Pettit EZ Tex Marine Epoxy Repair Compound – review for kayak hull repair

Take Home Points:

- This stuff is way too thick, but it does work.

For repairs of damage to the hulls of my sea kayaks that has exposed the underlying fiberglass, I’ve typically used the same product that the outer shell is made of – gel coat.  (Evercoat Finish Gelcoat or similar).   But using gel coat requires that you buy at least a pint-size can of the stuff ($60+/-), more than is necessary for a small repair.  Also, using gel coat is a bit messy, and smells strongly – you’ve got to be working outside, which is not always possible, or if indoors open windows and consider using an OV respirator to knock down the smell/toxicity of the vapors.

Epoxy, on the other hand, doesn’t smell, comes in small quantities, and is cheaper than gel coat for small repairs.  I’ve used West System epoxy for repairs inside the cockpit of fiberglass kayaks, but I’ve never used white epoxy putty, i.e. “Marine-Tex®”,  for repairs to the outside surfaces.  This type of epoxy comes in small 2 oz. cans for under $20, and is colored white to match the hull of most boats.  The reason I haven't used Marine-Tex before is that, unlike gel coat which has UV inhibitors, epoxies have none (presumably the chemistry of epoxy does not allow UV protection).  So, exterior sun-exposed epoxy repairs should (ideally) be covered with paint or varnish to prevent them from discoloring. This means a second step that I never wanted to deal with.  But, not having a can of gel coat around, for this repair I bought some epoxy putty.  

REVIEW

Instead of Marine-Tex ® Epoxy Putty, I decided on a similar product made by Pettit Paints called – EZ Tex Marine Epoxy Repair Compound.  The advantage of this product is purported to be that it mixes in an easy one-to-one ratio (Marine-Tex uses a hard-to-measure 5:1 ratio) and both the resin and hardener are in the form of a paste, no runny/messy hardener as is the case with Marine-Tex.  

Photo 1

My kayak had a small (pea-size) area of hull abrasion at the stern exposing the fiberglass fibers, so all I really needed was a small dab of epoxy. But since I'd purchased the EZ Tex, I thought I’d apply the epoxy in a slightly larger area, making a short 12-inch keel strip to build up this area on my kayak that experiences high wear.   THIS was a mistake because the EZ-Tex epoxy is WAY too thick to spread cleanly as a keel strip.   It’s described on Pettit’s website as having a “buttery consistency”.   Buttery it is NOT, unless they meant frozen butter!  It’s more like stiff clay – very difficult to spread and not self-leveling the way gel coat is, not able to flow into voids and dry to a smooth finish.  Forget using a brush to apply it, even the spreader I used just kept pulling the dry, clay-like putty into grainy voids (see PHOTO 2, inset).  Worse still, I found that the epoxy putty kept pulling away from the repair surface as I spread it!   After struggling for a while to ensure that the epoxy at least covered the damaged part of my hull, eventually I just left the epoxy to dry all jumbled in rough clumps.  Disappointing. 

Photo 2 - can't spread smoothly, too thick/dense

Photo 3 - thick stuff

The next day I returned to the boat and was relieved that the repair was fully hard/cured.  The one positive attribute of epoxy putty for this type of hull repair is that it’s easy to sand, seems noticeably easier to sand than cured gel coat IMHO.    I used 80/100 grit dry sandpaper, then wet sanded with 300 and 600 grit.  Took about ½ hour to get smooth-enough results.  The color of the cured EZ-Tex is ever-so-slightly off-white, so you can see the repair if you look closely.  Whereas repairs using gel coat are pure white, if properly sanded can be made to blend invisibly with the hull.   Biggest issue with EZ-Tex is revealed after sanding - the thick consistency of the putty creates voids, air pockets that dot the surface of the sanded repair.  (See PHOTO 5, below)  To fix these voids I'd have to reapply a skim coat of ....what?  Thinned EZ-Tex?   I emailed the manufacturer to ask if it can be thinned with denatured alcohol or some solvent, but have yet to hear back.

The last thing I considered was whether to cover the epoxy with some type of paint to provide UV protection.  I’d hazard a guess that it’s not necessary, since the worst that can happen is the nearly-white epoxy putty will turn more off-white in the years to come.  BUT just for good measure, I got some white enamel spray paint at Home Depot, masked the area, and spray painted over the repair, lightly sanded with 600 grit when dry. (Paint didn't fill the voids in the epoxy surface, by the way).  

Will see how the repair lasts.   If I’m disappointed with how it holds up, I’ll switch back to gel coat for future repairs. 

In conclusion, EZ-Tex was indeed EZ to apply, but I would have liked it to be thinner, more like yogurt or smooth peanut butter. 

