Flex tape??! Hype or a possible safety item?-gctid810746

[driz]

Surely everybody who doesn't live under a rock sees that obnoxious ad with that guy plugging up the water pouring out of that tall clear cylinder under considerable pressure using nothing but that special tape they call flex tape. Oh but I hate those damn informational's as they run over and over but this stuff makes you wonder, could the stuff actually plug up a ragged hole in the bottom of your boat if you hit something? From the ad which is cheesey it looks like something to stash next to your duck tape ,wire and vise grips in your emergency kit. It sure would beat stuffing rags into the hole I would think.

[TenMile]

I've never seen the ad. Few weeks ago out for the first cruise of the year to Roche Harbor. Hear dripping water in the engine area. Found one of my new exhause hoses had split. Local shop didn't have hose, but had a roll of that flex tape. Stuff worked amazing and sealed the crack. I even posted some photos...

http://www.baylinerownersclub.org/index.php/forum/technical-discussion/80809-new-exhaust-hose-split#804086

[SomeSailor]

You can by uncured silicone rubber tape at any hardware store. It should be in every boater's DC bag. Good stuff for quick emergency repairs. Don't get caught up in the hype of SOS or rescue tape. Nothing new about it.

[talman]

BoatUS mag listed that as a 'must have' repair item on a boat.

http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2016/february/tapes-for-onboard-use.asp

There was an recent article from Tom Neale. Here is a reprint.

http://www.rescuetape.com/boat-us-cruising-log-tom-neales-cruising-for-you/

I have a few rolls

[Mocoondo]

I never go out without it and it is not hype. $10 at the boat show, $4 everywhere else, free roll from Active Captain after 150? entries.

I have also never had occasion to use it on the boat, but I did try it out on a leaky garden hose once. Hose is still sealed.

[Jeffw]

Driz, you have a PM.

[stargazerwa]

I have used the silicon rescue tape twice with great outcomes. The first was helping another boater with his self bailing boat that wasn't bailing but letting water in, long story. His factory bilge pump hose had disinigrated due to sunlight and I used the tape to attach a garden hose to the pump to get him home. The second time was on a charter boat with an exausht hose with a large hole from a previous overheat, silicon tape can withstand high temps. At the charter companies recommendation I wrapped it around the hose next manifold and it held for a week.

It sticks to itself and doesn't matter if its wet, great stuff!

[oakplank]

Make sure you read the instructions. The first time I used it (without reading the instructions), it didn't work so well. Water drizzled out. The problem was that you need to stretch the tape as you wrap it around the pipe, letting go of the stretching for the last turn around the pipe. I still have it around a pipe, after five years, without a drop of water leaking out. I keep a roll handy at the cottage/cabin and one at our principal house.

[nwboater62]

I also used it on an exhaust tube and worked great. Got me home from Otter Bay. I keep a couple rolls on board always. There is a guy on U Tube that does as seen on TV product reviews that reviewed Rescue Tape. He does just what they do on the adds and gave it a favorable review.

[CptCrunchie]

I just did about an hour of researching this type of tape, and can tell you, from just the reviews, there is a huge difference between Flex Tape, Rescue Tape, and that stuff you can order from China. Flex Tape seems to be a hit and miss averaging 3.3 stars and ratings equally split between 1-5. China, ....well, .....the word itself should tell you something. However, Rescue Tape is - from these reviews - the best! Likely one of the best testaments is the one from the electronics engineer for the Vegas Cirque du Soleil water show, 'O'. They use this stuff to insulate and seal some serious power cables that lead in and around the various tanks. Wow!

Best news is that I can get Rescue Tape at my local True Value hardware store. Never heard of it, but my boat is going to get a roll today. Thanks for the thread!