It’s every boat owner’s worst nightmare: water inside the boat. But if you’re prepared and have an action plan, springing a minor leak doesn’t have to be a disaster.
Find the Leak
Isn’t the source of any boat leak obvious? It’s where the water’s coming in, right? In reality, you’ll first notice most leaks simply because there’s water in your boat. You don’t necessarily know where it came from, which is why finding the source is so critical. You don’t know just how long the leak has been running. If it’s a serious leak, you may need to take immediate emergency action.
One way is to simply remove water from the boat with a bucket and follow it to its source as the water levels die down. But if this isn’t feasible, it’s better to return to shore and lift the boat out of water for closer examination. One “trick” is to watch the boat as it drains, looking to see where the water is now coming out of the boat.
Keep a Sealant on Hand
You might really call this two steps:
- Taking the time to store an emergency sealant on board your boat
- Addressing the leak with your sealant as soon as possible
That first step is important, because once you’ve sprung a leak, it’s already too late for you to arm yourself with a sealant. Just like the best time to buy an umbrella is when the sun is shining, the best time to acquire a sealant is when the boat is dry as a bone. If all goes according to plan, you’ll never have to use it. But as any boat owner can tell you, it rarely goes according to plan.
Life-Seal® is a boat sealant that cures in the presence of water—and because it’s highly water-proof, it works well even when the conditions aren’t ideal for an emergency repair.
Why Life-Seal®? In addition to the qualities listed above, this boat sealant will adhere to a variety of materials common in boats: wood, fiberglass, metals, glass, and even itself. Without a versatile boat sealant on hand, you can never be sure if your repairs will take. Better to be safe than sorry.
On Shore, Conduct Repairs and Resurfacing
If you’ve used Life-Seal® with success, all that remains is getting the leak to look more like the boat around it. No one wants a large, obvious rubber “plug” on their boat. Consistency is the key here.
Shop Boat Life Products
If you need to make more serious repairs, consult our boat caulks and sealants page for everything you need to keep your boat well-sealed.
