How to Care for your Kayak
Stop-over at Eden Island on the way to Paddlefest,
I own a pair of wooden kayaks, and ever since I put the finishing brush strokes of marine quality varnish on their decks I have had questions. “Do you have to do that all the time?” Do you have to maintain the wooden kayak each year?” “Seems like a lot of work just for a kayak?”
Well, yes. I knew going in that owning a wooden kayak would mean a little more care during the year. But I enjoy the tinkering and occasional touch-ups to keep them looking good. Generally, a wooden kayak will need about the same care and attention as a boat made of the usually materials of polyurethane, or fibreglass.
All kayaks suffer the same abuses. Being dragged up beaches, and assorted shorelines. Bounced onto roof racks, occasionally dropped, and then there is what Mother Nature tosses at your kayak each season. Ultraviolet and salt water combine to eat away at your entire boat at once. It is easy to see which kayak gets care and which kayak gets occasional care. You want to look good and you want your kayak to look good because by taking a bit of care and a few hours a year the boat you love will last decades.
First the sun. Love the sun, don’t ya. But your skin and your kayak need protection. For those with a polyurethane kayak the sun will attack it harder. Leaving a plastic boat in the sun will cause the kayak to become brittle and will take years off the life of the kayak. Storing it in the shade, under a tarp, or the eaves of your garage is a good idea, better yet, if you have the space storing your plastic kayak indoors when not in use is best. There isn’t much else you can do about what the sun does to plastic materials. It will get its share while you paddle on lovely summer days.
A plastic kayak will be prone to scratching as well. I see it all the time. “OH, it’s plastic, I can drag it on the rocks and it’s fine!” Well, not really. Yes, it is made of thick durable materials and can take a bump better than a fibreglass kayak can, but why abuse it just because you can? Carry it if you can.
Fibreglass kayaks are perhaps the most common on the water. I have seen kayaks lasting over 25 years with minimal annual care. Again, sun is the biggest enemy to your boat. Different colours fade at different rates. I was warned the fire engine red of my Current Designs Pachena would fade fast. It probably would have but I stored it upside-down. The red took some wear and a few deeper scratches but all in all after over 16 years of use it still is a shiny red. The solution to the sun is an annual rubbing with a cut wax that you can buy at any marina supply store or hardware store. Rubbing this onto worn coloured gelcoat will bring it back to near original tones. Deeper scratches will still remain but it will add a level of UV protection as well as bringing back some lost lustre.
Check your fibreglass hull for damages and deeper grooves caused by landings. Repair any areas that need it with gel coat. This too is available or contact your kayak’s manufacturer if you want a colour match. It took about ten years before I needed to patch up the Pachena’s belly. I added a strip of gel coat along the keel as well to give the kayak a few extra years. The main wear areas were at the stern and bow. Patching deep grooves and weak areas with gel coat is not difficult. It is a resin and catalyst mixture that sets quickly but should be done in a well-ventilated area. Wear gloves and carefully tape out the area you want to cover with the gel coating. The tape will make a nice straight edge that you will thank me for when you have to sand out the edges flush with the hull.
Wooden kayaks need a annual go over as well. I tend to touch-up annually with sanding and revarnishing where ever needed. Most of the wear is limited to the varnish layer anyway. Every second year I strip all the rigging from the boat and give it a full sanding and refinishing. This gives the kayak a near new appearance and a renewed coating of UV protection that comes from the marine varnish.
Next comes the rigging. Deck lines and bungy cords degrade in the sun as well. Fittings, even stainless steal will be affected over time by salt water and sun. Check all of these each year. Bungy cords lose elasticity over time and are inexpensive to replace. Check your hatch fittings and liners. Look for signs of wear or weakness and replace them as well. Who needs a leaky hatch?
With a little care and attention any kayak will last decades. Store your boat out of the sun in a dry area. Covering with a tarp is a good idea if that is all you can do but make sure the hatches are open and there is good ventilation to cut down the opportunistic mildew. Check your deck lines for fraying, your hatches and obviously, look for holes! General repairs and maintainance are not costly in money or time and are fun. After all, this too is part of the sport of kayaking.
