Refurbishment
Published May 25, 2010 | 
Now, as much as I love my Rockpool Alaw Bach, it’s not a kayak I would use for a smash & crash weekend. So with my ACA coaching re-certification coming up this weekend, I’ve been spending time bringing my old warhorse back to life. Yeah, the old NDK Explorer has more gel coat cracks than I’d ever reasonably get out, and the white hull will never again be truly white, but it’s still the only kayak I’ve ever had that I don’t fear dragging another fully loaded kayak across or crash landing on a break wall. (I have as a matter of fact)
Yesterday I did a bit of vanity work. After spending a couple days working the sun fade out of the blue gel coat deck, I didn’t want to tear it up too fast. Remembering a recommendation, or was it a limerick, (There once was a coach from Oban...) I went to the local motorcycle dealer. The Harley-Davidson guys use this special 3m paint protection film to protect fancy fenders from damage. The downside is that they charge $60 for a 10 foot roll of film only 4 inches wide. What they did have were these big scraps. I was able to get them for $15.
Applying the film is easy enough. You simply cut the film to fit where you want it on your deck. Then clean your deck. Once that is done you spray the deck with a light mix of soap water (Baby Shampoo & water works well). Then you peal the film off its backing, and spay the back side of the film with your soap mix and finally put it in place. For a short time you’ll be able to slide it around to get the film where you want it. Then you squeegee it out from the center until the soapy water is out from between the film and the hull. The process only takes a few minutes depending on how picky you are. I cut a section to go under my front deck lines to protect the hull from my spare paddle.
Here you can see the film in place. The black marks show where I used a dry erase marker to mark my cuts. I’m not too picky, but I wanted to leave my old Werner sticker on the deck, so I cut the film to go around it. You’ll also see I put some rubber tubing over the front lines to make it easier to slip my spare paddles under. (Yes, the deck is still a bit trashed!!)
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5 Responses to Refurbishment
Ok, I’ll award style points too. Seriously, I like it and am anxious to see how it holds up. I’ll make sure you get to properly test your old warhorse!
Hi John – it holds up fine – I’ve several boats done like this and the film has never needed replacing, even after many years. REALLY good for foredeck protection.
Derrick – ‘there ONCE was…’??? I still am!!!!
)) Best of luck for the weekend – will be thinking of you as I paddle the Sound of Jura, looking across to Corryvreckan! 
))
Ok, you sucked me in. I found a cheap roll of it on ebay.
David J.
UM, John… I think we should test your Romany…
JB demonstrates rough water landing skills.. Cool!
Hey Rowland.. How do you know I meant you? I mean, How many sea kayaking coaches are there in Oban these days… 11? Thanks! I wish I were there. I’m still trying to work that one out.
David.. let me know what your experience with it is as well.
Derrick, I have been using the 3M tape that you mention on my kayaks for a while now.
It does hold very well up against aging (even in Australian sun) and remains a bit rubbery. I even use it on the back of my compact waterproof digital camera to prevent scratching too much my LCD screen (I just shove my camera in the PFD pocket).
The 3M tape is better than Mylar self adhesive tape that I use where large areas of the deck need protecting (but the Mylar is so much cheaper).
For real high abrasion areas I use a clear non-slip tape used for step thread (not the “sandpaper” one though).