4 Great Tips for Storing Inflatable Kayaks

By Mathew Waters

Before you attempt to put your new vessel away after a long day out on the water, you should be aware of a few important tips for storing inflatable kayaks or canoes. Maintenance and proper storage are extremely important if you plan on using your device for many seasons to come so get in the habit of paying close attention to the condition of your inflatable kayak and how you put it away every single time that you are done using it.

Make Sure Your Kayak is Clean

You probably wouldn't put your coffee mug away after drinking out of it all day without cleaning it nor should you overlook washing your inflatable kayak or canoe prior to storage. Be sure to pay special attention to flushing grit and sand away from foot braces, tracks and out of the skeg boxes. You may be surprised at the things you can pick up in the water that could do damage if the kayak was folded up and put away without them being removed.

Storing Inflated

If you have the room to store your inflatable kayak without deflating it, this is ultimately your best option, unless of course you're putting it away for the season and won't need it for a few months. An inflated one must be stored in a dry, cool location. This is extremely important! A kayak that is stored out in the open, exposed to the harsh elements will become less functional and aesthetically pleasing. Direct sunlight will fade your inflatable kayak and it can ultimately warp it.

When storing inflated, the canoe or kayak must never be laid in any position other than how it would naturally be found in the water. Laying it on its side can cause warping just as easily as the sun. Also, never pile anything on top of it because extended weight can do damage.

Folded Storage

One of the greatest benefits associated with inflatable kayaks is the fact that they can be folded up and stored in the original bag they came in. If you've ever tried rolling up a tent and squeezing it back in its original bag with the poles, you know this can get a little challenging. However, as long as your kayak is properly prepared for storage, you should have no problem.

The first step to making sure it is ready to be folded up is to make sure that it is completely dry, inside and out. Even if you think it's dry, if you take a clean towel to the tracks and crevices, you will probably still find moisture. If folded this way, your kayak will be infested with mildew and mold next time you use it if it isn't ruined before then. Fold it up tightly and store it in a dry bag.

Location

Whether you are storing your kayak away inflated of deflated, put some thought into the storage location. If you are putting it in your garage that houses a few rodents, chances are, your kayak will be ruined. It also needs to be kept away from cats and dogs as well!

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Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.kayakhelp.com. Please visit his complete kayaking guide for all skills and ages.

Kayak Sales

ROGER’S NEW PROJECT IS THE BUILDING OF A PYGMY MURRELET KAYAK FROM A KIT TO PUT TOGETHER.

Days 46-47 - 2 more hours

Prepped the lower coaming area and got the upper coaming installed. I only glassed the lower surface of the upper coaming. I think it will be better looking if I glass both together and run the glass down the inside of the lower coaming at the same time. Finally starting to look like a real kayak.

Days 48 - 3 more hours

Cut out the hatch openings. Very long process by hand. There is a problem keeping the blade perpendicular to the hull that would be much easier with a jig saw. We will all find out how good I did when I install them back on the hull.

Day 49 - 3 more hours

Out of town all week, first day back to the boat. Finished glassing the sheer in the hatch areas. Made some tools to assist with the process. I bought some sanding foam block and mounted them on a dowel. I could sand the surfaces almost all the way to the bow and stern. Also mounted a bristle brush on another stick to seat the glass with epoxy. Both worked very sell. Of course I also make the syringe extension as per the manual although going through the hatch openings, it turned out much shorter.

Day 50 - 5 more hours

Today I got a lot done. I glassed the upper edges of both bulkheads. The rear had quite a gap and I will fill the areas more when I do the stern pour. I used scraps of glass rather than the tape due to the odd shape of the areas. Worked pretty good. After everything had set up I moved the boat into my back yard to do the bow pour. I used a bucket of water to cool the bow. It did get hot. Tomorrow will try to get the stern done and get it back inside before it rains again. Also included a photo of my Hull ID Number. I used a felt tip pen on the surface and just put a layer of epoxy over it. Didn't come out too bad.

Day 51 - 1 more hour

I inverted the boat in my back yard and completed the other end pour (and then I went paddling with my kayak club CNY Kayakers ).

Kayak paddle blades

The blades of your kayak paddles are the most important part when it comes to worry about whether or not you'll be able to control the kayak. This part of the paddle effects how much water you can push with each stroke as well as how the paddle will be able to move through the water. You generally want a good balance between the amount of force you get with each stroke and how easy it is for the paddle to move through the water.

There are two main types of paddle blades: symmetrical and asymmetrical. The type of paddle that you use will generally have something to do with the type of kayaking you're intending on doing. Usually for people who are going kayak touring, asymmetrical paddles are the norm. This is due to the fact that the asymmetrical shape can help give you more control over the kayak - and makes it easier for the paddle to just move through the water.

