scratches are kool man war wounds
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| Hull Protection??? http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=34670 |
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| Author: | joeyb [ Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Hull Protection??? |
Purchased my HPA almost a year ago and have fished/explored many different bodies of water, with almost 300 miles logged. After each trip, the PA gets a bath with mild soap. Even with the sand color…it still looks very good. The hull is my only concern…it seems that you cannot avoid getting scratches and nicks on the bottom of our yaks as we venture out over all kinds of sharp objects. My question: Has anyone found a way to help better protect the bottom of the hull? The hull on the HPA is pretty soft…was thinking that someone with more YAK experience, may have tackled this situation already and has a good remedy. Thanks in advance. |
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| Author: | Tom Kirkman [ Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
We all hate to put those first few scratches on the bottom of a new yak. But once you "get the new off of it" you'll relax and just enjoy it. You'll never wear through the hull. I have a WS Tarpon that's going on 10 years old and looks like somebody took an orbital sander to the bottom of it. It still doesn't leak. The plastic is darn tough. Don't sweat it. Just use it and enjoy it. |
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| Author: | MrGreen [ Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
If you google 'kayak hull protection' you can see a few posts of people who have applied a truck bed liner material (Line-X, Herculiner, etc.) to the bottom of their kayaks. I wasn't able to find a wealth of information on the topic and wouldn't consider doing anything until then, but I too thought about something to help protect my hull. I just got the KC Welder Pro, from the Hobie catalog, to fill in some holes I drilled after I decided to move an accessory and it's also in case of an emergency, should that day come. |
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| Author: | thaistick [ Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
scratches are kool man war wounds
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| Author: | Roadrunner [ Sun Apr 10, 2011 10:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
joeyb wrote: Has anyone found a way to help better protect the bottom of the hull? I don't care much for scratches either -- they look unsightly and slow the boat down. For exposed bottom surfaces, clear shipping tape is tough, easy to apply/replace and inexpensive. It will take the abuse on wearing surfaces instead of your hull: Wheels go on and off in the water so the boat rolls in and out without touching the ground. You can also use the wheels to act as a parking brake without having to beach the boat for short trips ashore (with obvious limitations):  Any place the boat needs to be set on the ground, a small carpet sample goes between the boat and the pavement. For scratched surfaces, a razor blade trims off any material that sticks up. Scratches can also be "flamed" off, but it's a tricky process. With a little practice and advance planning you can keep that boat looking new for years! 
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| Author: | mb4859 [ Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
I just use mine and don't worry about the scratches. |
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| Author: | Roadrunner [ Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
mb4859 wrote: I just use mine and don't worry about the scratches. Most owners feel the same way. In fact, examining the hull bottom is an excellent way for a perspective buyer to assess the wear, tear and care on a used boat.
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| Author: | megaweapon [ Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
I recently acquired bassnflash's PA (which was immaculate btw) and found this product which I applied to the bottom of the hull http://www.mightylinetape.com/products/Sample-Roll.html I bought the 6" x 10' sample roll (only $14!) and split it in two. I then applied it to the bottom of the hull and it's held up well. I've only gone out once so far (in salt) and I saw no evidence of it coming off. It's something like 35mil thick. Just make sure to spray down the hull with rubbing alcohol to remove any surface oils and allow for better adhesion. I looked at getting line-X (kind of like rhino spray in bed liner) and they wanted somewhere around $450 to spray the hull. For $14 it's worth a try. They have multiple colors to pick from, plus they gave me some small samples of letter shapes. |
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| Author: | cnnashman [ Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
Thats the problem with polyethelene, it shows everthing.And they say its abrasion resistant  its puncture resistant but far from abrasion resistant. I dont worry about the scratches nearly as much as i do about UV exposure, polyethelene is probably the worst type of plastic when it comes to UV degredation,( just google poly and UV radiation, there is tons of articles on it). When exposed to sunlight poly kayaks have a very limited lifespan compared to other materials, even Hurricane Kayaks use a material that has superior UV resistance.
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| Author: | megaweapon [ Mon May 02, 2011 9:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hull Protection??? |
Been out 4 times now in salt with no issues to the tape. |
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