McNETT® - Essentials for Adventure^TM

Fishing, Boating Care & Repair

McNett manufactures products to help you maintain your boats & other fishing & watersports gear. You can help to maximize the life of boats, PFDs, wetsuits, dry tops & even paddles.

• Boat Maintenance

  • Repair Float Tubes with Aquaseal

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      Step 1:

      Unzip float tube cover. Soak the tip of rag in soapy water and dab over the area suspected to be leaking. The hole will produce bubbles. Mark the spot with a pen, clean off the soapy residue then allow area to dry.

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      Step 2:

      Prep surface using rubbing alcohol. Apply Aquaseal to extend 1 inch around hole on all sides. Allow Aquaseal to dry level 8 to 12 hours.

  • Protect Your Equipment

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      Protectants

      When in doubt, use UV Tech – it is environmentally friendly!
      Many manufacturers recommend against the use of silicone protectants because: 1) Silicone is not compatible with some of today’s materials; and 2) Silicone is slippery and can prevent adhesives from bonding – making repairs more difficult.

  • UV Tech™ Protectant

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      How UV Tech™ Works

      Materials like Hypalon®, PVC, fiberglass, roto-molded plastic, and other materials are damaged, bleached and ultimately destroyed through use and by sun exposure. UV Tech protects and rejuvenates surfaces, reducing cracking, helping to block sun damage and restoring your boat’s original good looks.

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      Protect & Restore Your Boat

      Every 30-45 days of sun exposure treat surfaces of boats, PFD’s, spray skirts, paddles, and dry suit gaskets with UV Tech™ Surface Protectant & Rejuvenator to protect surfaces, enhancing color and minimizing the appearance of scratches.

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      Protect Your PFD's & Accessories

      Don’t forget to treat your PFD’s! UV Tech slows color fading and protects all types of paddling accessories from sun damage.

• PFD Care

• Wetsuit/Drysuit Care

  • Wetsuit Cleaning & Care

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      Clean & Deodorize Your Wetsuit

      Regular cleaning with Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo prevents chlorine and salt damage (left half of photo) and keeps suits looking and feeling like new (right half of photo).

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      Step 1:

      Find two clean large tubs – one for washing and one for deodorizing. Fill both tubs with enough warm or cold water to submerge your suit. To the first tub, add 2 capfuls (1/2 oz) of Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo per gallon of water.

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      Step 2:

      For extra suit conditioning, add a few teaspoons of Silicone Pump™ in with your Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo when washing your suit.

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      Step 3:

      Give your suit a good scrub to eliminate saltwater, chlorine, sweat, urine and other residue. Regular cleaning maintains suit suppleness, keeps colors bright and eases suit entry.

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      Step 4:

      To remove residual odors and bacteria from your wet suit, add 2 capfuls (1/2 oz) of MiraZyme™ Enzyme Based Gear Deodorizer to the second tub. For stubborn odors, apply MiraZyme directly to problem areas with a spray bottle.

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      Step 5:

      Dip suit to saturate all areas. Remove from tub. Do NOT rinse.

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      Step 6:

      Hang suit to dry on a flexible, padded wet suit hanger. As the suit dries, MiraZyme does its work - consuming organic matter such as hair, mold, mildew, as well as algae, bacteria, pollution, waste matter and urine, leaving your suit odor-free.

  • Gasket Protection

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      Use UV Tech™ to protect & restore gaskets

      With exposure to sunlight, saltwater, and chlorine, synthetic gaskets degrade over time due to the loss of structural oils called plasticizers. Proper protection with UV Tech™ is essential for maximizing scuba gear life.

  • Drysuit Repair

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      Use Aquaseal to seal leaky gasket seams

      Step 1:

      Turn suit inside out. Clean damaged area with Cotol-240 or isopropyl alcohol. Non-fabric surfaces such as latex should first be roughened with sandpaper, then cleaned.

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      Step 2:

      Apply Aquaseal in a 1/16” high bead overlapping seam edges by at least 1⁄4”. Use included brush to saturate fabric surfaces. Dry level overnight.

  • Iron-On Repairs

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      Iron Mend™ Repairs

      Iron Mend™ Iron-On Fabric Repair Patch provides strong, flexible, long lasting repairs for neoprene. Use Iron Mend to reinforce and repair high stress areas on your suit, including knees, elbows, under arm and around the zipper.

      Step 1:

      Wash with Wet Suit & Dry Suit Shampoo and dry neoprene article.

      Step 2:

      Pre-heat iron to acrylic, low or delicate setting. For irregular surfaces, including sleeves and legs, insert a piece of wood to create a firm, flat ironing surface.

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      Step 3:

      Cut Iron Mend to overlap damaged area by 3/4”. Always round the corners of your patch as patches with curved edges are less likely to peel back later. Place Iron Mend over damaged area with the urethane coated side down and cover with full sheet of heat shielding paper.

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      Step 4:

      With preheated iron, press Iron Mend down with firm, even pressure for 10 seconds. Lift and rotate iron; apply for another 10 seconds.

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      Step 5:

      Allow repair to cool for a few minutes before testing adhesion. Apply more heat if needed.

  • High Speed, Field Repairs

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      Seal Cement™ Repairs

      For quick, grab-and-hold repairs in the field, opt for neoprene-based contact cement. Contact cements are formulated specifically for rapid tack and bonding. Seal Cement™ Neoprene Contact Cement cures to full strength in only 15 to 30 minutes and creates a strong, durable, flexible bond.

