When talking about kayaks, one of the most important and essential factors to consider is the space it provides for storage. This becomes even more important during winters when the temperature starts dropping, and you need to store up your kayak for the season so that it is ready when winter subsides and spring sets in.
So, here are a few kayaking tips on winter storage solutions that will help you safely tuck your kayak away for the winters:
Making Preparations
The first and foremost thing that you must do in order to get your boat ready is to prepare it for the upcoming spring season so that you can take it out safely and can go kayaking right away. To make sure that your coveted kayak is safely tucked away for the winters, given below are a few tips that will help you to make the transition from winters to spring in a hassle-free manner:
1. Clean The Frigging Kayak
The first thing that you must do is thoroughly clean the kayak. Take little soapy water and remove all the dirt from the kayak. Brush it properly in order to remove any slime, dirt or grit that may have got accumulated on it due to your trips and excursions. Moreover, make sure that you clean it from the inside as well. Once you have washed it down with soapy water, make sure that you let it dry properly. This is extremely imperative because if you do not let it dry, then there is a high possibility of mold growing in the kayak which will ruin it on a long – term basis.
2. Use Spray
The next thing you must do is to spray it with a strong protectant. This is very similar to waxing a car so that any harm or damage does not befall the kayak. The best way to do this is to use a glove or a sock and then apply the protectant properly, covering all parts of the kayak.
3. Oil All Metal Parts
The next thing you must do is oil all the metal parts in the kayak so that they do not rust when you take it out for the next season.
4. Tighten All Screws Carefully
After this, you should carefully tighten all the screws, bolts, to make sure that there are no loose pieces in the kayak. This is absolutely necessary to do so that you get to know which parts need replacing so that you can get the spare parts well in advance so that you get your kayak ready in time!
5.Storing the Kayak
Another factor to consider is whether you will be storing your kayak inside or outside. If you are storing it outside, then you must remove materials made up of soft fabrics as it is a favorite spot for rats and rodents, and your kayak will surely serve as their winter home if you end up covering or using soft materials on it.
Covering The Kayak
Now, if you are planning to keep your kayak outside or inside, you must make sure to keep the kayak out of harm’s way. This includes a lot of things like protecting the kayak from rodents and other animals, from harmful weather conditions, dust and other such conditions. Thus, you must cover the kayak properly with either a cockpit cover or a full-boat cover, depending on what is best for your boat.
The best storage position for the kayak is to keep it off-the-floor on its own side or by keeping the hull’s side up.
Following the above-mentioned tips will help you keep your kayak stored in the best conditions safely!