Photo 4 - final repair

Photo 5 - voids, air pockets dot the surface of repair

Yakima Mako Saddles reborn with T-Bolts

Another in my line of El-cheapo fixes for old kayak gear.  I wanted to make use of my old, but still perfectly functional, Mako Saddles with my newer aero-style cross bars.  Unfortunately, Yakima’s “Universal MightyMounts” necessary for the job are expensive – and apparently I’d need two packs of them (8 mounts) to secure them to aero bars at a cost of $118.  Ouch.  

Yakima and Thule both sell T-Bolts to mount various gear on aero bars, but they’re gear-specific – one type for luggage boxes, another for bike mounts, etc. In the case of discontinued gear like the Mako Saddles, Yakima does not provide a way to attach them via T-Bolts.  So, for $20 I ordered some knock-off brand T-bolts made in China that were the correct dimensions and made of stainless steel, called the “X AUTOHAUX 8pcs Universal Roof Rack T Shaped Bolt” (?).  I drilled holes in the bottom of my Mako Saddles and presto – the saddles are on my aero bars securely.  (See photos) 

Note:  I later discovered that there is a more robust option made by Yakima for the same price as the generic T-bolts I bought.  These are called the “T-Bolt with Nut for Yakima Rack and Roll Trailers” (Item # Y8880184), sold by E-Trailer or Re-Rack online.  Although made for the Yakima kayak trailer, their dimensions would work fine for attaching the Mako saddles to an aero bar, and they’re thicker than the T-bolts I bought (10mm vs 6 mm).  Always wise to buy from the original manufacturer.  

Valley Sea Kayak wire skeg repair – How To Fix, with photos

Valley Kayaks wire skegs work well and are usually maintenance-free.  But my 15-year old VCP Avocet kayak developed a leak in the skeg system so I had to replace portions of it. In my case the problem was the small compression fitting (nut/bolt) that attaches the plastic tubing and skeg wire to the skeg box.

At some point the boat developed a mysterious yet substantial leak into the rear compartment – perhaps a quart of water after paddling. On dry land I flipped the boat upside down and poured water into the skeg box from the hull side, then poked my head into the hatch from below to see what was happening – water was pouring in where the plastic tubing meets the skeg box - the tubing had pulled free from the metal compression fitting (see Photo 1). The compression fitting contains a sort of donut-shaped “olive” that deforms when compressed, thereby squeezing around the outside of the plastic tubing to create a water-tight seal.  Unfortunately, one cannot just push the plastic tubing back into the compression fitting to fix it.   So, having identified the problem I had a decision to make – do I get some epoxy putty and seal up the plastic tubing around the metal compression fitting, a messy fix that would make repair in the future difficult – or – do I fix it the proper way with new parts?  I decided to fix it the proper way and sent an email off to Jason at Valley Canoe Products who sent me replacement parts – including a new brass compression fitting, new skeg wire, new controller knob, and a plastic tubing splicing kit in case I needed to make changes to the length of the tubing. 

Photo 1

The skeg setup described below is common on Valley boats and similar enough to other kayaks that I thought it helpful to post some words and photos explaining how I did this repair.  I wasn’t able to find much in the way of instructions online specific to my skeg setup, so I mainly just “winged it”.  CLICK photos to ENLARGE:

Terms for reference:

Skeg “Blade”:  The plastic fin that goes up/down

Skeg “Wire”: The wire that’s attached at both ends – at the skeg blade end and up at the control knob

Skeg “Control Knob”:  The plastic lever/knob up next to the cockpit that you push forward/backward with your hand to deploy the skeg (sometimes called Skeg Slider Knob). This knob has a small set-bolt ("grub screw") inside that holds the skeg wire in place.

Skeg “Compression Fitting”: This is a 3-part brass nut/bolt setup that for my kayak is made in England, it’s got a specification in BSP (British Standard Pipe), which is UK plumbing nomenclature I believe. Sorry I don’t know the spec/size but it’s likely metric.

Skeg wire’s “Plastic Tubing”:  The plastic tubing that contains/protects the skeg wire like a sheath – it’s glued or fiber-glassed inside the boat, runs through the bulkheads, and extends from the control knob back to the skeg box.

Skeg control knob’s “Metal Rod”: The roughly 10-inch long hollow metal (or carbon fiber) rod that fits inside the control knob to provide a rigid piece to slide back/forth.  This metal rod has a hole drilled in it typically half-way along its length to allow the control knob’s set bolt to pass through fixing the skeg wire in-place.

Skeg “Box”:  The fiberglass (or in some cases pre-formed plastic) box that holds the skeg blade. The skeg box has a small metal post at the front-end onto which the skeg blade hooks and rotates around. The skeg box also has an opening at the top inside the boat where the compression fitting is affixed and where the skeg wire enters to raise/lower the skeg blade.

