KAYAK FISHING BLOG | CORNISH KAYAK ANGLER
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Information Guides
    • Choosing a Fishing Kayak
    • Choosing A Paddle
    • What to Wear
    • Essential Safety Equipment
    • Paddle or Pedal Kayak?
    • Installing A Fish Finder
    • How to Anchor A Kayak
  • Kayak Modifications
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Places to Fish
    • North Cornwall
    • West Cornwall
    • South Cornwall
  • UK Fish Identification
  • Photos
    • 2013 Photos
    • 2014 Photos
    • 2015 Photos
    • 2016 Photos
    • 2017 Photos
  • Marine Life Photography
    • Fish
    • Cnidaria
    • Echinodermata
    • Mollusca
    • Crustacea
  • Links

Kayak Fishing Blog

Sealants & Adhesives for Kayak Rigging

1/8/2016

 
Sealants and Adhesives for Kayak Rigging
I often hear of people being afraid of drilling holes into their kayak to install various fittings and attachments. Providing that the fitting is above the waterline and decent sealant and/or adhesive is used then there is really nothing to be afraid of! So on that note lets take a quick look at some recommended sealants and adhesives for kayak rigging....
No matter where a fixing is installed on a kayak it should be sealed to ensure the integrity of the hull is maintained. Some cheaper brands of kayaks are well documented to have used fixings without sealant and as a result leak like a sieve, potentially putting the user in a dangerous situation when out on the water. The more well known kayak brands will either use moulded in inserts for the attachment of fixtures and fittings such as D-rings and handles etc. or use bolts/washers/nuts or rivets that are sealed in place. 

When it comes to retro-fitting accessories and equipment such as pad eyes or a cleat for an anchoring system, or a mount and transducer for a fish finder, it is down to the user to ensure the installation of a water tight fixture.

The ideal sealants and adhesives need to be flexible when cured to prevent cracking and splitting when the plastic hull of a kayak flexes, or a load bearing fixture moves under stress. For this reason, solid adhesives, such as epoxy resin, are not recommended for use on plastic hulls. There are 3 sealants that are commonly used when installing kayak fittings and equipment, and these all remain flexible to some degree once cured: General Purpose Silicon, Marine Goop and Sikaflex. They all do the desired job of sealing a fixing but each have their advantages and disadvantages so lets take a closer look at each in turn....

General Purpose Silicon

Clear Silicon sealant for kayak rigging
General Purpose Clear Sealant is both cheap and easy to source at practically any hardware store for a few pounds a tube. It works well to seal fixtures when using trifold rivets, bolts/washers/nuts and well nuts. Liberal amounts can be applied as any excess can easily be wiped off with a cloth.

The downside to silicon is that it does not really stick to the polyethylene hull of a plastic kayak or the gel coat of a composite kayak. This causes any beading around the edge of a fixture, such as a cleat or rod holder, to lift over time and eventually peel away. I have also found that the clear stuff does discolour over time in sunlight and saltwater too. Still... it does the job of sealing a fixing and its cheap!  
Clear Silicon is a cheap and effective sealant for kayak rigging
Clear Silicon is a cheap and effective sealant for kayak rigging

Marine Goop

Marine Goop Sealant and Adhesive for Kayak Rigging
Marine Goop is fantastic stuff! It is not only a marine grade sealant, it is also an adhesive that will stick to polyethylene and gel coat. In fact the label will tell you not to use it on polyethylene but i have never had an issue, neither have the hundreds of others using this product on their kayaks. It is clear and UV resistant so shouldn't discolour in sunlight. It is also slightly flexible so will not crack or split with flex in the hull of a plastic kayak, or the movement of a load bearing fixture. It is great for sealing fixtures such as trifold rivets, bolts/washers/nuts and well nuts as well as providing additional strength to fittings such as cleats, accessory mounts (e.g. Ram Balls, StarPorts) and flush mount rods holders etc. Liberal amounts can be applied as any excess can be wiped off with a cloth without to much mess.

Marine Goop is also commonly used for the installation of a fish finder transducer inside the hull of a kayak. Simply make a foam well to contain the Goop, fill the well around 1/2 way with Goop ensuring there are no air bubbles introduced, and push the transducer into it against the hull. It takes a day or so to set solid but the transducer will then be held in a solid block stuck to the hull. This allows the transducer to shoot through the hull and read the return signal with very little, if any, loss of resolution. 

