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Before you fix a hole in your kayak, expect up your kayak'southward make and model online to see if it is made of crosslink or linear polyethylene. If information technology'due south crosslink, you cannot heat, sand, fill, or repair the damage and you must supercede the kayak.[1] If you have a fiberglass kayak, yous tin merely repair holes using epoxy resin, although the epoxy resin volition work with linear polyethylene too. Luckily, nigh kayaks made today are fabricated out of linear polyethylene. While there are a few ways to repair damage on your kayak, the preparation work is ever the aforementioned. Later you sand, clean, and oxidize the surface, you can use an epoxy, scrap plastic, or patch to repair the harm.

  1. one

    Drill holes into the edges of the harm if information technology'south croaky. If y'all specifically have a crack in the surface of your hull, it will continue to spread if y'all repair it. To prevent this from happening, attach a airplane pilot drill chip to a drill. Place the tip of the bit on one end of the crack and drill 1⁄8 – 1⁄16  in (0.32–0.xvi cm) into the plastic. Repeat this process on the other end of the crevice. This will continue the crack from spreading later y'all repair it.[two]

    • Yous only demand to drill into the surface of the crack if the impairment doesn't run all the way through the hull. If you can run into make clean through the fissure to the other side, drill all the manner through the kayak'south hull.
    • You do not demand to drill gouges, punctures, scratches, or thru holes, which are holes in the hull that are deep enough where you can encounter through to the other side.

  2. two

    Rough upwards the damaged surface area with fourscore-grit sandpaper. Get a canvas of fourscore-dust sandpaper. Identify information technology over the hole or scratch and rub information technology back and along over the kayak. Scrape up the 1–2 inches (2.5–v.one cm) surrounding the impairment and scratch upward the interior portion of the indentation or crack if you can. If you're dealing with a thru hole, scrape the edges of the pigsty to the best of your ability.[3]

    Tip: You simply need to do this on the side where the damage occurred. In near all cases, kayaks are damaged from rubbing against something on the exterior side of the hull, so you won't need to mess around with the within of the kayak.

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  3. 3

    Wipe the expanse with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. Catch a roll of paper towels and rip a few sheets off. Put on some safe gloves and pour some rubbing alcohol into the paper towels to soak them. Rub the damaged area downward thoroughly with the moisture newspaper towels to remove any debris or scraps of plastic from the sanding.[4]

    • You can employ soap and water if y'all don't have any rubbing alcohol. The main goal here is just to make clean the area.

  4. 4

    Rinse the area and wipe it dry out to finish cleaning the damaged area. Grab a hose or fill a saucepan with water and pour it over the area you lot soaked in alcohol. Then, catch some dry paper towels and wipe the area down to get information technology dry out. This volition wipe upwardly whatever residuum on the surface of the kayak.[v]

  5. 5

    Run a butane torch over the surface rapidly to oxidize the plastic. Grab a butane torch and turn it on. Without letting the flame come in direct contact with the plastic, run the torch back and forth over the surface damage. Embrace 12–16 inches (thirty–41 cm) every 1 second past apace moving the torch to avoid melting the plastic. Do this for 5-15 seconds to prep the kayak for your repair.[half-dozen]

    • The goal here is to oxidize the polyethylene, not to cook it. Oxidizing the surface ensures that any filling cloth you apply volition bond permanently to the kayak. If you don't do this, your patch job is much more likely to come up undone.

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  1. 1

    Prop the kayak up so that the harm rests parallel to the ground. Set some cinderblocks or bricks along the edges of the kayak to prop it up at an bending where the damaged area is facing straight up. The epoxy resin you're going to apply will baste out of the hole if the damaged surface isn't parallel to the floor.[7]

    • This process is ideal for gouges, deep scratches, and small-scale holes that don't go all the way through the hull.
    • If you accept a fancy fiberglass kayak, this is the only way to repair damage.

  2. ii

    Mix your 2-part epoxy in a plastic cup to activate it. Put on some nitrile gloves to keep the epoxy off of your easily. Take a 2-part epoxy and squeeze out the resin into a plastic loving cup. Add an equal amount of the activating amanuensis and mix the 2 compounds together slowly with a wood mixing stick. This will activate the epoxy and cause it to begin hardening slowly.[8]

    • You can purchase a 2-part epoxy resin from a hardware, construction supply, or automotive store. It's oftentimes used to fill in damaged pipes or plastic surfaces.
    • Any 2-part epoxy resin will piece of work for this.

    Tip: Once you exercise this, you have roughly 30-45 minutes to work. If you take too long, the epoxy will harden in your cup.