Another thing that you should look at when you're trying to decide what type of paddle blades will work best for you are whether or not they are curved. If you're a beginner, then you'll probably want to start out with a flatter blade. This is due to the fact that these blades are very easy to control even if you're just starting out. However, if you're an experienced kayaker, then you might want to look into getting a curved blade. This is due to the fact that the curved blades will grip the water better and give you more power.

Some kayak blades are even curved in a cross section, instead of just being curved lengthwise. These blades will give different types of control over the water when they are being used, so you should probably check to see what the paddle blades look like before you buy any kayak paddles. Once again, if you're a beginner, then you will probably want to buy one of the flatter paddles, since they allow the most control.

If you're looking for kayak paddles, make sure that you take a good look at the blades before you buy them. For beginners, simpler is usually better, so if you've never been kayaking before, you should look into buying the flattest paddle blades that you can find. If you have been kayaking before, however, then you may want to experiment with the different types of paddle blades until you find the type that work best for you.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.kayakhelp.com. Please visit his complete kayaking guide for all skills and ages.

CNY Kayak & Paddleboard Paddles

ROGER’S NEW PROJECT IS THE BUILDING OF A PYGMY MURRELET KAYAK FROM A KIT TO PUT TOGETHER.

Days 38-39 - 3 more hours

The deck is glued to the hull. I had a bit of a problem with the strapping tape not holding. I solved it by using my load straps. Conveniently I had enough. Did use some tape but found I had to encircle the boat completely so I could stick to itself. That could be because I had ½ inch tape and the manual call out ¾ inch. Not enough surface area?? Filled the gaps tonight and this weekend I will be able to fillet the inside sheer seam. I am quite pleased the bulkheads. Some gaps but they should fill nicely.

Days 40-41 - 3 more hours

I applied the fillets to both sides of the cockpit area and covered with the Glass tape. I will do the hatch areas once I cut those out. Looks pretty good. I am adding every option the boat has so I am running out of supplies. Ordered more tape, epoxy, rollers and some other supplies. The slides for the thigh pads took a lot of material. Pygmy also has a new thigh pad (precut) kit available soon. I ordered that as well.

The gaps in the areas between the hull and deck are driving me batty. They seem very hard to fill so I used a craft stick as a puddy knife and filled them. Looks kind of rough but they sanded out good.

Days 42- 43 - 4 more hours

Applied the saturation coat, let cure, sanded lightly and glassed the deck. When cutting the cloth for this step, be very careful. It is too easy to leave yourself some extra on one end only to find you need it for the other. I let the epoxy get (tacky) and cut the glass above the tape and removed. This worked very good. I am looking forward to installing the cockpit coaming, but that can wait.



Enough for this week, I'm paddling my other kayak this weekend.

Days 44-45 - 2 more hours

I have run out of supplies (epoxy and FG tape) so I have spent my time sanding out the areas where the glass overlapped at the cockpit area and prepared the components for the coaming. When the supplies arrived from Pygmy I was able to install the lower coaming and apply a light coating of epoxy to the sanded areas. A lot of clamps ARE necessary. I was very pleased just how well it covered. Amazing stuff.

Zegul Specials

Zegul Arrow Nuka GT in A-Core with Skeg $2299

Food to Fuel Stand Up Paddling

By Frank Giacomo

What you eat before your session can make a real difference to your SUP experience. It can help you to call on the energy and stamina required to keep going as long as the waves keep coming in. Without it you could find yourself sitting on the shore watching everyone else having a ball on their paddle boards because you didn't prepare well. Just as you would fuel your car, you need to fuel your body. So how do you prepare?

1. Carbohydrates - SUP is an endurance sport and relies on your ability to perform powerful movements so this is the fuel that your muscles need the most. Carbohydrates are also known as 'brain food', being the only fuel that your brain can use. If you don't eat enough carbs your body will need to slow down while it turns fat into fuel - not what you want if your racing against challenging waves or on a long-distance paddle.

2. Good fat - you don't need a lot, but you definitely need some especially when this endurance sport can require you to call on your body's fat stores to get through that last half an hour of paddling. Avocados and nuts are a good start to replacing your body's fat stores.

3. Protein - in addition to assisting your body to build muscle, protein is a vital part of a balanced and healthy diet and a strong immune system. It repairs any muscle damage that exercise can cause and keeps bones healthy. However, it is important to balance your protein intake as too little can lead to a loss of muscle mass and too much will only cause strain on the kidneys.

