Kayak repair - Holes in Ocean Kayak P13

Not sure if this is the right location to post this but here it goes.

Well, after many many many years of good use, my OK Prowler 13 has a few LOTS of holes.  I'll give a little back story.  This kayak is a pre-2005 (I think 2003)model and I received it as a gift in 2006.  I used it to fish the inter-coastal waterway in Georgia, as well as fishing some towers and reefs offshore.  Back then, I was only 18 and maybe, actually most definitely, didn't make the best choices, in life, as well as for the health of the kayak.  I'd frequently beach the kayak on oyster beds and fish off of them as the tide came in, this definitely did a number on the bottom.  I also did a poor job installing the FF and relied on marine GOOP and silicon to waterproof the thru-hull transducer mount.  At the time, I knew that if I ever had a problem that left me stranded, all I would have to do is make one or two phone calls and I'd have a boat picking me up within an hour.  One more thing, I didn't have a kayak cart, just drug it down the ramp usually....

Fast forward.  I was fishing/sightseeing in Santa Cruz last week when I realized that my yak was feeling a little unstable and sluggish.  Open hatch, see the water and think oh shit!  Glad I had a bilge pump handy or it woulda been a very stressful paddle back to the harbor.  I bailed all the water and headed back in.  Upon inspection at the boat ramp I found what seemed like a pinhole in the through hull transducer mount.  All I could think at the time was, there's no way all that water got in through that hole.  Yesterday, I had time in the afternoon and did a thorough inspection of the hull and found a hole on the bottom tail of the kayak.

Through hull transducer mount, drilled out in preparation of repair


Cockpit fish-finder mount

Hole aft tail


I poked around with a benzomatic torch and realized that the whole aft tail section is so thin that I'm worried about the overall integrity of that section of the kayak.  I'm confident that I'll be able to repair all the holes.  Guess the one question I've got is, what do y'all think about this?  Is it wise to try and salvage the kayak?  I've been browsing CL for a newer yak and I did email this gentleman (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/boa/5212931094.html).  I dunno, what do y'all wise men here at NCKA think? 

P.S. Sorry to be so long winded. 

If it were me I'd look for another yak. Yes. It could be repaired but would you feel comfortable in it offshore?

If it were me I'd look for another yak. Yes. It could be repaired but would you feel comfortable in it offshore?

Good question, and the short answer is most likely yes.  It really would have to do with the quality of the repair though.  Looking at the stainless steel mesh that is meant to beef up the area, and the thickness of the material that gets welded on, it seems like it can be repaired to be better than it was before.  Am I wrong in thinking that?  Is welding new material on not sufficient?

I wouldn't be able to bring myself to cut holes in the hull for a transducer. I'm sure it can be done well but I just couldn't do it.

Good luck with the repairs - I do think it's worth the attempt to save an old Prowler.

While I too think it can be perhaps be saved, I would also look to a newer, less used kayak as a main fishing yak.
Get a new yak, and then attempt the repair on the old one. A heat gun may be easier to use than a torch (I have never done well with a torch on these types of repairs).

The wear on the keel is pretty wicked.

also, carts are worth it, especially when you aren't 18

Marine Epoxy...it is flexable and available @ WestMarine.  I had through holes in my OK Prowler. Sand/rough the area first. Tape one side, then apply the epoxy to the to the opposite side. A little bit at a time, then let cure. A little more over the little bit, then let it cure, a little more over the ......you get the picture?  It has lasted over 4yrs of HEAVY ocean use.

 Even the torch will do it, but you can only do a little at a time, because the longer the heat is on, the plastic will start to concave. I used ice cold compresses, when healing the yak with the torch.

It can be done, just not in a hurry.

In general, you want to limit the number of holes below the water line of your kayak. Having said that, those holes can be easily plastic welded. Call Ocean Kayak and have them send you a free patch kit which include a 4" x 4" patch and welding rod. If the damage to the tail section is extensive, ask them nicely for 2 kits.

