Lightweight Kayaks & Surfskis | Nordic Kayaks USA
Lightweight Kayaks & Surfskis | Nordic Kayaks USA
Now you are ready to go!
The self bailer is positioned between your heels, in the cockpit and at lowest point. NOTE, it is very important that you don’t get sand in the bailer! If leaving the boat on the beach make sure you have closed the bailer before putting it down. If the bailer doesn’t operate smoothly it is likely you have some sand in it that you need to wash out with fresh water. Close the bailer when storing your boat on racks. If the bailer is open and you pull your boat from the racks the bailer could break.
If you are paddling in salt water you need to wash your kayak with fresh water after every paddle!
Keep the kayak out of direct sunlight to best preserve your surfski, over a period of time paint pigment can fade due to the UV light.
Store the boat in proper cradles. Make sure to not store the boat on to small pressure points, it can deform the shape of the boat, we recommend a minimum 10 cm support with some foam at two points.
If you cover the kayak with a tarp or kayak cover, note that trapping moisture between the cover and the kayak surface may lead to small bubbles and blisters in the paint surface. Only use a tarp for short periods, remove and dry both kayak and tarp if condensation builds up under the cover. Ideally, hang the tarp so to prevent it touching the kayak, this allows for good ventilation.
The best solution to storing your kayak is to keep it inside a garage or shed. This generally reduces moisture in and around the kayak, and shades it from UV light.
Foam Pads with bow and stern lines: The minimum requirement to transport your surfski by car is a foam padded roof rack and lashing straps. This is the least secure way of carrying the kayak as the boat is prone to shifting due to side winds. In this case, bow and stern ties are advisable. The kayak will get damaged if strapped to a roof rack without foam pads as the load will be placed on two relatively small pressure points on the kayak, and this will cause cracks or even worse – damage to the construction.
A padded pair of upright bars bolted to the roof rack will help stabilize the boat in side winds, but may still cause damage if the boat is not well padded or the racks are not wide enough. This may be lessened by resting the boat on its side.
Extended hull shaped cradles: The best transport solution is to place the kayak in hull shaped cradles. These cradles stop the boat from moving in side winds, and maximize the contact pressure point areas.
For cars with roof bars close together, it is sometimes better to transport the kayak upside down, just make sure you have proper foam support on the rack or cradle.
Pay extra attention when transporting Pro and Race constructions. Don’t tie too hard! Never use ratchet straps on a composite boat. Never allow your boat to touch anything on a roof rack or otherwise that is not foam padded.
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