1   1. Removing the old skeg wire and control knob

Using a 2.5 mm Allen wrench (available at any hardware store), unscrew the control knob set-bolt ("grub screw") to release the skeg wire inside.  In my case, the bolt was stripped - the Allen wrench just turned and turned. So, I was forced to drill out the little bolt, sacrificing the old control knob.  TIP:  Use a drill bit specifically made for cutting metal, such as a titanium drill bit. Otherwise the drill may slide off the little metal bolt, cut through the plastic control knob and straight through the fiberglass deck of your kayak like butter!  (Uh, ask me how I know…oops. See Photo 2). 

Photo 2

Once the wire is loose at the control knob end, use your hands to pull the skeg blade out/down to expose the set-bolt that affixes the wire to the blade.  If the blade doesn’t pull down easily don’t force it – this means the bolt in the control knob has not been fully loosened.  It’s deceivingly easy, with a bit of elbow-grease, to manually pull out the skeg blade even if the wire’s not fully released from the control knob. If the wire's not fully disconnected, putting leverage on the blade can put a kink (bend) in the skeg wire making it difficult to re-use. (Uh, ask me how I know…oops. See Photo 3). Once pulled down, if you must replace the wire, detach it from the skeg blade by unscrewing the set-bolt there with a flat-head screwdriver.  Despite being a 15-year-old boat, this stainless-steel bolt on my Avocet's skeg blade came out fine. Next, pull the skeg wire out completely if you're replacing it. The plastic tubing stays affixed inside the boat - in my kayak the tubing is heavily glassed-in in places.  You can also pull the skeg wire out the front end by the control knob where (in my boat) the plastic tubing ends with an easy-to-remove cap. (See Photo 4)

Photo 3

Photo 4

Since I’d damaged some of the parts when dismantling them, I ordered new parts from Valley. (See Photo 5).  Which they sent to me free-of-charge, amazing the company is still servicing older boats – their current skeg system doesn’t even use some of these older parts.  Thank you, Valley Canoe Products!  Plus, I ordered a replacement for the metal rod that I’d bent when drilling out the control knob – purchased a new carbon-fiber version from Tom the owner of TopKayaker in N.H., a uniquely super place that sells parts for many brands of kayaks.

Photo 5

      2. A note about the Control Knob

Not sure if Valley was the original manufacturer of this type of Control Knob, but it’s used on many brands of kayaks – see Photo 6.  Be aware that some of these knobs are set up for skeg systems found in composite (fiberglass) kayaks and some are setup for systems typically found in plastic kayaks.  In plastic kayaks, the bare skeg wire passes through the smaller hole (see in Photo 7).  For my kayak, and most composite kayaks, the skeg wire sits inside the metal rod so both must pass through the larger hole in the control knob. SO, for composite kayaks you must make sure that your replacement control knob has been drilled/threaded to allow the set bolt (seen in Photo 6) to pass all the way through to the larger hole. Otherwise, this little bolt will not be able to reach the skeg wire.  The replacement control knob I’d originally received had not been “tapped” all the way through to this second hole, so was meant for the plastic kayak setup (#@!%*!?).  Instead of buying a bolt-tapping kit to extend the threads further into the knob, I just sent off for the proper control knob. (Phew, a lot of words but important to say all that).

Photo 6: Control knob, set bolt ("grub screw"), 2.5 mm Allen wrench

Photo 7

      3.  Installing the new skeg wire, compression fitting, control knob, and metal rod

If you’re replacing the skeg wire, save the original wire and cut the new one to the same length (taping them together helps – see Photo 8). To do this I bought some thick-gauge steel wire cutters for $10 online, but West Marine or any boat store should have even stronger clippers for cutting sailboat rigging, they’d probably be happy to cut the wire for you.  (Good clippers are important - making a clean cut at the ends of the wire is necessary to smoothly thread it through the plastic tubing, metal rod, and skeg blade, as described in the steps below.) Thread the new wire into the plastic tubing from either end, I passed it through the skeg box end.  It went very smoothly until it hit something and stopped – a dent in the tubing perhaps or some debris inside?  No way to easily examine the tubing for blockages - since it's glassed-in.  Using the old wire, I reamed out the tubing some, after a long while it finally went through. (Thankfully)

Photo 8

The hard part: At this point the new skeg wire is fully inserted in the plastic tubing.  Now you must pass the stern end of the skeg wire through the new compression fitting.  As shown in Photo 9, the compression fitting has three pieces. A lower part that screws into the skeg box (which has metal threads permanently glassed into it); a middle part which is simply the compression “olive” that is critically important to have; and an upper part which screws down into the lower part, thereby compressing the olive.   I found that the space to fiddle with these parts is small and the tolerances for getting everything to fit are quite limited.  But it’s doable. Once you’ve got the skeg wire through the compression fitting and sticking out down through the skeg box (see Photo 10), it’s time to push the stern-end of the plastic tubing through both the upper part of the compression fitting and through the middle olive part so that the tubing is sticking out some past the olive (a few millimeters). This is to ensure that the tubing doesn't just pop out again when you're tightening the fitting.  Next, use an 11 mm wrench or monkey wrench to seat the lower part of the compression fitting into the skeg box. Finally, screw the upper part of the compression fitting onto the lower part until there’s resistance.  I tightened it gradually until I felt some resistance, then went a bit further – hoping that it was enough to compress the olive around the tubing but not too tight that it was squeezing the skeg wire inside, which would make the skeg wire hard to move up and down in use.  (When the job is finished, you can test the system on the water, if it leaks tighten the upper part of the compression fitting more).

