Kayak hulls

[Peter E.]

Hey I was wondering if any of ya'll have found anything to coat the bottom of your kayaks with to prevent scratching and improve speed? I am thinking along the lines of some sort of wax. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Peter

[0119]

This has come up on kayaking forums before.  Something about hydrostatic tension and other ridiculous notions.  I find it impossible to believe that at speeds a human is capable of paddling a yak made for fishing(i.e. s.o.t. or rec boat), any coating could provide an increase in speed a human is capable of detecting or measuring.  Besides any coating chemically able to bond to poly-styrene would most likely adversely effect it.

[Peter E.]

Well really more than anything else I was looking for a way to try to protect the hull of my kayak from scrapes and such. I was worried that the scratches might make the kayak pull to one side or the other especailly when paddling against the current. I would not however have thought that the wax coating would interfere or lead to damage on the hull itself of the kayak.

[pianoplayer0986]

Well really more than anything else I was looking for a way to try to protect the hull of my kayak from scrapes and such. I was worried that the scratches might make the kayak pull to one side or the other especailly when paddling against the current. I would not however have thought that the wax coating would interfere or lead to damage on the hull itself of the kayak.

Not sure I can help directly...but if your kayak is getting scratches on land, you could buy a kayak cart to transport it...

Of course, a 'yak is gonna get scratched if you use it...I don't think there's much you can do about it.

[0119]

I would think that a gouge deep enough to cause a deflection in your course would probably have to be repaired.  Are you getting deep cuts?  You may have to weld a repair stick into the cut if so.  If not, I wouldnt worry to much about it, I have a friend who never uses a cart and drags his cobra fish n dive across things I'd never dream of.  It has lasted with no ill effects.  I always use a cart and under my breath curse that I ever replaced my 9' Heritage that I could easily carry over my shoulder.

[Peter E.]

I have a Pelican Gettaway 100, and it gets dragged no where. Ilove it because I can put it on my shoulder and away I go. No the damage has not been bad but I like to try to take care of anything that one spends $500 on. Though tha may not be too much for some it is a major investment for a college student. I just want a way to protect that investment as it scrapes on shoals in rivers and creeks.

Thanks ya'll for the insight.

[muzgash15]

I've been kayaking for a few years now.  Mostly in rivers and some in lakes, only recently I purchased a kayak that has a large enough cockpit to fish from.  I can say from experience that unless a scratch or gouge causes your boat to take on water it's not doing any harm and in fact is completely normal.  Take a look at any kayak that's ever been down a lazy river, it's full of scratches and gouges from going through shallow water with a rocky bottom.  They don't effect the performance of the boat at all.  You shouldn't worry about them.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I dont have a kayak but does armor all work on them ???