Boat repair, outfitting

Has anyone found a way to keep the mini hatch on P&H boats from filling up with water? Mine will have a pint at least after sitting out in a light rain. Rolling or rescue practice even worse.

I just picked up an older Dagger Magellan and the rudder is tough to raise/lower. Seems like it needs some lube, but I seem to recall that WD40 is not good for plastic. My choices are graphite, white lube, or trip to the hardware store. Thoughts?

Last year, I purchased a cheap used Virgo. Great deal, needed some work. After I fixed the dents and the skeg, I've been trying to solve the VERY leaky rear hatch. We're talking a liter of water after a few rolls or a splashy paddle - everything in that compartment was getting soaked. It's not the skeg box, it's the hatch rim itself, which seems to have been manufactured just a hair too small for a tight fit with a hatch cover. I tried replacing the Kajak Sport hatch cover with a Whetman - sweet cover but no improvement. Then I tried both flashing tape and electrical tape around the rim to make the cover a tighter fit - maybe a little bit better, but kind of a mess. A cut…

Newly-acquired canoe in decent shape, but 2 cracks on each end, opposite sides. Can this numbskull effect a repair with fiberglass (no experience) kit, taping on the inside, and what-to-do on the outside?

I have a kinked skeg cable on a NDK Pilgrim Expedition. Is there anyone in the Portsmouth NH vicinity that repairs skegs and or sells the cables? Replacement doesn't look that difficult but still not sure I want to attempt on my own Dave

Does anyone have a stash of these, or know where to look? My pre 2007 square hatch boat’s rubber covers are slowly disintegrating. I’m also open to suggestions for DIY replacement, with neoprene plus a fiberglass lid, or whatever…

DIY repair tutorial: Water in Rear Hatch-Leaky Skeg Mechanism.mp4

I just bought a set of Hullavators for next to nothing. One needs the spring replaced. I've sourced the replacements and am pretty confident in my ability to make the repair but if anyone here has experience I would like to hear about it.

What is a good material/type/diameter, and what are good retail sources, for perimeter deck lines and deck bungees?

Has anyone successfully shortened a bilge pump? Most of the reputable manufacturers are making pumps with approx. 18 in. bodies and total length of close to 21 in. with the handle. I can't fit a pump of that length inside my boat and the pump is a liability on the deck. Impediments: the various parts are probably glued together and the glue would be hard or impossible to break. The barrel and shaft would have to be cut down and fittings re-attached. This pump (which is too long) breaks down, but one would have to be able to cut new threads on the body and on the shaft to shorten it: https://www.seattlesportsco.com/products/breakaway-bilge-pump?srsltid…

My Cetus HV had a balky skeg and the video below shows how I effected a repair. The main points of the repair are: -A 5mm bungee replaces a 3mm bungee for a more robust skeg mechanism. -A bit of trial and error arriving @ the right tension. When the skeg is fully deployed the bungees should have very slight tension. When the keg is housed in the box, maximum tension is achieved (to readily deploy). To maximize bungee longevity, deploy the keg when stored, if possible. -Carry necessary tools/components (small cable ties, knife/scissors, 2' (min) length of 5mm bungee) in your repair kit to effect a "field" repair on your own Cetus. Cetus Skeg Repair…

My light has failed and needs to be replaced. Anyone found one they really like? Do the water activated ones just come on all the time?

Where are people going these days to get repairs done on their kayaks (if like me they are too clueless/lazy to do it themselves). Nothing too fancy, I just need a fiberglass keel strip installed and a skeg and cable (and possibly the cable casing ) replaced. Is Carl Ladd still in this business ? I know he sold Osprey a while back. Suggestions? Update, it sounds like Carl Ladd is still in business, Yay!

My foot pegs are making my feet hurt. I’m looking for suggestions on solutions. I could foam it out, but wondering if there is another option?

Any suggestions for best rope on a 98 vintage NDK rope skeg? I replaced the braided 2 or 3mm cord that was on it because it seemed almost too thin to catch in the cleat. The thicker braid I replaced it with generates too much friction in the pass through to the skeg box and it is reluctant to deploy. I may just put the skinny one back...

I am getting the new rendition of Yakima's felt saddle pads. The current pads are ripped and in places, stuck on with pretty tenacious glue. Do you think I could use Goof off to safely remove the glue without damaging the saddle material? Thanks! Karen

Has anyone had any luck with a contact cement for attaching foam thigh pads under the deck/thigh braces of a carbon-kevlar kayak? The product I had the best luck with (Pliobond) is no longer made in its original formula which was very waterproof. The new version is now listed as water-repellent, low VOC. I've used Weldwood in the past with mixed results. I'd like to find something that will work well and last. I'm wondering if there is something out there that I've overlooked. TIA

I have a horseshoe shaped tear in the nylon part of a Snap Dragon tunnel (velcro style) sprayskirt. Reading past posts from 2009 Aquaseal was recommended for repairing a tear in a sprayskirt. Gearaid recommends Aquaseal FD for permanent repairs. Gearaid also recommends tenacious tape. I am tempted to use the Aquaseal first and when set and dry use the TT and then put a cute sea themed patch over that. Maybe of a mola mola. Your experience and suggestions greatly appreciated.

Hello friends, I've looked over this forum and You Tube to finds methods and materials to repair this, but the damage is so extensive, I wonder if the effort is worth it. And advice greatly appreciated

Any recommendations on how to secure the tube that houses the cable skeg to the kayak? As you can see on the pictures, the original material is some type of compound/ glue (don't think is epoxy). When I try to deploy the skeg, the plastic tubing moves and curves with the result that half the time the skeg does not deploy. Thank you!

Hi all - I have a Swift carbon fiber shaft paddle that's snapped in half. This is a 2 piece paddle that broke right at the point where the one half narrows to fit into the other half. It's roughly 15 years old. Anyone have a recommendation on where to bring this to get it fixed? I don't think these are made anymore. Thanks.

Hi folks - Any suggestions for reapplying the keep strip where is coming off? It's mostly intact and good shape, but separating from the hull in several areas. Can this be saved? Suggestions for adhesive and process hold it in place, while drying? Thank you! Bill Whalen Marblehead

I have a Valley Sirona with wire operated skeg. The wire is threaded through a poly tube. There is a leak where the tube penetrates the hull, from the cockpit to a skeg control box on the deck. I am looking for advice for sealing the leak. In particular, what is an appropriate sealant, and how was the thing sealed in the first place? So far I have not tried taking apart the skeg control slider, which apparently has several parts and fits into a recess on the side of the deck. Like everyone else, I have had experience taking things apart and discovering they are more complicated than I thought. I think I may need to take it apart, because it may be that the poly…

New member and new owner of a wilderness systems tsunami 145. Ended up gouging a spot on the hull while being bullish with my trolley. How can I repair? Is this better repaired by a pro vs watching a YouTube video and taking a blowtorch to it?

Hi All, Last Sept the neck gasket on my Mythic Dry Suit had a tear. We did an emergency repair however, I would like to get the gasket replaced or repaired. The dry suit is only a few years old and worn only a few times. Anyone know where I can do this? I can't really invest in a new dry suit right now. Thanks Debra