The smaller holes can be plugged up with the welding rod alone using a heat gun. Follow the included instructions. You will have to cut out a small close fitting patch for the larger hole, and weld around the patch. As for the tail section, I would apply a large patch over the entire area. Be careful when doing this. If the plastic is so thin that you can shine a light through it, it will sag once you apply heat to it. So make sure there is plenty of overlap between this patch and the thicker sections of the hull. If the thin area around the keel is extensive, you may have to reinforce the area from the inside to prevent it from sagging when you heat it. Apply heat to both the patch and the hull and when they are both glossy, press them together. Then weld around the edge of the patch.

These repairs are doable, and I am talking from experience. And yes, I have taken my repaired kayak on the ocean afterwards. I have a soft spot for the Prowler, so I would definitely attempt the repair.

My biggest reservation about using the Prowler on the salt after repairing the visible holes is the question of the integrity of the hull after using it in the manner you described. Sure, you can make it water tight again with plastic welding or marine epoxy on the bad spots but it sorta sounds that with all the dragging a fair amount of hull material has been ground off. It is those thin spots, some not known, that may pose a problem at the wrong time.

I know now that it makes the most sense to never put a hole in your kayak.  Again, wasn't thinking too long term at 18  . I've contacted Ocean Kayak and they'll be sending me a repair kit, and also got some scrap cutouts from Kayak Connection in Santa Cruz, but I had to twist their arm to get it.  Going to order some stainless mesh and extra welding rods from Urethane Supply. Hopefully, with all of that, I will have enough to make the necessary repairs. 

I've watched a bunch of videos detailing welding new plastic onto the kayak, and it looks relatively simple to do properly.  A heat gun from O'reillys or where ever, I think I saw them for <20, should do the trick when the torch doesn't.  If there are a lot of areas that seem weak, I believe that I'll apply marine epoxy to the inside, Fishunter.  It seems like an easy way to add more strength to the weak areas.  What about the 3M 5200, does that set up with the same strength as the marine epoxy.  With all the help from NCKA community, youtube videos, and a little hard work, I think this is doable. 

Charles, I do agree about the thin spots.  There may be more than I'm currently aware of.  That being said, I'm going to take a shop light and slide it into the kayak tonight while its upside down, then I'll be able to see the thin spots, mark them and repair/keep an eye on the ones that need it.  It is a good idea to thoroughly check the integrity of this kayak since its seen so much love over the years. 

As far as the new kayak goes, I'm interested in going bigger than the prowler.  I really like wilderness systems quality, and the Tarpon 140 seems to be a good deal.  Besides them, who else makes the badass kayaks?  I know, of course hobie, but I am on a budget.  Any suggestions on that topic?

Seems like you are capable and content to do some involved repair work on your kayak. Here is an out of box suggestion to build a different system. Find and buy an older glass SIK that is 16 to 18 foot length and 22 to 24 inches width and comes with rudder. Cut the combing out, build a drive box for a Hobie drive, infill with foam so like a SOT all water runs out drive hole. Change foot steering to hand. Glass is easy to work with. Mistakes can be ground out and new cloth/resin put in. Build small outriggers out of foam and glass. These add safety to ocean fishing in that center of gravity was changed to allow effective pedaling.

I am still tweaking mine a bit but over all it turned out well. Lighter and faster than my Adventure but more care needs to be taken of rocky launches and landings. Maybe a thousand bucks invested and a lotta time in that this was a first for me.

Seems like you are capable and content to do some involved repair work on your kayak. Here is an out of box suggestion to build a different system. Find and buy an older glass SIK that is 16 to 18 foot length and 22 to 24 inches width and comes with rudder. Cut the combing out, build a drive box for a Hobie drive, infill with foam so like a SOT all water runs out drive hole. Change foot steering to hand. Glass is easy to work with. Mistakes can be ground out and new cloth/resin put in. Build small outriggers out of foam and glass. These add safety to ocean fishing in that center of gravity was changed to allow effective pedaling.

