How To Repair Cracks & Holes In Your Kayak Using Plastic Welding

Do you have a crack or hole in your kayak?

I recently busted up my kayak hull pretty good and was left with a decent-sized hole in it.

There are a few ways to fix it, but I’ve found that using plastic welding is the best.

At first, I tried to use marine patches to cover the hole, but they only lasted about one trip each and it got pretty expensive.

But then, I got this plastic welding kit and the fix was much more effective, lasted longer, and it was cheaper.

Check out the video below to see how to repair cracks and holes in your kayak using plastic welding.

How To Repair Your Kayak Hull [VIDEO]

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The plastic welding kit that I bought is made by Chicago Electric and was pretty cheap at only $17.

It didn’t come with the type of plastic that I needed to fix my kayak, but the good news is that you probably have the right kind of plastic laying around your house.

Most kayaks are made of #2 HDPE plastic, which is the same material that things like five gallon buckets and laundry detergent bottles are made from.

So to start, just cut out a flat piece of plastic from one of those items that you’ll use to cover the hole in your kayak.

Next, you’ll start covering the hole by welding pieces of plastic to your kayak.

This is the first of three layers, so you just want to cover the hole.

For the next layer, you’ll use wire mesh to give the new plastic some more integrity and strength.

And finally, you’ll weld another layer of plastic to the wire mesh to make it even stronger and more water-proof.

4 Tips For Using Plastic Welding To Repair Your Kayak Hull

As you’re applying the new plastic to your kayak, here are four tips to make sure the process goes well:

Tip #1: Be safe

Wear protective gloves because this instrument is incredibly hot!

I almost burned myself, but because I was wearing gloves, I was spared a painful burn.

Tip #2: Clean the tool often

Some of the plastic will get stuck on the tip as you’re using it, so use the wire brush included in the kit to brush it off.

This will help the plastic get a better bond.

Tip #3: Use vice grips

Using vice grips will help keep the new plastic in place as you first start to weld it onto the existing plastic.

Once you’ve gotten things started, you can position the plastic in place with your fingers or a tool like a screw driver or pocket knife.

Tip #4: Make sure the patch is flush

Try to not have any pieces of plastic stick up on the patch and make sure the edges of the patch is flush with the kayak.

This will give your new hull the best shot at being waterproof.

Conclusion

Using plastic welding is the best way that I’ve found to repair a hole or crack in your kayak.

The kits are pretty cheap and you likely have the correct type of plastic lying around your house somewhere.

I used this process to fix my kayak and I was very happy with the outcome.

Have any questions about using plastic welding to fix your kayak?

Or do you know a better way to fix your kayak?

Let me know down in the comments!

And if you know someone who has a hole in their kayak, please TAG or SHARE this with them!

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