4. Fluids - 60-70% of the body is made up of water. Loosing just 2% of your body weight in fluid (which is easy to do in an hour on a hot day out in the water) can be detrimental to your performance, leading to lethargy and headaches. Making sure you replenish your fluids is extremely important. If you are doing strenuous paddling, you may need to replace lost electrolytes and this can be done through sports drinks and others with salt of citric acid to aid in absorption.

5. Calcium - as one of the key foods to building stronger bones, calcium is important to ensuring your bones are resilient enough to avoid fractures or bone diseases like osteoporosis. Calcium is abundant in different foods and can be found in sardines, tofu and dairy products.

6. Vitamins and minerals - leading a balanced and vitamin rich diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is extremely important to your health and your ability to exercise. Vitamins and minerals will help your body to perform well and to recover from exercise.

With a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates, good fats, protein, fluids, calcium and vitamins and minerals, you should be fueled to perform. Now grab your paddle board and enjoy those long SUP sessions.

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HOW TO STORE YOUR PADDLEBOARD AT HOME

ROGER’S NEW PROJECT IS THE BUILDING OF A PYGMY MURRELET KAYAK FROM A KIT TO PUT TOGETHER.

Day 29 - 2 more hours

Sanded and scraped to feather the edges of the reinforcing glass at the inside butt seam. Lightly sanded the inside edge to smooth out the saturation coat. Almost ready to glass the inside of the hull. Instructions say to lay down a strip of masking tape ¾" above the upper chine. Problem is how. I used a technique my body shop does at work to place lettering on vehicles. They use a jig to mark the dimension necessary and use that to align the tape. The craft sticks I have been using to stir the epoxy are just ¾". Worked great and fast.

Days 30-31 - 5 more hours

I have found parts of this project tedious, mundane, rewarding and exciting, but the last task I have completed has been the hardest; glassing the interior of the hull. This was tough to complete. It is nearly impossible to use the squeegee. All it did is raise the glass out of the seams. I ended up using a brush to carefully seat the glass to the surface. I know there is an excessive amount of epoxy on the surface but there is not much I could do about it. Even so there were several areas where the glass formed bubbles that I didn't find in time. Those areas I cut out the bubbles and used a piece of scrap glass to cover the areas properly. Maybe if I had more experience with glass/epoxy I wouldn't have found it so hard. No complaints, you have to learn somehow.

Days 32-35 - 8 more hours

I have spent the last few days getting everything ready for gluing the deck on. Surprising how much has to be completed first. I glued the studs for the footbraces in place. I like that so much more than drilling holes for bolts through the hull. I also put a fill coat on the glass in the cockpit area. Lots for smoothing out and filling areas where contact would be made by the paddler. No jagged edges rubbing my legs please.

I have started glassing the bulkheads and hatch components. I have decided to install my bulkheads (but not the hatches) before I glue on the deck. I have discussed this with Pygmy and their reply was "Our standard recommendation is to install bulkheads after all hull construction is complete to avoid any issues with your deck fitting the hull that can come up if the bulkheads are installed prior to deck being glued down." I am more concerned with their fit and until they are in the hull I can't verify their fit to the deck. This will also allow me to glass tape on both sides of the forward bulkhead.

Done for the week, now time for my kayaking.

Days 36-37 - 2 more hours

It has taken 2 days but I have the bulkheads installed in the hull. I used the glass tape on the cockpit side, since it will be seen and scraps on the hatch sides, since it won't be. I gave the tape side a day to cure before doing the scrap side. I noted that the hull was bowed out slightly from the bulkheads. To bring everything back together, I used my load straps to pull everything together. Worked good! I will use them again when I glue on the deck. They can exert a lot more pressure than tape and I didn't have to drill more holes.

This Pygmy Murrelet Kayak is For Sale

Kayaking Security - Preventing Kayak Theft

By Larry S. Kang

Sometimes when kayakers are out on the water, they will want to leave their kayaks somewhere unattended. For example, many great kayaking locations are near trails, beaches, or other interesting places to hike around. It's always nice to be able to leave the kayak and explore a paddling destination. However, kayakers who do this should give some thought to the security of their kayaks and kayaking gear.

One of the more obvious issues with leaving kayaks unattended is theft. Kayaks are vulnerable to theft in a number of situations, such as when left on a shore, on a car-top rack, or even when stored at home. However, reliable statistics on the numbers of kayak thefts that occur in these various situations may be difficult to find. Kayak theft does occur, though, as is sometimes reported in the news, kayaking forums, or stolen kayak databases.

