Boat TECH Tip: How to fix a busted hose

by Rescue Tape Team on February 1, 2013

 

Turns out that there exists a magic tape that cures many boat ills, and here comes Tom to tell us all about it.

Here’s a great story and a fantastic Boat TECH Tip!
I used to carry aboard around 75 pounds of spare hoses of many different types, materials, and lengths. Two years ago, I discovered Rescue Tape, and took most of those spares off our boat. It’s a silicone tape that creates a permanent airtight, watertight seal in seconds; doesn’t get gummy like electrical or duct tape; has a long shelf life; is versatile; resists fuels, oils, acids, solvents, saltwater, road salt, and UV; is self-fusing; has 950-psi tensile strength; insulates 8,000 volts per layer; withstands 500 degrees Fahrenheit of heat; and remains flexible to -85 degrees F (-65 degrees C). You can put it on over wet or oily surfaces.

Rescue Tape Boat Hose Repair

Rescue Tape Boat Hose Repair



I’ve used it for many applications, including a busted water hose section that supplies dockside water to our boat when we’re in a marina. The hose split in a marina with around 70 to 80 pounds of pressure (way too much). I patched it more than two years ago. Since then the hose has remained outside, suffered abuse, had almost daily exposure to UV, suffered 60-plus pounds of pressure for long periods, and hasn’t failed. I’ve used the tape in applications involving hot water to repair pipes, to whip line ends, and to mark lines. You can put it on over a wet pipe or hose; it doesn’t require dryness or sticking like other tape, just the pressure of a tight wrap during application.

This type of tape takes skill to apply. Read the instructions and practice before using it in an emergency. You must stretch it tightly over itself as you wrap it, so it melds into itself. There’s no sticky surface; it fuses to itself almost at the touch. You’re stretching it tightly, so a little goes much farther than you initially expect. The more layers you use, the more stress it’ll take, and the more durable the repair.

Check out the original article on the official Boat US Website: http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2013/February/ask-the-experts-trouble-with-trailers.asp

For more great tips and to learn step-by-step techniques from the experts, visit www.BoatUS.com/BoatTECH

 


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