  3. 3

    Cascade the epoxy directly into the gouge to fill information technology upwards flush with the kayak. Tilt the cup over the damaged expanse and slowly pour the epoxy out. Movement your cup as needed to make full the pigsty, scratch, or gouge entirely with the epoxy. Wipe up any backlog epoxy that overflows over the damage with a dry cloth. Continue pouring until all of the damage is filled and the epoxy is flush with the surface of the kayak.[9]

    • It looks pretty thick in the cup, simply the epoxy pours smoothly. You shouldn't need to move it around in the damaged area. If you practice need to spread it around, experience complimentary to employ your gloved finger to do this.

  4. iv

    Await 7-10 hours for the epoxy to cure. In one case you've filled the damaged area, let the kayak sit for 7-10 hours. This volition give the epoxy time to cure to the polyethylene. In one case the epoxy is cured, you can paint over the surface or accept your kayak out on the water.[x]

    • Most kayak enthusiasts don't carp painting over repairs on the bottom of the hull since you can't see it anyhow. If you practise want to pigment over it, use standard acrylic spray paint.

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  1. 1

    Notice some #2 recyclable scrap plastic to fill the damage. The same polyethylene in your kayak is used to make a variety of other products. Look for any plastic object with a #two printed on information technology with 3 arrows surrounding it. This is high-density polyethylene and you can utilize it to repair your kayak. Catch a bucket, milk jug, empty detergent or shampoo canteen, or scrap piece of plastic to perform this repair.[11]

    • This repair is platonic for nasty hull damage that can't easily exist repaired with resin. If the shape of the hole or scratch is malformed and yous need to motion the repair textile around, this is the way to get.
    • If the plastic isn't clean, wash it with soap and water and dry information technology off before doing this.
    • If possible, apply a plastic that matches the colour of your kayak. This will make the repair less noticeable.
    • You're going to destroy this object for your repair, so don't grab something you lot may need i day!

  2. two

    Cut the plastic out to match the shape of your hull damage. Grab a set of tin snips and cut out a chunk of plastic to lucifer the shape of the harm. If you're using a thinner material, similar a milk jug, cut out twice equally much as yous need and lay the pieces over 1 another. Don't worry most getting scientific here—you tin can always scrape the excess off as yous're applying information technology.[12]

    • If you don't have tin snips and yous're using thinner plastic, yous tin cleave it out of the object with a utility knife.

  3. three

    Estrus the scrap plastic with a heat gun for 1 minute to soften it. Take hold of some pliers or aqueduct locks to hold the plastic safely away from you. Lift the plastic up and hold a heat gun 5–10 inches (13–25 cm) away from the scrap plastic. Turn it on and motion the rut gun dorsum and forth until the plastic loses its shape and information technology looks flimsy as it dangles in the air.[13]

    • You tin apply a butane torch instead of a oestrus gun. Just brand sure you don't let the flame directly touch the plastic and move the torch around to melt each piece evenly.

  4. 4

    Place the plastic over the damage and continue heating it for 10-20 seconds. While the plastic is soft and pliable, slowly lay it down over the damaged area to fill information technology in. Move the heat gun back and forth. Keep heating the area for 10-20 seconds to warm all of the polyethylene upwardly and cook the plastic you lot're using to patch the kayak.[xiv]

    • If the plastic patch begins dripping or bubbles, cease heating it and expect ten-xx seconds before proceeding.

    Warning: Practice not heat the kayak directly for as well long. You only want to warm information technology upwardly to brand the two polyethylenes bind together.

  5. 5

    Spread and polish the plastic out using a putty knife or screwdriver. Catch a putty knife if the damage is really broad or flathead screwdriver if the damage is smaller or oddly-shaped. Use the flat border of your tool to spread the melted plastic around slowly. Keep moving the melted plastic until the surface of the kayak is flat and flush.[15]

    • You can repeat this process any number of times if you run out of patching plastic.
    • Use the tip of the putty knife or screwdriver to scrape upward any excess plastic. Wipe the plastic off on a slice of paper or textile.

  6. 6

    Wait 20-30 minutes for the plastic to dry out and sand it if you desire. The plastic will dry out pretty speedily. Just allow it rest for twenty- to xxx-minutes to give the plastic fourth dimension to cure. Once it's dry, yous tin get out it as it is if you lot'd like. Alternatively, yous can sand it down with 200-grit sandpaper and paint information technology with spray paint.[16]

    • Most people don't bother sanding or painting the damage if it isn't really noticeable or it'southward on the bottom of the hull.