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      Step 1:

      Apply Seal Cement on both edges of the repair area. Allow to dry for 5 minutes.

      Step 2:

      Apply a second coat to both edges and let it dry for 10 more minutes.

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      Step 3:

      Press and hold edges together until dry (approximately 5 minutes).

  • Maximum Strength Wetsuit Repairs

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      Maximum Strength Repairs

      Urethane-based adhesives are the best for achieving maximum strength and durability.  When your goal is a permanent bond, choose   Aquaseal® Repair Adhesive & Sealant – it’s the industry standard for high strength, absolutely permanent repairs to all kinds of dive gear including wet suits, dry suits, gloves, boots, gear bags and more.  Aquaseal cures to full strength overnight or in 2 hours with Cotol-240™ Cure Accelerator & Pre-Cleaner.

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      Holes & Tears

      Aquaseal is also ideal for repairing holes and tears. For holes larger than a pinhole, create a backing with removable tape. Fill hole and 1⁄4” beyond. Remove tape after Aquaseal has fully cured.

  • Dry Suit Zippers

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      Maintain Zippers

      Dry Suit zippers are tough to operate and expensive to replace. To ease opening and maximize zipper life, remove dirt and gunk with Zip Care™ Liquid Zipper Cleaner & Lubricant. For heavy duty lubrication use Zip Tech™ Stick Lubricant.

  • Drysuit Care

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      Find Drysuit Leaks

      To find pinhole leaks in Gore-Tex® fabric dry suits: 1) Turn the suit inside out. 2) Soak the tip of a rag in rubbing alcohol and dab over the suspect area. 3) The hole will show up as a contrasting color. Allow area to dry and seal (on the inside surface) with Aquaseal®.

  • Wetsuit & Drysuit Care

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      Clean Your Wetsuit or Drysuit

      Wash dry tops, dry suits and wetsuits in McNett® Wet Suit and Dry Suit Shampoo. To eliminate the toughest odors dip suits in MiraZyme™ treated water (and air dry (see instructions on the bottom of page 20). MiraZyme is a powerful blend of odor fighting microbes & enzymes.

• Choose Your Waders

  • Choose Your Waders

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      Wader Types

      Hip boots -- rubber or rubber/canvas 2 ply material. They are held up by straps that slip over your belt and snap. The rubber/canvas will last longer. Hip boots are becoming harder to get for fishing. If you can get them, the felt soles are your best choice. (makes wading on slippery rocks easier)

      Waist Waders -- These come up to the waist like a pair of pants. They are held up with a wader belt. Modern styles are made from some breathable fabric.

      Chest waders -- These are held up by removable elastic or leather suspenders. They come in rubber-boot foot, nylon stocking foot - wading shoe models, neoprene - wading shoe and breathable material - wading shoe models.

      Rubber, nylon or neoprene do not breathe. They are hot in summer and cold in winter. Neoprene waders have the advantage of insulating qualities for cold weather fishing. Generally available in 3mm for warmer weather fly fishing. And 5mm thickness for fishing in cold water and cold weather. Neoprene is also more susceptible to pinhole punctures from thorns or tears from sharp objects than good quality breathable wader material.

• Repair Fishing Nets

  • Repair Fishing Nets

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      Fishing Tip:

      The Aquaseal Wader Repair Kit also repairs fishing nets. Use one patch to create a backing and apply Aquaseal to the other side. Dry 24 hours then remove patch. The repair is strong, elastic and gentle on the fish.

• Inflatable Raft and Kayak Repair

  • Raft Repairs

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      Commercial Grade Whitewater Rafts

      Aquaseal Urethane Repair Adhesive can often create an emergency patch on pinhole air leaks in whitewater river rafts (such as those made with Hypalon®). To apply, deflate the raft and buff the area lightly with sandpaper. Then wipe the area clean with solvent (such as acetone or toluene) and allow to dry before applying the Aquaseal. Allow the Aquaseal to dry level overnight (or use McNett Cotol 240 to accelerate cure time to 2 hours) before re-inflating the raft. For more permanent or elaborate repairs (and all seam repairs) consult your raft manufacturer.

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      Inflatable Kayaks

      There are two types, those with interior air bladders that are separate from the external fabric ‘skin’ and those where the ‘skin’ and bladder are a single welded unit. For those with separate bladders use the McNett Inflatable Patch Kit to patch the bladder alone. For those without a separate bladder use Aquaseal on the exterior. Simply clean the area with soap and water, rinse well, air dry, then apply Aquaseal to the damaged area. Note - Always patch deflated boats.

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      Recreational Rafts and Pool Floats

      Inexpensive rafts and pool floats made of PVC can be difficult (and are sometimes impossible) to patch permanently. Aquaseal can often create a temporary patch. To apply buff damaged area VERY LIGHTLY with sandpaper then wipe clean with solvent (such isopropyl alcohol or stronger solvent) and allow to dry. Apply Aquaseal to pinhole and 1/2 inch (2 cm) beyond in all directions. Allow Aquaseal to dry level overnight then apply a McNett I-Patch (from the McNett Inflatable Repair Kit) before re-inflating the raft. For more permanent repairs (and all seam repairs) consult the raft manufacturer.