Kayak Maintenance

[Choporoz]

I have loved the low maintenance aspect of kayaking.  Off season maintenance was limited to reels, rods, lures, etc.  But my neglect has cost me a little bit.  

A couple of my carts had wheels that were shot from sitting outside with loads on them.  My Wildy has 60 some screws...just happened to check a couple the other day and found 42 that needed a quarter turn or more...some much more.  Examining my roof racks yesterday,  I found spots near load-bearing areas with significant, maybe dangerous rust.

 

What are some routine maintenance things you yakkers do annually,  or monthly....things some of us may not think enough about?

[Dens228]

From the end of May until the end of August I fish in my kayak 5-6 days a week.  Before and after that period it's 2-3 times a week.  

 

I check all the screws every couple of weeks, especially for my Boonedox Landing gear. I never store it on the wheels though.  Bad for the plastic on the kayak. I also hose it down about once a month.  Before I hang it on the wall in the garage for the winter I open up every hatch and make sure inside the hull is dry.  I keep them all open all winter. 

 

If I remember I try to open any hatches after each trip. 

[J Francho]

Every once in a while, I try to get the Gatorade bottle I lost in the hull last spring where I can reach it.

 

 

[Choporoz]

I don't risk having that empty bottle out of reach.  I keep it in my crate.  I neglected to mention it in the 'tools' thread, but that empty bottle can be most important thing in my yak after two thermoses of coffee.

[J Francho]

It's not empty, lol.  There's a ton of flotation in a Hobie, and it's stuck in the bow.  I might have to add a front hatch to get at it.

[Darren.]

This year I had to do a lot more "maintenance" than before.

Reason: salt water. I previously used mostly zinc-coated 

screws and bolts for DIY stuff. Yeah. Striper fishing caused

those to degrade too quickly, so I've been slowly changing

out to all stainless.

 

Problem I have now is my mounting plate for my trollng motor.

It is painted steel and after exposure to salt started bubbling 

and pitting with rust. Took it off, ground out the bad stuff, 

coated with some anti-rust paint, then a few coats of rubber

spray. Hopefully that'll make it last a while longer. Need to 

find a sacrificial anode for it. 

 

Bought a sacrificial anode prop screw to make the TM last.

[kjfishman]

Re-apply the Gorrilla Tape to the bow (Stern has built in protection) and clean and wax the hull. Clean the interior. Alos check any bolts as others mentioned.

[DogBone_384]

I'm lucky.  I can fish two or three days per week from March to November.

 

I wash my kayaks every time I switch ponds.  They're stored outside during the winter, and because they're stored outside, I spray them down with 303's marine version of ArmorAll a few times a year.  The seats, fish finders, mounts, and Overdrive unit are stored inside. 

 

I check all moving parts once a week.