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  1. one

    Buy a patch from the manufacturer if y'all tin to match the plastic. If you have a pigsty that goes all the way through the hull, starting time email or phone call the manufacturer. Ask them if they accept whatever plugs or flake plastic to repair the damage. If they do, pay for it to go shipped for y'all. This is the platonic fashion to patch the hole.[17]

    • If you bought the kayak recently, the manufacturer may cover the harm with your warranty. They may simply send you a make new kayak if yous ask.
    • Patching a thru pigsty is pretty hard. It tin can certainly be washed, but the finished product may not look the best.

    Warning: Do not take your kayak into deep water when you're done if y'all're patching a thru hole in the bottom of your boat. It will however be fine for creeks and shallow rivers, merely there'due south always a take chances that a hole on the bottom volition reemerge. If y'all're out in deep water when this happens, you could stop up in problem.

  2. ii

    Grab some scrap polyethylene if you can't purchase a patch. If you can't go a concord of some plastic from the manufacturer, yous can patch the hole with a thick piece of #2 plastic. Get a bucket made out of polyethylene to create your patch.[xviii]

    • If possible, get a plastic saucepan that is roughly the same color as your kayak.

  3. 3

    Trim the plastic to be 1⁄ii  in (one.three cm) bigger than the hole. Accept the bucket or flake plastic and concur information technology under the hole. Trace around the edges of the hole with an erasable marker. So, accept some tin snips and cut around the outline to make the plastic a 1⁄2  in (ane.3 cm) bigger than the hole yous're patching.[xix]

    • This is pretty hard to do in 2-3 cuts. You may need to cutting small portions off i at a fourth dimension until you can shape the plastic to friction match your kayak.

  4. 4

    Place the plastic over the hole and brainstorm melting information technology with a heat gun. Put on a pair of thick work gloves. Ready the plastic down over the hole and line the edges up and then that the patch sits over the kayak. Have your oestrus gun and set up it to depression. Move the oestrus gun around to soften upwardly the patch and cook it. Try to avoid melting the portion of the plastic surrounding the patch.[20]

    • If the middle of the patch starts drooping down in the eye, advisedly prop information technology up from underneath with your gloved finger. If your finger starts to get hot, grab a piece of scrap wood to concord it up from underneath.

  5. 5

    Push the edges of the patch inside the seam with your gloved finger. Exist careful every bit y'all do this and piece of work slowly to avert burning your finger. Gently push the patch into the hole and so that the edges match. If the plastic hardens at any point, reheat information technology for 5-10 seconds to re-melt it. If the plastic patch starts drooping, brace it up from the other side with your gloved finger.[21]

  6. 6

    Wait for the patch to dry and sand it with 200-grit sandpaper. Wait 20-xxx minutes for the plastic and the kayak to dry out. Once the surface has hardened, grab a sheet of 200-dust sandpaper and gently run it over the patch and surrounding area to smooth it down. Then, feel free to paint the area using spray paint if you lot'd like.[22]

    • You tin cover the seam between the patch and the kayak with a plastic weld rod or Lexel caulk to seal it if y'all'd similar a cleaner finish.

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  • The pop repair method back in the mean solar day was to use a plastic welding rods to repair the damage. You can yet do this if that's how y'all were taught, simply it's wildly inefficient and requires in-depth knowledge of welding materials. This is no longer the virtually pop method for kayak repair.[23]

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  • Yous cannot use silicone caulk to seal a hole. The caulk may work for a short period of time, but it won't bond with the polyethylene for long and the repair piece of work will autumn off in the water pretty rapidly.[24]

  • Practice non take your kayak into deep water if you patch a thru hole on the lesser of the kayak. If the repair ever fails, you lot could end up in trouble.

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Things You lot'll Need

  • Sandpaper
  • Paper towels
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Water
  • Butane torch
  • Rubber gloves
  • Soap (optional)
  • Drill (optional)
  • Airplane pilot drill bit (optional)
  • 2-office epoxy
  • Plastic cup
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Mixing stick
  • Heavy objects
  • Dry fabric
  • Scrap plastic (#2)
  • Tin snips
  • Gloves
  • Pliers or aqueduct locks
  • Oestrus gun
  • Putty knife or flathead screwdriver
  • Sandpaper (optional)
  • Patch or flake plastic (#2)
  • Tin snips
  • Erasable marker
  • Sandpaper
  • Estrus gun
  • Gloves
  • Sandpaper
  • Wood block (optional)

References

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