Kayak Hull Treatment

Kayak hulls can be made from fiberglass, plastic, and wood and all of these materials require slightly different treatment. Hulls do not need to be treated often if a kayak is cared for properly, but a once-a-year tune up will help prolong the life of your kayak. Most kayaks, if treated properly, can remain water-ready for decades.

  1. Topical Treatment

    • Gel coat is the colored coating the manufacturer uses to protect the hull. Waxing the hull once a year with a simple car wax will protect it. You can also use other products, such as 303 Protectant, which will restore the hull's original color. Be careful not to combine 303 with wax treatments as the wax can prevent the 303 from soaking in.

    Gash Repair

    • Kayaking in areas with rocky shores can cause scratches and even gashes in the hull if you drag your kayak out of the water instead of carrying it back to your car. You can fill grooves and gashes with products such as Royalex Repair Resin, known as Accupak, which comes in a kit and is easy to apply.

    Dents and Cracks

    • Dents can be repaired with a little heat from a hair dryer or heat gun. Use a sweeping motion to heat up the area, then pop out the dents and allow the hull to cool. Cracks can be a little more complicated and should be taken to a repair specialist.

    Daily Treatment

    • Spray down the kayak after using it in salt water and store it upside down in a dry place out of the sun. Salt water and UV rays can damage not only the hull but the deck lines and other parts of the kayak, weakening the overall material. Taking care to not drag the hull against sharp, abrasive surfaces will also maintain your original gel coat much longer.

    Treatment of Early Kayaks

    • Kayaks such as the North Greenland, the Baffinland, the Caribou, Greenland kayaks, East Greenland and Eskimo kayaks were generally made of sealskin stretched tightly over a bone and sinew frame. Sealskin is naturally highly water resistant, but hulls were still treated with oil.