what type of tape is used on join of liferaft cannister?

contessaman

contessaman

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does anybody out there know what type of tape is used over the join on a cannister liferaft? it looks a bit like wide black pvc electric tape but perhaps it has better waterproof properties. I have damaged some but dont need to have raft serviced just yet.... ta
 
Contact the manufacturer and ask them to send you some tape, or at the very least, tell you what they use. Perhaps your servicing agent can come out and re-tape it for you?
 
the toughest really waterproof poly tape I know is sileage tape. It comes in various widths, is fiercely sticky, and will definitely do the job. (It's designed to repair holes in those expensive big black bales on farms, so needs to be tough and v waterproof).

Available from e.g. Mole Valley Farmers. (Other farm suppliers also exist, I believe :) )
 
sarabande said:
the toughest really waterproof poly tape I know is sileage tape. It comes in various widths, is fiercely sticky, and will definitely do the job. (It's designed to repair holes in those expensive big black bales on farms, so needs to be tough and v waterproof).

Available from e.g. Mole Valley Farmers. (Other farm suppliers also exist, I believe :) )
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that sounds good. I dont suppose you have a link I tried searching tape on their website and found just about every other sort of tape but not that.
what you have described should be fine its only got to last the rest of the season it will be serviced this winter. ta
 
cryan said:
You don't want the tape to be too strong or you risk the canister not being able to pop open properly and damaging the raft.
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Seconded! The tape is just a barrier to water but there will be drain holes and the raft itself will be protected in it's vacuum pack. More cosmetic than functional. Please don't use something so strong it welds the two halves together!
 
cryan said:
You don't want the tape to be too strong or you risk the canister not being able to pop open properly and damaging the raft.
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whooooooooooooa! not good!! I won't do it too well then! mine lives in a locker anyway even though its in a canister (nowhere really suitable to mount on my boat).

thanks for all the responses I'll just order some broad pvc electrical tape and only go around once that shouldn't be too strong. I'll take it down to ocean safety at the end of the summer and get it serviced anyway.
 
Think about this for 1 minute, a liferaft canister lid that is 36" x 24" has an area of 864", if the air cylinder is at 150 psi (that's a guess) then it will exert a force of 129000 lbs or 58 tons. Now, there are structural adhesive tapes that stick big things to other big things, but I doubt that you will using that sort of tape. I wouldn't worry about tape preventing the raft from inflating. I would still use what the manufacturer recommended or an equivalent.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Think about this for 1 minute, a liferaft canister lid that is 36" x 24" has an area of 864", if the air cylinder is at 150 psi (that's a guess) then it will exert a force of 129000 lbs or 58 tons. Now, there are structural adhesive tapes that stick big things to other big things, but I doubt that you will using that sort of tape. I wouldn't worry about tape preventing the raft from inflating. I would still use what the manufacturer recommended or an equivalent.
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And if a tiny bit of the raft gets loose, all of that pressure will be on the raft fabric if the casing doesn't open properly.
 
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