What’s in LB’s Repair Kit  VS  What Should be in Yours

The bush plane pilot calls to say “it’s go time.”  I’m grabbing dry bags and stacking them in the back of the truck to rush to the float pond and hopefully avoid a weather delay.  For practice I stack the gear in a small tight tetris confirguration with low center of gravity.  As I’m loading the raft into the truck, I realize that I don’t recall packing a raft repair kit.  Checked the inside of the utility dry bag—nope, no repair kit.  In  a hurry, I scan my garage shelves for what I most likely will and will not need on this 12-day expedition.  I pulled a fresh gallon-size Ziploc out of the box and filled it half full of necessities.    What was in that Ziploc?

One peek at my raft repair kit you and would call me a minimalist—or crazy!

Let’s start with what was in that bag and why, then I’ll share what should be in your raft repair kit.

LB’s Repair Kit

  • Fabric PVC 1 ea  (4” X 24” )
  • Aquaseal FD Repair Adhesive 1 tube (3/4 ounce volume)
  • HH 66 Vinyl repair glue (8 ounce can)
  • Valve wrench

My justification for this kit comes with 30 years of remote wilderness experience.  That’s not to say this kit would be sufficient for you or the average boater.  Hazard avoidance and minimizing impact carnage are a skillset one learns from dodging near misses and occasionally failing.  Once we make a few repairs we start to learn how to avoid similar damages and therefore begin to use our repair kits less often.  Even though experience lends a more graceful and damage-free ending to even the most arduous of river adventures, I would suggest a different repair kit for a new-adventurer.

What should be in your Raft Repair Kit?

  • Fabric PVC 2 ea (4” x 24”)
  • Aquaseal FD Repair Adhesive 2 tubes (3/4 ounce volume)
  • HH 66 Vinyl repair glue (8 ounce can)
  • Valve wrench
  • Flex Tape 1 roll
  • Sand paper square Wet/Dry (80-120 grit) 1 ea
  • E.K. repair solvent (1 whiskey flask with a tight lid). Caustic solution so gloves are prudent.

Looking for more advice on common causes of raft damage and how to avoid and repair them, check out the full raft repairs blog.