Photo 9

Photo 10

The hard part is finished.  

Next, I used my new skeg blade set-bolt to re-attach my old skeg blade to the new wire. At this stage in the repair, the wire is loose in the system so it’s easy to just pull some excess down past the skeg box, push the wire into the skeg blade’s wire attachment hole, and then screw the new set-bolt in to fix the wire in place.  The set bolt’s head is a bit wider than the width of the skeg blade which sometimes causes it to catch at the opening of the skeg box or rub on the sides when putting the skeg up/down.  You may want to file down the sides of this bolt to minimize this.  The skeg blade can now be reattached to the boat by hooking it onto the post inside the front of the skeg box. (See Photo 11).

Photo 11

Next, push the skeg blade in from the stern to expose the skeg wire at the control knob recess (see Photo 12).  Then insert the new metal rod into the control knob recess from the front – as I said, the plastic tubing is exposed there under the deck, so just pull off the plastic cap and insert the new rod.   Then, push the new control knob onto the new metal rod and line it up over the hole in the metal rod.  You can see (Photo 13) that I pre-assembled the control knob and metal rod to mark-up the location of the set bolt over the hole in the rod, makes the final step easier.  Next, thread the skeg wire through the metal rod.  Use a bungee or second pair of hands to keep the skeg blade fully retracted inside the skeg box.  Then, align the control knob with the front (“up”) part of the control knob recess, screw down the bolt to affix the skeg wire at that spot.  Replace the plastic cap on the front end of the plastic tubing (see Photo 2).  You’re finished!  Wasn’t that easy…..?

Photo 12

Photo 13

By the way, if all you need to do is replace a kinked skeg wire, this site has clear instructions for that:  Kayak Academy Skeg Wire Replacement Instructions

Sea-Lect Designs Rubber Hatch Covers - Review

These are great replacement sea kayak hatch covers for a variety of boats including those made by Valley, Necky, and Kajaksport.  They’re especially good for oval-shaped hatches. These covers come in two types – “recreational” ($65) and “performance” ($80).  They share the exact same rubber base, but the performance version adds a rigid plastic top surface.

I’ve used these lids and some friends have too.  The recreational version fastens to the rim easily, like butter actually, and likely offers most kayakers sufficient assurance of water tightness. (I’ve flipped the boat with them and they remained dry.) The hard-plastic top of the performance version has a slight concave shape, so provides an additional “squeeze” to the hatch rim, something that rough-water paddlers might prefer for added peace of mind. The trick to putting the performance version lid on is to press down in the center of its hard-plastic top which decompresses the concave shape slightly and "snaps" the cover on more easily. Liberal application of 303 or a similar UV protectant/lubricant helps getting them on/off too.  With these methods, these hatch covers go on more easily than the standard Valley hatch covers.  The Sea-Lect covers also float and come with a strong tab to tie a tether.

I’ve owned three Valley kayaks and have had trouble with Valley's deteriorating rubber lids (as have many people). Their fairly rapid deterioration may be due to UV exposure. I've also heard it may be  due to the air bubbles in the rubber Valley uses. While this type of rubber gives Valley's lids a thicker, more rigid feel and allows them to float, over the years the air bubbles inside the rubber expand/contract with changes in outdoor temperature thereby speeding the decline of the rubber. (That’s one theory I’ve heard anyway).  Valley lids work great while they last, but why not replace them if they go bad with ones that are an improvement and will last longer.

You can check out and purchase the Sea-Lect hatch covers at these links, below (as always, I'm in no way compensated for my recommendations, just my observations/opinions...😀):

SeaLect Designs

Top Kayaker

"Performance" Hatch Cover by SeaLect Designs

"Recreational" Hatch Cover by SeaLect Designs

Kayak Repair and Construction with Gel Coat and Epoxy – Random Photos of Past Projects

I used to do a fair amount of repair each year on my boats – didn’t often take photos, but a few below. I've grouped these by "Gel Coat" and "Epoxy", which are used for somewhat different purposes. Gel Coat is really a surface treatment, it forms (and is used to repair) the hard, rigid outer shell of the kayak.  Epoxy is more a "glue", which can be used to make wooden boats and also used to repair holes and deeper damage to fiberglass kayaks, typically in combination with some patches of fiberglass cloth. Rule of thumb for me is if you have a real hole/leak or damage that goes down into and through the fiberglass, you need Epoxy - use Epoxy Resin on the inside of the boat for the initial repair to make the boat watertight again, then finish exposed areas on the outside of the hull with gel coat. If the damage is only in the outer Gel Coat, but the underlying fiberglass is largely undamaged, then Gel Coat is all you need for the repair. 

