Tips for Maintaining Kayaks and Paddling Gear

Getting kayaks ready for a trip.

It’s that time of year when those of us in northern regions need to start thinking about cleaning and storing our summer “toys”.  I’m lucky enough to be using kayaks year-round on kayaking trips so I don’t need to worry about storage. However, even if you don’t need to put away your gear for winter there are some basic maintenance tips that will make your kayaks and paddling equipment last much longer.  I recently had a lengthy conversation with a guest about gear maintenance which prompted me to share what I do to keep my gear in pristine shape.

Kayaks

• Sweep as much sand and debris as possible from inside the cockpit (pay special attention to areas around foot pegs, rails and the underside of the deck) and then vacuum it out.  For years I tried to hose the cockpit out and could never get all the sand out, this method seems to work much better. I also do the same thing inside the hatches.
• Wash the boat inside and out with a mild soap, rinse well and then open everything up and allow it to dry completely. This is a good time to inspect the entire boat for damage.  For me this is when I see how much damage the oysters have caused on the Cedar Key Kayaking Adventure.
• While the kayak is drying, do a thorough check of the perimeter lines, deck bungees, rudder cords/cables, bulkheads and hatch covers.  Replace or fix what is necessary.  At this time, I also check that the rudder is operating properly and give it and the rails inside the cockpit a squirt or two of silicone. It is important to use 100% pure silicone and not a product like WD-40.  Silicone protects, lubricates and repels dirt while WD-40 will attract dirt and hurt the performance of the rudder.
• Once the boat is dry, spray it down with a protectant like 303® Aerospace Protectant.  This will not only clean the boat but also has UV protectant, kind of like sunscreen for your kayak.  A huge plus to this product over other protectants is that it is not oil based and won’t leave a film of oil in the water the next time you paddle.
• In an ideal world, kayaks should be stored indoors and on their side (chine).  However we don’t always have room for that and realistically if the boat is kept in the shade and doesn’t get crushed by snow and ice (this has happened to me…) it will be OK.  However, it is still best to store on edge because kayaks are more structurally sound when on edge and won’t crush as easily under the weight of snow and ice.

Equipment

• Paddles should be washed with the same detergent you use for the kayak.  I soak the ferrules in the soapy water for a minute or two and then wash that area really well to remove any grit or grime that has accumulated. This is especially true of paddles used on multi-day saltwater trips, like our Everglades, Panama or Costa Rica trips.  Once they are dry, I spray the ferrules liberally with silicone to ensure that they go together and come apart easily in the future.
• PFD’s easily get stained from sunscreen and dirt over the course of a season.  You can use the same soapy water that was used to wash the kayak and paddle but for stubborn stains you might need a stiff brush and some “elbow grease”.
• Footwear can get pretty stinky over the course of a paddling season.  There are several home remedies for this that I have tried over the years including soaking them in water with soap, lemon juice and vinegar.  I have found little success with these but the one thing that has consistently worked for me is a product called Mirazyme made by McNett.  It is widely available and does the trick.
• Paddling clothing can get “odiferous” over the course of a season as well.  Even though most have anti-microbials built in them today they still need some special attention from time to time.  While there are many specialty detergents made specifically for paddling garments they all tend to be on the expensive side.  Years ago, I came across Scent-A-Way made by Hunters Specialties.  It works extremely well and extends the life of clothing with built in anti-microbials, UV protection and bug protection. Best of all, it is a fraction of the cost of some other detergents!

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I hope that this helps some of you and I welcome your questions or additions.
-Scott

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