Kayak hull protection

[samsteele115]

I've noticed quite a few scratches on my kayak hull from the occasional drag across rocks whilst creek fishing.

Eventually it will wear through after years of use, so I'm wondering if anyone protects their kayak hulls and with what?

Some kind of tape or glue?

[Little Grey Men]

I don't think it's possible to really protect the hull, if you're going to portage your yak will get scratched up pretty bad. Small price to pay to the fishing god's. I've dragged mine over boulders. through rain forests and across cow paddocks and it's still fine.

If you do happen to get a hole it can be repaired by plastic welding. jump on youtube and check out how it's done. I carry a small amount of duct tape in my kit which can be used to patch holes ( from the inside ) until it can be welded.

Having said that I've only ever patched my old kayak once after hitting a big rock just under the water while going down a fast narrow run. I hit it that hard that it knocked me clear out of the water and I was sitting on the bank with my mate laughing his head off.

[Gloomy Samurai]

I had the same concerns as I thought I would wreck my wife's hobie dragging it over rocks and things (hers is the smaller revo). The hull is an absolute mess!

I spoke to Mal at Hobie and he it would be very unlikely to put a hole in the hull. If concerned about any deep scratches (or if you ever do hole it), you can get them filled in by plastic weld.

Exactly what LGM said.

Andrew

[samsteele115]

Ok cheers fellas. I'll deal with the problem when it comes . I wasn't too concerned, just wondering if anyone did anything to prevent it.

Cheers

[tomca]

Make a sling for your shoulder and carry it that way. Try not to break a leg carrying the extra weight over wet rocks

[Ovington]

I had the same issue with my previous yak and did eventually manage a good size hole (underwater star picket) I did a home job as I wasnt aware of the plastic welding and just sicaflexed an offcut of the kayak that I had left from a hatch I made. Cheers

[Binder]

I've got a bit of keel tape on the bum of mine where it rests on the ground while loading and unloading.

(Pivot point)

Rest of the yak takes its chances, but I am as careful as I can be.

[WayneD]

I drag my kayak everywhere. Sometimes when cod fishing it has been up to 500m over rocks. I reckon in the last year of fishing I would have dragged it at least 15km. Yes it has scratches but they are all superficial. If you tie a rope to the front of it and drag it along the entire length of the kayak rather than just picking it up by the front handle and dragging it then the whole of the kayak slides along the rocks rather than just one point being dragged where it is going to rub through a lot quicker.

[Terry H]

You are correct, you will *eventually* put a hole in it. Mine looks well used underneath, but doesn't have a single leak.

I only know of one person that finally wore through his hull after dragging it, however that's after years of dragging. Lots, and Lots of dragging - at the very least, the same numbers WayneD mentioned. I would be shocked if many people dragged their kayaks anywhere near as far as he has. But as other said - some plastic welding will fix it.

WayneD raises a point about spreading out the load - I thought the back end of the kayaks were considerably thicker plastic than say, the middle part of the hull? Wouldn't it be better to scratch the thicker parts? Understandably you have the issue of (generally) spreading the load over a bigger area, albeit those areas are thinner vs loading it up on a small area of thick plastic?