Gel Coat:

If you remember nothing else, remember “Get the FINISH Gel Coat” kind, not the laminating gel coat.  See photo of Gel Coat can below.  This type air-cures so is the one you want for repair – doesn’t require a barrier film over it, which is a pain.  Gel coat is typically white for hull repair - forms the outer coat (shell) that protects the underlying fiberglass from abrasion damage and UV sun exposure.  Like automotive "bondo" it is made to harden by adding several drops of a clear liquid catalyst (methylethylketone MEK), that has a recognizable smell.  It's easy to work with, but I always use goggles when I mix it because the MEK can damage the eyes if a drop gets in.  I used to fill gouges and deep scratches in the gel coat on my kayak hulls maybe once a year with new dabs of Gel Coat.  But even a small job requires some work and that you return the next day to sand it down.  So, I eventually got tired of that and only fixed major Gel Coat gouges or areas of impact that exposed the underlying fiberglass, as shown in the images of my repair job below - you can see the underlying fiberglass weave.  Deeper areas of damage in the Gel Coat that expose the fiberglass layer underneath are “functional” (not cosmetic) and require Gel Coat repair because exposed fiberglass can absorb water or shred the fibers more over time. (Not immediately, you can still paddle the boat unless it's leaking but covering areas of exposed fiberglass with new gel coat soon is wise). Shallow surface Gel Coat scratches or spider cracking aren't a problem and IMHO need not be repaired.  Photos below show repair needed due to a big whack that occurred while RI rock-gardening.  For that repair, I was using a Dremel tool and 80-grit sandpaper to remove all Gel Coat at the damaged area down to the fiberglass.  I applied a few coats of Gel Coat (perhaps 2 coats to build it up, the second painted on after the first was tacky) followed by wet sanding after it was fully cured/dry with 600 grit sandpaper. The better you prepare the damaged area by sanding away loose/cracked gel coat, the better the repair area will do  - repair will be imperceptible when it’s done.  But more shallow, simply cosmetic Gel Coat repairs are often too thin to hold up well - the new gel coat will just crack again. So, unless it’s a major repair, I’ve learned to leave cosmetic scratches and spider cracking alone.  The hull’s gel coat is meant to be a sacrificial barrier anyway, to protect the underlying fiberglass – once it’s really bad you repair it. I have a friend who had his entire 20-year-old kayak hull re-sprayed professionally with new Gel Coat for $600 in Norwalk CT - worth it to him since he loved the boat. Or, once your hull is really worn, you can add a keel-strip with fiberglass tape, polyester resin and gel coat (a semi-big job which I did once to a kayak I later sold, no photos).

Rock-gardening casualty

This is the stuff - FINISH Gel Coat

Added patches of fiberglass cloth where heals damaging hull and at leak area - I should have used Epoxy for better strength instead but didn't have any handy

Dremel down to expose fiberglass

[Technical Note:  Gelcoat is a special type of polyester resin mixed with coloring agents and UV inhibitors that protect the boat’s underlying fiberglass.  When a boat is manufactured, “laminating” gel coat is sprayed into the boat mold.  This type of gelcoat will not fully dry – it will stay tacky.  Fiberglass cloth and resin (polyester, vinylester, or epoxy resin) are then added on top of the gelcoat such that the two materials (uncured “tacky” gelcoat resin and fiberglass resin) bond chemically, making the protective coating very strong.  By comparison, subsequent repairs made by kayak owners with air-curing gelcoat must bond physically, not chemically, so they require that the repair area be roughly sanded to make a better bond.  That’s why gelcoat repairs are never quite as strong as the original chemical “gelcoat-to-fiberglass resin” bond.]

Epoxy:

I used 2-part MAS Epoxy (a few gallons) to make the CLC North Bay kayak in 1999, photos below.  A testament to the fact that anyone can make a stitch-and-glue boat! I did a messy, novice job - but the thing was water tight. Finished product looked great on the outside with a lot of sanding, a few coats of varnish and some wood inlay for decoration. That's one nice thing about wood boats, each spring you can lightly sand and add a coat of varnish making the hull like new.  

