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Enjoying My Free Time With My Kids

About a year ago, I started realizing that my time away from work pretty much revolved around sitting in front of the television. I wanted to do something to get outside and start enjoying my time, so I began focusing on recreational activities and sports. I began going through and really spending time getting to the gym, and the difference was astounding. Within a few short months I really started feeling a lot better, and I knew that I owed it all to having fun, burning some calories, and making some muscle. This blog is here to help other people to enjoy time with their families and check out all of the great things you can do for fun.

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Enjoying My Free Time With My Kids

Protecting Yourself From Serious Raft Leaks

by Herbert Richards

Inflatable rafts are a great way to have fun on river rapids, but leaks can put your life at risk. A raft that is deflating won't be as protective in these rafting experiences, making it easier for you to either spill out of the boat or get injured. Here is how to protect yourself from this problematic situation.

Using The "Water Method" To Find Your Leak

If you think your raft is leaking, fill it back up with air and drench it with water. Now carefully inspect the surface of your raft to look for any signs of a leak. Symptoms include bubbling water (caused by the air slowly escaping) or water jumping into the air (caused by a faster leak).

After spotting a leak using this simple method, you need to get it fixed before you take it out rafting. Catching and repairing a small leak before you raft in severe waters can keep it from becoming a huge leak and protect you from a dangerous rafting situation.

Fixing The Leak

Raft leaks are fairly easy to fix. All they require is a raft patch, cleaning solvent, and raft glue from your local rafting shop, and you can fix it by following these steps:

  1. Place your raft in a cool area with low humidity – the temperature should be about 64 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity less than 70 percent
  2. Clean the area around the leak three times with an appropriate raft solvent cleaner to make it more adhesive to the bonding glue
  3. Apply a layer of raft glue to the patch and the area around the leak – really scrub to work it into the fabric
  4. Wait five minutes and apply another layer of glue – repeat this step until you have three layers
  5. Press your patch to the raft after another 10 minutes, slowly laying it on the glued area
  6. Add pressure to the patch to eliminate any air bubbles, wipe away the remaining solvent, and wait at least two days before filling with air and using

Testing Before Serious Rafting

Once you've fixed your leak, you need to test how well it held by filling your boat back up with air and taking it out for a simple rafting trip. Avoid heavy and dangerous waters, such as rapids. Instead, you should take it on a slow river or even on a shallow lake or pond. Take it out multiple times to put the leak repair to the test.

Now while your raft is in storage, check it regularly to see if it is deflating. Of course, your raft is likely to slightly deflate while in storage, but not an excessive amount in a short period. You should lose just a small level of firmness. If you can squeeze the raft easily with your hand, then your leak repair may not have been successful.

If your leak continues to be a problem, it's time to take your raft to a professional. They can repair it for you to ensure that it doesn't remain a problem. However, be prepared to potentially invest in a new raft if the leak is too big to be fixable.

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