A leaking kayak can take a lot of enjoyment out of your water-borne adventures. If a leak becomes too serious, it can even endanger you by making your boat less buoyant on the water. If you notice that your kayak takes on more than an inch of water while you're out kayaking, it may have a leak. Small leaks can become big leaks, so you should repair your kayak as soon as you notice the problem. You may find that your boat is leaking through a crack or a hole in its hull.
Fixing a Crack
Step 1
Position the boat so that the crack runs vertically--one end of the crack should point to the ceiling and the other to the floor.
Step 2
Heat about a half an inch at one end of the plastic welding rod until it is limp and pliable.
Step 3
Touch the heated end of the plastic welding rod to the boat about half an inch above the highest point of the crack.
Step 4
Hold the heat gun 1 to 2 inches away from the welding rod's point of contact with the boat to apply heat to the plastic. Slowly draw the heated welding rod down the length of the crack, spreading melted plastic over it as you go. If at any point the material of the boat itself begins to melt, stop immediately and let it reharden. When you restart the process, put your heat gun on a lower setting or hold it a bit farther from the boat.
Step 5
Weld the entire length of the crack, ending approximately half an inch below the very bottom of the crack. Use your wire cutters to cut the end of the welding rod from the boat. Allow the plastic to dry for at least an hour.
Step 6
Smooth the plastic welding by running the metal rasp over it a few times.
Patching a Hole
Step 1
Patch a small hole by heating one end of the welding rod and sticking it into the hole. Twist the rod around, applying pressure until melted plastic fills the hole. Cut the rest of the rod away with the wire cutter. Allow the plastic to dry, then smooth it with the rasp.
Step 2
Patch a larger hole by covering it with an appropriately sized hatch cutout if your kayak came with them; otherwise, you can use any small plastic sheet large and pliable enough to cover the hole.
Step 3
Heat the patch until it conforms to the shape of the boat.
Step 4
Heat the welding rod with the heat gun and use the rod to weld around the edges of the patch. Allow the plastic to dry for an hour, then smooth it with the metal rasp.
Tips and Warnings
- If the plastic from the welding rod does not adequately seal your boat, you can try using caulking or epoxy to accomplish the job. Test the effectiveness of your leak fix by positioning the boat so that the repair faces the floor. Pour about a gallon of water into the boat and wait to see if any of it leaks through the repaired area.
- Be sure to wear your heat gloves during all steps of the repair process.
Things You'll Need
- Heat gloves
- Heat gun
- Plastic welding rod
- Wire cutter
- Metal rasp
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