In addition to its use in wood kayaks, more significant fiberglass kayak repairs can also be made with Epoxy (MAS or West System), especially on the interior of the boat.  After Epoxy dries you need to cover sun-exposed areas with paint, varnish or gel coat since epoxy has no UV protection in it. (Yes Gel Coat can be applied over Epoxy - see video here.)  Epoxy seems more "tacky" feeling to me, less hard/brittle than Gel Coat. I've also heard it is more tenacious than gel coat, able to bond to things with less sanding and acts more like glue. That's why it should be used for holes, and more major repairs.  Also, unlike Gel Coat (a polyester resin), which just requires a few drops of the catalyst, Epoxy is composed of a two-part "resin" and "hardener" that are mixed in more equal proportions. Lastly, epoxy doesn't smell as strongly as Gel Coat (in fact I can't smell it at all most times). Some say wet epoxy is less toxic compared to Gel Coat (which is made from polyester resin) if it gets on your hands.  I'm not sure about that - I always were gloves when dealing with either substance.  When sanding a big surface of freshly cured epoxy (as when making a wooden boat) it's also wise to use a respirator and gloves (as in photo below). Fully cured epoxy can be sanded with just a dust mask. For small repair projects, such as fixing an interior leak below the seat or repairing a paddle, I've used the easy-to-use West System 101 kits of epoxy (photo below) - the resin and hardener come in little envelopes with some silica dust to thicken and a mixing stick. I’ve also used epoxy sticks (photo below) for "field" repair of a holed kayak that I dropped while on vacation.  An epoxy stick has the consistency of clay – you rip off a piece and knead it to combine the two-parts and it hardens in place.  Later you can sand off the outer portion of the repair and cover with Gel Coat. 

  

Making the CLC North Bay stitch-and-glue kayak, winter 1999

Messy on inside but watertight

Finished product

Inlay (overlay) around compass

Super convenient for quick repair  - used once when my boat was dropped hard while on vacation

Easy West System 101 Repair Kit

Thule Hullavator Review - with tip on how to unlock arms

Background - before I got the Hullavator:

If you paddle solo a lot, some method of assisting you with loading your kayak onto your car is nice - and potentially essential depending on your level of fitness.  I used to carry my heavy British kayaks over one shoulder and hoist them onto my car solo using just my outstretched arms. Not surprisingly, after perhaps a decade of that I began looking for an alternative! I first found Yakima's "Boatloader" - a great product that's simply a bar that extends from your rack. I used that for a long time - you first lift the bow onto the bar and then raise the stern onto the rear saddle - greatly reduces the effort of lifting the boat since you do it in stages.  One downside to the Boatloader is the potential for your kayak to slide off the cradles if they're slippery, or in high winds. (I've got a post about this elsewhere on this blog.)

The Hullavator:

But if you need a little MORE help, then the Thule Hullavator is the load-assist kayak carrier to buy. I finally bought the Hullavator after a shoulder injury. I personally had no choice at that stage. But in retrospect it would have been nice to have a Hullavator sooner, and I definitely recommend the product. The main upsides to the Hullavator include: ease of raising the boat onto the roof (you can really just lift it with one arm); the boat is secured before it's on the roof (won't slide/blow off before you strap it down); and it provides the ability to easily work on the boat when it's in the "down" position - sponge-out water, remove hatches, fix a bungee, adjust footpegs. It's right at waist height so easy to do all that.

So easy to access the cockpit/hatches, no standing in doorwells

The downsides to the Hullavator are worth knowing before you buy. Some, but not all, can be overcome as discussed below. The downsides include:

1. You have to lift the full boat weight to chest height to load it onto the Hullavator.
2. You must simultaneously (yes) squeeze the hand grips to unlock the hullavator in order  to raise the boat - this is not easy if you've got any knee/back/shoulder issues. See TIP below.
3. When you lower the boat, the swing-arms may not fully lock (especially if your boat is lightweight) - meaning the arms will swing up violently when you remove the boat.
4. The cradles don't fold down, so if you must enter a low garage you have to remove the Hullavators - and they're pretty heavy.
5. If you use Yakima (round) bars, the Hullavator arms tend to rotate when you load your kayak, so you must first realign the two arms before cinching your boat straps tight. Otherwise you won't be able to raise it. 
6. Road noise - the rack makes more noise (wind at high speeds, squeaking at low speeds) than other racks.