If you are keeping your kayak on your car rack, there are several options for locking your kayak, including locking tie-down straps, or cable locks, which are similar to bike locks. The cable locks loop around both ends of the kayak so they can't be taken off without unlocking them. The middle section can then loop through a secure part of your car rack. Locking tie-down straps simply have a locking buckle so that the strap cannot be loosened when locked.

Some kayakers have used a car club across the widest part of the cockpit of the kayak. This makes it difficult for anyone to sit in the kayak, while providing a place to secure a cable.

It may be more difficult to securely leave your kayak at a beach or other landing spot, since there may be nothing to tie it to. If you have gear in your kayak, you could try using a backpack security mesh to lock up drybags or possibly cover the cockpit of your kayak completely, so that no one can sit in it or take anything out. Another good practice is to take your paddle with you whenever you leave your kayak unattended. This makes it more difficult for a would-be thief to simply get in your kayak and paddle away.

But even with all of these security measures available, the most determined thief will be able to steal the most prudently secured kayak. In case this happens, the best information to have is the kayak's hull identification number. This is a number that can be used to positively identify the kayak in case it is recovered. Furthermore, anyone coming across the kayak (such as a potential buyer) who suspects it may be stolen can check the hull identification number with the police. This is why it is important to know the kayak's hull identification number or have it recorded and kept in a safe place. The hull identification number can usually be found engraved, stamped, or printed on the hull - look for the long string of letters and numbers.

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HOW TO STORE YOUR KAYAK FOR WINTER PROPERLY

ROGER’S NEW PROJECT IS THE BUILDING OF A PYGMY MURRELET KAYAK FROM A KIT TO PUT TOGETHER.

This Pygmy Murrelet Kayak is For Sale

Day-4 more hours

Well, I have sanded the deck and removed it from the hull and started on the underside. The deck really turned out nice. I wish I had taken as long on the hull in sanding out all the drip marks. It does show. Well, I learned for the next boat.

I epoxied all the seams under the deck and filled the area around the rear of the cockpit. Will let that cure and then do the tape and reinforcing glass around the kayak cockpit areas. That will have to wait for another day.

Day 22-23 - 5 more hours

After some sanding, I taped the seams on the hull and put it back on the hull to cure. A very important point to remember: taping the seams epoxy will leak out the wire holes onto your work surface. If you don't clean it up before you place your hull back on the surface, you will epoxy your hull to the work surface. I have a small remnant of my work surface to sand off my hull before I am done. Luckily the hull's surface is tougher than the top of my work table.

Glassed the cockpit area, added the additional glass at the rear of the cockpit and 6 oz. tape at the front and finished with a saturation coat. One more saturation coat after this cures and I am done for the week time to go kayaking.

Day 24-25 -3 more hours

Set up the forms for the adjustable thigh braces. Applied my fillets on the outside edges of the forms. Also applied the epoxy to the stems with their support fillets. I had some difficulty with this. It is difficult to approximate just how much wood flour to use and in the stern edge, being as narrow as it is, I used much too much epoxy and it slowly ran down the keel and I have a lump to contend with. No one will ever see it but me so I have chosen to forget it.

Day 26 - 2 more hours

Couldn't work at all on the 16th. Record heat here, over 100 degrees; too hot in my garage. I do have a suggestion for those of you that have similar temperature problems (it has been over 90 for the last week). To allow me to use the epoxy I have been placing my jugs into an aluminum tray filled with ice water. It has really given me very good working time.

Finished the thigh brace areas by glassing the 4 layers of tape over the forms. I had put all the raised edges on the glass tape to the sheer edge of the deck and had some difficulty in getting them to lay flat. To try to smooth them out I placed a sheet of Mylar over the edge and using a shim to apply pressure to the edge, without actually covering them, I clamped them down. Will see how it worked tomorrow.



A General Note: I dry fitted my bulkheads into the hull tonight and I was amazed how perfectly they fit. Then I tried them on the underside of the deck, which has had fillet places about the recess plate, glass reinforcement about the cockpit area and tape reinforcement on the forward deck, and they don't fit anymore. I will have to, which the manual does state, trim them to fit. If anyone has a suggestion as to how to do this correctly the first time, I would be very happy to hear it. Credit will be given (if it works).

Days 27-28 - 4 more hours

Removed the forms for the adjustable thigh pads. It looks OK. I think I would just skip this step if I knew exactly where I wanted them and just epoxy them in place.

I am very unhappy with the fillets at the bow and stern. It is so hard to judge the amount of wood flour to allow the epoxy to sag and not run. My epoxy keeps running out of the area so I gave up and set my hull about a 30 degree angle and poured it in. It worked finally.