Marine Goop is a bit more pricey than silicon but is a far better product and can be brought in 10.2 fl.oz tubes from Cornwall Canoes for £10.95 (at the time of writing). It is my number 1 choice for use on my kayaks! 
Marine Goop - great for kayak rigging!
Marine Goop used for Fish Finder Transducer Installation
Marine Goop Transducer Installation

Sikaflex

Sikaflex-EBT+ Weatherproof Sealant and Adhesive for Kayak Rigging
Sikaflex-291i Marine Grade Sealant and Adhesive for Kayak Rigging
Sikaflex is widely used in the plumbing trade as a sealant, adhesive and filler. It comes in several grades and colours. I have used the weatherproof Sikaflex-EBT+ and the marine grade Sikaflex-291i, both in black. Both seem to work well on a kayak. As with Goop, Sikaflex is also slightly flexible so will not crack or split with flex in the hull of a plastic kayak, or or the movement of a load bearing fixture.

This stuff is really really sticky and really really messy!! Keep your hands/fingers wet when using this to keep it from sticking and staining everything! The trick is to use just enough and not too much so that you don't have to wipe much or any away. Any excess can be wiped away with a damp cloth but can be a tricky job to get a neat finish. As with Silicon and Goop you can run a wet finger over the excess bead that emerges as you tighten a fixture down. This will leave a smoother and neater finish.
Despite being a bit tricky to work with neatly, this stuff really does stick well to polyethylene and gel coat. It is therefore great for sealing and sticking fixtures and fittings and also for sticking down a transducer in the same way as the Marine Goop method mentioned above. 

Whilst i prefer Marine Goop to work with, Black Sikaflex looks really good on black surfaces, such as the hull of my Tempo, or the centre hatch of my Rytmo. Its tricky to work with on light coloured material as its hard to achieve a neat finish but with patience and persistence it can work well. 

Sikaflex-291i can be brought from several online websites for around £10 a tube.
Sikflex 291i Black used to install a Ram Ball on a kayak centre hatch
Sikflex 291i Black used to install a Ram Ball on a kayak

So there we have it - 3 sealants that can be used to waterproof any kayak fittings and fixtures you may want to add to your kayak. Marine Goop is my favourite and It is definitely worth having a tube of it in your kayak tool box as it will always come in handy for both little and big installation jobs. I like to have Goop, Sikaflex and Clear Silicon at my disposal and i can be confident that all my fixings are fully waterproof and that the fixtures i have used are not going to compromise the hull. Providing you are working above the waterline and use plenty of sealant then your fixtures and fittings will keep the water out and not let any in!
Picture
Kernow
2/8/2016 18:30:52

Nice one Liam,informative and easy to follow. For those planning to rig out a kayak to suit their needs,these posts are an essential read.Keep it up mate

Ken Dye
2/11/2019 21:52:34

I am replacing a broken hatch. I am looking for a good sealant that can be removed if I need to replace the hatch again. Ease of removal can be an important feature of a kayak sealant. You might want to update your article.

Cornish Kayak Angler link
2/11/2019 23:13:21

Hi Ken,

Most adhesives are easy to remove from polyethylene surfaces, it is a particularly tricky plastic to get anything to stick really well too - it’s part of the reason you find many adhesives and chemicals supplied in polyethylene tubes or pots. The adhesives and sealants mentioned in this article can be pulled from polyethylene with low to moderate force, and a palette knife makes a handy tool to prize the adhesive off it it has taken a good hold.

Hope this helps.

Liam

Steve Micklethwaite
5/1/2021 23:07:51

Hi Liam

Very useful article and still relevant 5 years later. Can these sealants also be used to patch tiny puncture marks in kayak hulls or will I have to resort to using a heat gun and melting plastic to patch. I am reluctant about the latter because the hull is quite thin.

Oliver link
29/3/2021 14:24:22

3M marine adhesive sealant is also a nice quality in my opinion. This 3M product will never let you down if you're looking for a fast-curing, permanently bonding marine sealant.

takipçi satın al link
3/8/2022 07:39:15

Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://www.takipcikenti.com/instagram/turk-takipci/


Comments are closed.

