Leaks in Canoe or Surfski – How to fix

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A leaking canoe or surfski is a bummer but usually easy to fix.

  1. First I would check your drain plug and make sure it seals.
  2. The Iako receiver itself is probably not leaking but where it attaches to the hull could be a suspect area.
  3. Of course, check your dings.

The easiest way to find the leak:

  • Seal the drain plug
  • Put your canoe in the direct sun so it heats up.
  • Spray soapy water on the suspect areas.
  • The air in the canoe will expand when it is heated and air will blow outward in the areas where a hole will be. Look for bubbles and listen for leak.

Once you figure out where the leak is, you can take the appropriate action.

  • You should repair your canoe with epoxy resin or epoxy putty.
  • You can use polyester resin or putty but the adhesion of the repair material will not be as good as with epoxy.
  • Usually, you can find small epoxy repair kits at marine stores and sometimes at car repair shops. Also, big box retailers usually have this type of material in small quantities.
  • UV Epoxy resin works well and is helpful is you need to shape the repair (ie: Curved/rounded areas)

www.youtube.com is full of small repair tips and tricks so its worth it to search for help there.