Prepped the hull for the glass reinforcement at the center seam. Installed the glass and applied the saturation coat to the inside of the hull. Finally, I can take the rest of the weekend off and go kayaking. See you next week.

This Pygmy Murrelet Kayak is For Sale

How to Store Your Kayak For Winter Properly

By Shannon Clark

If you're someone who is just getting started with kayaking, it's important that you take the time to learn how to store your kayak for winter. Winter storage is something many people miss out on and then when they go to pick their kayak back up for a kayak trip in the spring, they find out it doesn't look or function the same.

Here are the main things you must know in order to store it properly.

Clean The Outer Side Thoroughly

The first thing you should be doing is making sure you wash the entire kayak down with a hose first. This will clean off any dirt, salt, or other substances that might have gotten onto it during the summer runs.

A typical garden hose will work perfectly for this - just be sure you are cleaning all sides as best as you can.

Don't Neglect The Inner Portion

Once you're finished cleaning the outside, then your next step is to also clean the inside out as well. Usually water will get into the kayak as you're running the waves and if the salt sits there over winter it could weaken the boat.

Don't forget to clean in and around the handles as well - every area needs to be washed with clean water.

Stand It At An Angle

After you've finished watering it down, then the next thing to do will be to stand it upright at an angle. This will allow all the water to run off it and then when you store it, if it happens to rain or snow (if you're storing it outside), the water there will also run off it.

You never want to let water sit in your kayak and accumulate when you store it over the winter.

Add A Cover

Finally, if you're planning on storing it outside and the area you're thinking about does get a fair amount of sunlight, then you should also cover it with some form of tarp or other material.

This will be important to protect it from UV rays, which can really damage your boat.

So keep these tips in mind to store your kayak over winter. If you do them immediately after you finish your last trip, then you know you will be able to pick your kayak up again next year in the similar condition you left it.

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Camillus Kayak Shop New York

ROGER'S NEW PROJECT IS THE BUILDING OF A PYGMY MURRELET KAYAK FROM A KIT TO PUT TOGETHER.

Day 20 -3 more hours

I had forgotten that when you first coat or varnish a raw wood surface, you usually raise all the grain. Well, that's just what the epoxy did, it raised all the grain. After some scraping with the cabinet scraper and some 150 grit paper, I was ready for glass. It wasn't too bad. Some concerns at the stern, and I did use some clamps to secure the fabric initially. One thing I did at the stern you don't want to do. I secured the flaps of glass at the stern with tape so they wouldn't move. Having never worked with glass I didn't realize just how much of a problem it is to get the tape off the glass. It was not pretty. Don't do that.

It was really helpful to have my photographer, Anne, mixing epoxy for me during the glass installation. Saved much time and made it much easier. Next thing to do is to laminate the keel tape and apply the fill coats. Not much to photograph there. See you next week.

Day 18-19 -2 more hours

Laminated the keel tape and applied the two fill coats. Not that difficult although the 6 oz. tape takes a lot of epoxy to wet out properly. It has been quite warm here so I have been placing my epoxy and hardener into a sink of cold water prior to usage and it works very well. As the manual says, the tape does have quite a pronounced edge on one side. Also noted the overlap at the stern. I will see just how well they smooth out later.

Day 20-21 -7 more hours

The overlap at the stern cleaned up good! Assembled the deck on the hull. This was exciting. I can finally see the kayak. I ran into something that the manual didn't cover. It says to wire the fore and aft decks so the wire twists are on the outside, but it doesn't say how. On the fore deck you can reach two of the three joints but when you add the other panel #5, you have a box with no opening! I solved it by releasing the tape from the bow so it could flex up and installing the wires just enough so I could bend over the ends. After all were installed, I pulled the wires up and was able to twist them snugly. The first application of epoxy is applied to the joints. Tomorrow if it's cool enough I will apply thickened epoxy to smooth out the joints.

Day 22 - 1.5 more hours

Mixed up some epoxy with wood flour to fill my seams. Not too bad. I did locate a potential problem. The manual states to cover the frames with tape and insert a piece of Mylar between the bow and stern so they don't get glued to the hull. On the 4PD model there is one other area on each side where you must take precaution as well. The very narrow section of panel #5 is so close to the hull, if there is any gap between the panel and the cockpit lip (this is an area where it is difficult not to have a gap), there will be leakage. Epoxy will run down the inside and bond the panel to the hull on the inside. I was able to separate the two by carefully inserting a razor knife and tapping it with a hammer. It popped apart neatly.

Tomorrow is another 96 degree day so I will let the epoxy cure.

This Pygmy Murrelet Kayak is For Sale