    Author

    Liam Faisey

    Liam Faisey Cornish Kayak Angler

    SPONSORS

    palm-equipment-logo
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Navionics Logo

    Proudly associated with
    Cornwall Canoes
    Cornwall's only specialist kayak fishing shop

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    February 2022
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    Anchor
    Anchor Chain
    Anchoring
    Anchor Reel
    Anchor Trolley
    Atom Bib
    Baillons Wrasse
    Ballan Wrasse
    Basking Shark
    Bass
    Battery
    Black Bream
    Blonde Ray
    Blue Shark
    Boat Fishing
    Bull Huss
    Buyers Guide
    Camera
    Clothing
    Cod
    Common Skate
    Competition
    Conger Eel
    Corkwing Wrasse
    Cornwall
    Couch's Bream
    Crate
    Cuckoo Wrasse
    Dab
    Diy
    Dolphins
    Drift Fishing
    Drysuit
    Equipment
    Extendable Pole
    Fishfinder
    Fish Finder
    Fishing Kayaks
    Flounder
    Footwear
    Gilthead Bream
    Goby
    Goldsinney-wrasse
    Go Pro
    Gps
    Greater Weever
    Grey-gurnard
    Grey-gurnard
    Haddock
    Herring
    Hobie
    Hobie Eclipse
    Hobie Outback
    Hobie Outtfitter
    Jellyfish
    Kayak Fishing Guide
    Kayak Review
    Kayak Surfing
    Kayak-wars
    Launce
    Launch Venues
    Leashes
    Lesser Spotted Dogfish
    Ling
    Lithium Battery
    Live Bait
    Lowrance Elite 4x Dsi
    Lure Fishing
    Lures
    Mackerel
    Marine Biological Association
    Measuring-fish
    Megrim Sole
    Mirage Drive
    Modifications
    Mother Shipping
    Mounting-board
    Oceanic Pufferfish
    Ocean-sunfish
    Octopus
    Paddle
    Paddling
    Palm
    Palm-kaikoura
    Pedal Drive Kayaks
    Penzance Kayak Fishing Meet
    Pfd
    Pilchards
    Pilot Whales
    Places-to-fish
    Plaice
    PLB
    Pollack
    Porbeagle Shark
    Pouting
    Railblaza
    Ram Mounts
    Ram Tubes
    Ray
    Raymarine Dragonfly
    Red Band Fish
    Red Gurnard
    Red Mullet
    Reef Fishing
    Review
    Revolution 16
    Rigging
    Rock Cook Wrasse
    Rod Holders
    Rod Rest
    ROKK Mounts
    RPF Master
    RTM
    RTM Abaco 420
    RTM Abaco 420
    RTM Luxe Seat
    RTM Ocean Duo
    RTM Rytmo Angler
    RTM Tempo
    Safety
    Scad
    Scorpionfish
    Scotty Mount
    Selfrescue
    Shark
    Shore Fishing
    Skate
    Slide Track
    Small Eyed Ray
    Smoothound
    Spotted Ray
    Starting Out
    Storage
    Storm
    Streaked Gurnard
    Tandem Kayak
    Team RTM UK
    Teksport Xplore 330
    Thermals
    Thornback Ray
    Tompot Blenny
    Tope
    Triggerfish
    Tub Gurnard
    Turbot
    Ugly Stik Elite Spin Rod
    Ugly Stik Kayak Rod
    Undulate Ray
    VHF Radio
    Video
    Viking Kayaks
    West Cornwall Kayakers
    Yak Attack

    Add my blog to your feed reader by clicking the button below 

    RSS Feed


    Cornish Kayak Angler - Kayak Fishing Blog

    Get blog updates via email

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    blog web counter
    Web Counter

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Kayak Fishing Videos

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Kayak Bass Fishing Video
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed Widget
    Custom feed reader powered by FeedWind

    Useful Links

    Anglers Afloat
    Cornish Shore & Kayak Fisherman
    Cornwall Canoes
    ​Palm Equipment
    ​Penzance Kayak Fishing Meet Info
    Saltwater Kayak Fisherman
    Magic Seaweed
    XC Weather

    Picture

    Choosing a Paddle for Kayaking

    Kayak Fishing Clothing

    Pedal and Paddle Fishing Kayak Pros and Cons

Cornish Kayak Angler - Kayak Fishing Blog

Popular Pages

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Kayak Modifications
  • UK Fish Identification
  • Places To Kayak Fish

Sponsors

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Navionics UK

YouTube

Facebook

Website powered by pasties and the hope of good weather!
© 2023 Liam Faisey
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Information Guides
    • Choosing a Fishing Kayak
    • Choosing A Paddle
    • What to Wear
    • Essential Safety Equipment
    • Paddle or Pedal Kayak?
    • Installing A Fish Finder
    • How to Anchor A Kayak
  • Kayak Modifications
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Places to Fish
    • North Cornwall
    • West Cornwall
    • South Cornwall
  • UK Fish Identification
  • Photos
    • 2013 Photos
    • 2014 Photos
    • 2015 Photos
    • 2016 Photos
    • 2017 Photos
  • Marine Life Photography
    • Fish
    • Cnidaria
    • Echinodermata
    • Mollusca
    • Crustacea
  • Links