How to Repair a Paddle Board in 10 Easy Steps (Inflatable & Solid)

The repair of paddle boards can be done to a certain extent yourself and inexpensively.

In this article, we talk about how to fix different kinds of damages on inflatable paddle boards and hardboards.

Inflatable Paddle Board Repair Made Easy

Inflatable boards are nowadays very robust, tear-resistant and withstand even smaller pointed objects. The thick skin as a result of modern production technologies cannot be damaged by stones, dog paws, quay walls or blunt objects.

A more dangerous place are the sidewalls. The sidewalls are made of slightly thinner and more flexible material, so that the boards can be rolled up easily. If you scrape the board against sharp edges or corners, the probability of a leak is somewhat higher than on the bottom or top of the board.

A leak is certainly not a typical event in the lifetime of an inflatable board. However, just in case, many manufacturers offer repair services. Either this is available as an own service or as a service for the buyers of the own brand. Just write to your seller for this.

At least temporarily or in case of need, you can also repair your inflatable paddle board yourself. Most boards come with repair kits. With this repair kit and my instructions, your board can be repaired relatively easily by yourself.

How to repair Inflatable Paddle Boards

My guide here I not a solution for the fastest possible repair. Take your time and follow all steps properly. Only then the result will be satisfactory in the end.

What you need for the inflatable paddle boards repair

The repair itself takes about 20 to 30 minutes. After you have glued your patch to the hole, the board must rest for 24 hours until the next use.

• PVC patch

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• PVC glue
• acetone
• blunt pencil
• clean rag
• adhesive pad
• scissors
• spoon or other solid object to push out the air bubbles

The repair should be done at room temperature. For the board and the glue, a temperature between 20°C and 30°C is ideal.

Patch a hole in an inflatable paddle board in 10 steps

1. Find the hole: the old bicycle tube method with a container of water is not the best idea for a paddle board. It’s better to generously coat the inflated board with soapy water and watch where bubbles form.
2. Use the pencil to mark the location of the leak and let the air out of the paddle board.
3. Lay out the cover so that the area around the leak is as flat and wrinkle-free as possible on the substrate.
4. Clean the plane around the marked leak with acetone and a clean rag.
5. Cut a patch from the PVC material in your kit. The patch should be round or at least have rounded corners. Then it will hold better. The diameter of the patch should ideally be more than 6 cm.
   – Place the patch on the inflatable paddle board and outline the dimensions with the pencil.
   – Clean the underside of the PVC patch with acetone as well.
   – Apply a thin layer of the PVC glue to the patch and the marked area on your board.
6. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and let the glue dry.
7. Place the patch exactly on the marking. You should not move anything now. With stroking movements from the center to the outside you press the patch really tight. These movements also reduce the wrinkles. Use the spoon to push out the last air pockets.

You’ve done it!

Wait 24 hours before using the board in water again. During this time, store the board uninflated in a room at room temperature with not too high humidity.

Video: How to repair inflatable paddle boards

More Tips for Patching

• Before the next use, you can do the soapy water test again.
• Really make sure that the gluing zone has been thoroughly cleaned. After each finger contact you have to clean it again. Otherwise the whole patch can come off later.
• Inflatable paddle boards should not be exposed to direct sunlight for a long time anyway (unless it is in the water). This is especially important for patched boards because the increased internal pressure in sunlight makes it easier for the patch to come off the board.
• Applying the patch to the same spot for the second time often doesn’t work as well as the first time. You will probably have to send the board in for professional repair at this point.

How to repair a Hardboard

Hardboards and especially carbon boards are fragile. If you get a dent in your board or if you get a dent in your board (as shown in the picture above), only a repair will help.

With hardboards this is a bit more difficult than “patching a bicycle tire in large” with inflatables. The professional Klaus Wiedenbauer in the paddle board magazine has published small instructions that can be a first help.

1. For the repair board must be absolutely dry.
2. The first step is to lift the depressed area. First, you need to drill a hole in the dented area with a drill. Then you can carefully lift the hull, for example with a screw.
3. First, carefully grind the spot with a grinding drill.
4. Mix epoxy resin with hardener in a container and spread it as a thin layer on the damaged area.
5. Cut out a fiberglass strut in the shape of a triangle from a fiberglass mat and place it on the accident site.
6. Repeat step 4 and apply the second layer.
7. Repeat step 5 and place another piece of fiberglass on the site.
8. Repeat step 4 and apply the third and final layer.
9. Now turn the board over to dry.
10. You can now use the sander to finish the top and edges.
11. More tips for repairing a hardboard
12. For the look, you can also repaint the repair area with spray paint.
13. The last edges after the repair are best removed with wet sandpaper and water. (I recommend this wet sandpaper*)

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