Temporarily seal leaky inflatable patch?

[SKMT]

My friend sold me a roll up hypalon dinghy for $40. It has a leak from what looks to be a pvc patch. This is a pure back up dinghy. Considering I just put a brand new outboard on my skiff, I would say it's most likely I won't even need to inflate this dinghy in the next 2 years. Also it has no title (in Florida), so the outlook for ever using it more than a handful of times (when i have no other option) is slim. For these reasons I'm not inclined to undertake a repair of significant effort or much expense.

Are there any recommendations for a general adhesive that can gum up under the edge of the existing patch (without removal) enough to hold air for a rare use? I already have super glue, loctite marine sealant, 5200, E6000 (similar to shoe goo), and various epoxies on hand. Or I can buy something cheap if none of those stand a chance.

[Rumrace]

Lexel probably shred it if you try to remove it. It’s a sealant which sticks like glue appears like silicone. Home Depot stock small hand tube and small chalk gun size. I glued a transom back on a Dinghy for a season only are not falling apart
I bought an aluminum hull Zodiac at the super spreader 2020 boat show. Got the new Free Trade price from Europe to Canada and a $500.00 show special was the kicker. What a great little boat. Zodiac and Yamaha are in kahoots with each other on options. Like a bolt in helm or a V aluminum cover dry locker. Rails in the extrusion to move benches tables rod holders lighting Bimini . It cost less than a Chinese one from the US with that 500$.
A friends club has debris in their boat yard and behind boat sheds. Looks like a dump. Free Boats and rotten inflatables.

[jamhass]

I had good luck with the internal sealant -- similar to bike inner tube goo, but it dries to a semi-hard film. West Marine and other have it. Not cheap, but it does the job. An effort to slosh it all around, but kind-of fun and it WILL amuse your neighbors.

[donradcliffe]

I'd use 5200.

[stormalong]

Super glue.

[JPA Cate]

i agree with Don. I'd try the 5200. It will stay flexible and it works below the water line once it is cured. It will take a long time to cure, but put it on lightly inflated, and leave it saggy while it cures. Otherwise, it is not hard to learn how to patch a hypalon dinghy, and they are great for kids or grandkids to play in, or if two adults want to go to different places. You can even put real oars on one.

Ann

[FULLCIRCLE331]

Try green slime, sold on Amazon. Similar to the product sold by West Marine but much cheaper. Made for tire tuber. I used on an inflatable I had to inflate everyday. Put it in the tubes roll the inflatable around to cover all internal surfaces. Didn't have to inflate for two months.

[Redline452]

If you use any of the internal sealants, you will have to inflate & deflate the dinghy several times to let the sealant dry completely - if it is then rolled up, there is a good chance that the insides of the tubes will stick together and it will never unroll again (ask me how I know).

I would put a new, larger, patch over the old one, with the surfaces (dinghy, old patch and new patch) properly cleaned and prepped, and good quality contact cement or the dinghy-specific stuff.

I have had good success with "Final Fix" (no relation, just a customer); a thick grey adhesive in a grease-gun-type cartridge. Put a couple of arc-shaped patches around the stern cones of my Zodiac where a seam had a slow leak.

[bensolomon]

By the two part hypalon cement. The patch will come off pretty easy, actually. Best to do it right the first time, and it won't take that much extra time.

But ....shortcut is to peel up what you can, use some MEK to get up any extra, put some small sticks under it. Paint both surfaces with hypalon cement, let dry for one minute, then pull the sticks out one at a time and press.

[Nicholson58]

Bite the bullet and do it right. Use a small right angle grinder and fine flap wheel to remove the patch and scarify the surface. Apply a proper hypalon patch. It will take a couple hours.

Or you could try this.

[Retirement home]

I used a bicycle tube repair patch and rubber cement. Was planning to fix properly but patch worked.
Wasn't a tear. Just a pin prick type hole

[overboard]

sc2000. its used for gluing conveyor belts, but after many dinghy patch failures (lexel, 5200, etc.) a salty dog suggested this as the best solution for hypalon. he was right. not a cheap glue, but its cheap over time. fairest winds. lauri