I am still tweaking mine a bit but over all it turned out well. Lighter and faster than my Adventure but more care needs to be taken of rocky launches and landings. Maybe a thousand bucks invested and a lotta time in that this was a first for me.

That is a pretty slick rig!  Have you had it out on the ocean very much? What does it weigh overall? I wish I had the time to do that. Unfortunately, the opportunity cost for my time makes purchasing a new or used one the better option.

Hopefully the plastic welding rods and scrap pieces I ordered, from urethane supply and the good folks at ocean kayak, get here this week so I can begin repairs. I put a light in the hull and did an inspection of the hull. Everything looks uniform in thickness, besides a couple of deep gouges, until you get to the bow and stern areas, both will need to be built up.  I'll post some pictures of the hull at night and the repairs when I get around to them.

Sounds like you have e erything under control. One suggestion I would make is that when you get a heat gun, be sure to get one that has different tips (nozzles) available.  This will make the job much easier by helping control where the heat goes.
Also,
Try to get an extra strip aprox 2"x at least 12" ....... apply this down the keel in the rear. This will not only clean up your repair, it will also add wear protection for future use.
Good luck, and please post pics of your progress.
;0)

Seems like you are capable and content to do some involved repair work on your kayak. Here is an out of box suggestion to build a different system. Find and buy an older glass SIK that is 16 to 18 foot length and 22 to 24 inches width and comes with rudder. Cut the combing out, build a drive box for a Hobie drive, infill with foam so like a SOT all water runs out drive hole. Change foot steering to hand. Glass is easy to work with. Mistakes can be ground out and new cloth/resin put in. Build small outriggers out of foam and glass. These add safety to ocean fishing in that center of gravity was changed to allow effective pedaling.

I am still tweaking mine a bit but over all it turned out well. Lighter and faster than my Adventure but more care needs to be taken of rocky launches and landings. Maybe a thousand bucks invested and a lotta time in that this was a first for me.

That is a pretty slick rig!  Have you had it out on the ocean very much? What does it weigh overall? I wish I had the time to do that. Unfortunately, the opportunity cost for my time makes purchasing a new or used one the better option.

Hopefully the plastic welding rods and scrap pieces I ordered, from urethane supply and the good folks at ocean kayak, get here this week so I can begin repairs. I put a light in the hull and did an inspection of the hull. Everything looks uniform in thickness, besides a couple of deep gouges, until you get to the bow and stern areas, both will need to be built up.  I'll post some pictures of the hull at night and the repairs when I get around to them.

Glass SIKs between 16 and 18 feet usually weigh in the low to mid fifties range. I added the drive box plus the additional glass/resin to secure it. Around four pounds there. Guessing the foam infill was another four so total weight is probably around 60 as opposed to 72 for the Adventure. If I were able to do it again I could cut the drive box weight in half and lessen the foam infill weight. At first I used it without foam and build a spray cover for the hatch but that didn't work as well as desired so I foamed it to allow any big water over the side to drain fast like a SOT. I think I've had it on the ocean five times and it handles very well. The sharper touring SIK bow slices incoming chop better than the Adventure and the small outriggers provide plenty of extra stability. They are set off the water so no extra drag while traveling.

Just getting around to posting the repairs I did on the Prowler 13.  Took care of this a couple weeks ago, and put the pictures up today.  After a few tries I got the hang of it, and once I did, it was simple enough.  While they may not be the most aesthetically pleasing repairs, they've held up so far.  I have taken her out of the harbor twice and had no water in the hull, so it's a successful repair.  Here's a link to the album, http://imgur.com/a/jxU15

Glad it worked out. P13 is a good boat.

BTW, I agree, a lot of us made less-than-wise decisions when we were 18 that shouldn't be held against us forever!