Ways to overcome some of these downsides:

1. People who have used the Yakima Boatloader, Thule Outrigger, or any of the similar load-assist kayak carriers that allow sliding the boat up from behind (Hully Rollers, Roll Model) are accustomed to lifting just 50% of their boat's weight at a time from ground level - first the bow is lifted up to the bar (or rear cradle in rear-loading methods) then the stern in a second step.  These load-assist products make a major difference in effort when solo-loading. And are a perfect combination to use with a rolling kayak cart.  Unfortunately, unlike these other load-assist carriers, the Hullavator requires that you lift the entire boat's weight at once - why?  Because lifting the bow into the rear Hullavator cradle and sliding it forward is not officially sanctioned (I called Thule) due to the potential for damaging the hydraulic arms with repeated use. The arms are not meant to be torqued sideways - only opened/closed up and down. This inability to load the boat in a two-step fashion is far and away the biggest downside to the Hullavator. If you have no trouble dead-lifting a 60-lb kayak from the ground with the cockpit facing towards you (which is necessary to "properly" load a kayak onto the Hullavator cradles), then chances are you don't need the Hullavator in the first place! (Not sure what Thule was thinking there.)  Nevertheless, despite the non-orthodox nature of this method, what I do is put the bow in the rear cradle, then lift the stern, followed by a combination lift/slide, shimmying the boat forward until the cockpit is between the two arms. Then I strap it down. When "slide-lifting" the boat along the cradles, I try not to put too much sideways pressure on the arms. This is actually one advantage to having round Yakima bars, it allows the Hullavator arms to rotate a bit during the "slide-shimmy", which probably reduces the forces on the joints of the arms. The arms will be misaligned afterward, but I fix that before securing the straps. With my heavier boat, I sometimes lift the stern into one of my Talic portable kayak stands so I can work the boat forward into the Hullavator.  But any way you cut it, lifting the whole boat or a semi-slide method, with the Hullavator you end up lifting more of the boat's weight than with the other load-assist carriers that allow separate bow-then-stern loading. The saving grace is you only have to lift the boat to chest height with the Hullavator.  Because you don't have to lift anything above your head, overall the Hullavator is an improvement in terms of effort as compared to other load-assist carriers in my opinion - especially if saving your shoulders is your goal. But clearly the Hullavator could be improved - Thule should work on modifying the Hullavator to allow step-wise loading from the ground. Perhaps reshape the rear cradle to facilitate sliding and put a crossbar or something to prevent torqueing the arms (?).

2. Next is a major TIP for those who own or are considering the Hullavator.  If you have trouble bending way down to squeeze the two handles (to unlock the swing arms prior to raising them up once your boat is strapped in) I discovered an alternate method through trial-and-error.  You can instead simply stick your finger at the top of the swing-arm (see photos) and pull up on the metal claw that "locks" the arm down. Voila - the arms are unlocked now and you can raise the boat to the roof. (I'd initially rigged a rope across the handles that I could step on with my foot to release, but unlocking the metal claws from above is far easier).

Alternate way to release Hullavator when in "down/extended" position

Pull up on metal claw

3. To prevent the swing arms from swinging up (violently) when you remove the boat, just make sure you press down on the tops of both swing arms firmly once the boat is lowered until you hear a "click". Then they're locked in the down position. This is pretty key. 

Make sure it's LOCKED down

4. Removing the Hullavator isn't hard - in the up position (arms retracted on top of cross bars), unlock the swing-arm and tip it up (so it's vertical but not extended/lowered) and pull it out (extend the swing arm) just an inch or two, then yank out the removable pin with your free hand. The swing arm stays put in the vertical position resting on the cross-bar (but you must keep a hand on it). Then just lift the unit up and off the cross-bar with two hands.  It's pretty heavy - no way around that. The Hullavator's mounting bracket stays permanently fixed to the cross-bar.

To Remove Hullavator from Crossbars

5. Regarding the problem of rotating arms (if you have Yakima bars) no way around that really either - but it's not a major problem.  Just make sure you realign the swing arms so they're roughly parallel before you cinch down your boat straps and raise your boat. Pretty easy to do.

6. On the road noise issue - no way around it, but it's not too bad. I once had my rubberized kayak Lasso lock thing on my boat and mysteriously the squeaking stopped. There is probably an easy way to fix it but the noise doesn't bother me.

So that's it - the downsides to the Hullavator are mostly minor and the upsides are pretty substantial.  The product is expensive ($500+) so it wouldn't be the first product I'd try if I needed solo boat loading help. On the other hand, it might save wear-and-tear on your back/shoulders over the years so you might consider getting one even if you don't absolutely need it.

I considered the various other products out there - none did much more than the Yakima Boatloader (Thule Outrigger) so I didn't buy them.  For those with sedans, the Thule Glide&Set or Yakima's Hully Rollers work well I'm told, in combination with a blanket to protect your car's trunk.  Kari-Tek (a UK company) has the Easy Load Roof Rack which I saw in Wales. While it's a great product, it's primary benefit is loading/lifting multiple boats at a time and it has no hydraulic assist. Worthwhile checking out though if you often load multiple boats.

