a reason to send the item to the hazardous waste disposal site, but merely a minor challenge for the DIY repairer.
Materials and tools for leaky seams
Almost all iSUPs come with a Repair kit supplied. It usually contains one or more patches of sufficient size in a matching colour. You’ll also need a suitable adhesive for the repair. As our SUP boards are made from flexible PVC film, a ‘soft PVC adhesive’ is ideal. You can find this from well-known brands (UHU, Pattex) in any DIY store or online. To locate the leak, use a few drops of washing-up liquid. For sanding, you’ll need a multi-tool (the best-known of which is probably the ‘Dremel’) and a few sheets of sandpaper with a grit size of 120 to 400.
New: The best way to repair a leak in a SUP’s seam
The problem with very small leaks at the seam is getting the adhesive into the gap. One option is to force the seam open further until a gap several centimetres long is created. However, this is more of a major operation that only experts should attempt. People therefore often try to seal the tiny leak with a patch. With a small hole – caused by thorns, for example – on a flat surface, this can work well. However, there’s a problem lurking at the edge: no matter how firmly you press the patch down, where the glued layers overlap, there remains a ‘corner’ – a hair’s-breadth gap – into which the patch will never quite settle, leaving a hair’s-breadth air channel.
The trick shown here is to very carefully sand this angular transition until it is flat. The pressed-on patch then lies seamlessly around the leak and – voilà! – our previous test repairs have now kept the boat watertight for a second season. Sand carefully and clean the bonding area thoroughly – and do not touch it with your fingers again before bonding! When pressing, the underside is protected from localised pressure from the clamp by a piece of wood; the clamp or a smaller piece of wood presses directly onto the patch. As with all bonding processes, applying as much pressure as possible shortly after application is more important than the duration of contact. When bonding, observe the recommended temperatures for the adhesive, which are usually between 15 and 25 degrees.
A summary of the 7 steps for repairing small leaks along the seam
- Find and mark any leaks on the inflated board using washing-up liquid and water
- Carefully sand the transition at the overlap, protecting the surrounding area with tape whilst doing so
- Cut out patches, round or oval
- Degrease the patch and the area to be glued with alcohol
- Apply the adhesive evenly to both sides; allow sufficient time for it to dry
- Apply the patch and press it down very firmly straight away with your hand and fingers, paying particular attention to the edges
- Press firmly into place quickly using a screw clamp; protect the opposite side with a wooden shim.
We wish you every success and hope you enjoy a few more seasons with your ‘problem board’!
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Stephan Gölnitz
Deputy Editor in Chief surf