Paddlelogic Trailtreker Kayak Cart REVIEW - the BEST of the rest

My latest kayak cart and easily the best I've owned.  Made by "Paddlelogic" in upstate NY.  Worth the money (despite the relatively high cost of $150) if you have back/shoulder issues (as I do) which make moving the boat around hard.  This thing is super light weight, has no metal bearings to rust (just a stainless steal axle with plastic bushings), slides on/off easily, has foam (not air) tires so won't deflate, and can be dismantled pretty quickly for stowage in your boat.  Had this thing up in Cape Cod and often found it easiest to put in my boat, rather than return it to my car. The put-ins can be far from the parking area and having the ability to put this in the rear hatch is great.  People were intrigued as I just rolled the thing straight into the water without fear of rust, slid it off the stern, stowed it and paddled away.  Several asked me where to get one.  I found that stowing in a basic sea kayak required putting all the pieces in the rear hatch individually. To prevent the metal axle from sliding around and damaging the interior of my fiberglass kayak hatch, I drilled holes in the two small blocks of foam Paddlelogic mails with the cart to protect the ends of the axle, and threaded them through the attachment line so I wouldn't lose them.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CART.

TrailTreker Cart - 24" axle

Foam blocks to protect the ends of the axle for stowing

Dismantled and ready for stowing in rear hatch

Sea Kayak Spray Skirts – Review of Snapdragon’s Glacier Trek Breathable

Counting them up, I realize I’ve owned ten (10) spray skirts from various manufactures over the years  - from BushSport, Mountain Surf, Seals, Snapdragon, and Reed.  Most have been the full-neoprene kind, which are touted as the most water-tight for rough sea conditions.  When I’ve sold my kayaks, I’ve tended to “sweeten the deal” by including a sprayskirt, so have kept only a few.  Recently I wanted a skirt that was more comfortable for mellow conditions – so my latest is a touring spray skirt with a neoprene deck and Goretex tunnel made by Snapdragon.  Turns out it’s a great all-around spray skirt and well worth a closer look by all sea kayakers.

Snapdragon Glacier Trek Sprayskirt - and others to compare

 

My earliest spray skirt was a nylon “summer” conditions one that came with the first sea kayak I bought. It had a comfortable, adjustable Velcro collar –but leaked like a sieve.  So, in short order I switched to full-neoprene – and never looked back.  BushSport was my first. It lasted a decade but took a beating over the years – mostly from dragging boats over the deck during rescues. I bought Snapdragon’s full-neoprene skirts for my next two boats and was glad I made the change. The Snapdragon skirts are easier to attach to the cockpit than other skirts because of the more stretchy “Supratrex” neoprene fabric used for the deck material.  Bill and Janice Lozano of Atlantic Kayak Tours were early fans of Snapdragon who can take the credit for turning a lot of sea kayakers on to this brand.

 

Snapdragon Glacier Trek Breathable (4 Stars):

The reason I decided to go back to a non-neoprene tunnel when purchasing Snapdragon's Glacier Trek was to eliminate some of the guess work involved in picking the proper tunnel size (and to accommodate the size of my mid-section which seems to vary in response to seasonal changes in diet….).  I also wanted something that would be more comfortable in calm conditions. Like most of their sea kayak line of skirts, Snapdragon’s Glacier Trek has the Suptratex Neoprene deck so is easy to attach to the coaming. And despite the Goretex/Velcro tunnel, I find it is as water tight as a full-neoprene tunnel when you synch it down.  Plus you can loosen it on flat water which adds noticeably to comfort and torso rotation. I got a size bigger than my waist (I think the biggest they make) to make it super loose when I want to. Then I synch the Velcro and fold the fabric a bit to get a tight seal.  To date this is my favorite spray skirt.

 

Reed Aquatherm (4 Stars):

After attending a UK kayaking event, I purchased the first of my Reed Spray Skirts.  I think every kayaker should own a Reed skirt if they can at some point – especially if they have a kayak with the smaller “ocean” cockpit (Greenland cockpit). The Reed skirts are made with a thin, stretchy, rubberized fabric (Aquatherm) and thinner bungee that is super easy to take on and off.  The ocean cockpit version is especially easy to put on because it has a single strand of thin bungee versus the keyhole’s double-strand.  The Reed skirts are comfortable, durable, easy to pack, and dry more quickly than neoprene. After many years of use I found my Reed skirts to be as durable as the thicker neoprene. Plus Reed will send you some fabric repair tape which easily fixes holes or wear spots and retains flexibility (unlike AquaSeal repair glue which does not stretch once dried).

Seals (3 stars):

I purchased a custom-made skirt from Seals for a surf boat I owned.  It works fine – the best feature to me is the added strap/buckle on the grab loop so you can easily clip it to a line for drying, a nice feature.  Seals is a New York-based company and has good customer support I’ve found.  Many whitewater paddlers prefer their whitewater-specific spray skirts, which have a thick rubber rand and fit well on plastic boats.  However, for sea kayaking my preference has been for the Snapdragon skirts, which seem a little more durable to me and the stretchy Supratrex neoprene is a nice feature.