What Are The Pain Points Of Owning A Kayak (Considerations!)

Kayaking is one of the most popular water sports. But owning a kayak comes with some challenges. You need to learn how to store it and how to transport it safely. 

If you want to start kayaking, it’s important to know what the pain points are. If you’re not familiar with them, you might end up buying a kayak that doesn’t work for you. 

In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the pain points of owning a kayak and how to avoid them. 

Here’s The Answer To What Are The Pain Points Of Owning A Kayak

Let’s get to the main point. What are the pain points of owning a kayak?

• Maintenance
• Storage and transport
• Keeping it looking new
• Leaking issues and cracked hulls
• Proper gear (kayak paddles, life jackets, etc.)
• Weather conditions that you may encounter while storing your kayak.

Although kayaks are durable, they’re not indestructible. They need to be handled with care and regularly maintained to avoid problems down the road.

The most common complaint about owning a kayak is that they take up too much space. In fact, some people refer to kayaking as rabbit-hole shopping. However, a small investment in a kayak rack can remedy this problem easily. 

Kayaks Can Be Costly

When you buy a kayak, you’re buying into a lifetime of usage. The materials used in the manufacturing process are high quality, and they’re chosen specifically to withstand the wear and tear of use on the water.

Some are also made by hand instead of being mass-produced by machines. This means that every part is handmade and crafted with care, so there’s no risk of it being cheaply made or shoddily assembled.

The same goes for its design—a good kayak is designed to be as efficient as possible for its purpose. In fact, many professional kayakers will only use top-of-the-line gear because it’s crucial that their equipment performs well when lives are at stake!

Cost of Maintenance and Storage

The most important thing to consider when buying a kayak is how much it will cost to maintain and store them.

Additionally, insurance costs are something to think about before buying your first boat.

To reduce the cost of kayak maintenance is to prevent damage in the first place. A good way to do this is to invest in a quality kayak cover.

A kayak cover will protect your kayak from UV damage, scratches, and other wear and tear. Even if you’re storing your kayak indoors, it’s a good idea to use a cover to keep dust and debris off the boat.

Perform regular cleaning and inspection. Inspect your kayak for any signs of damage, such as cracks, holes, or wear and tear. If you find any damage, repair it immediately to prevent further damage.

Difficult to Transport

Transporting your kayak to and from the water can be a big headache. If you have a vehicle, there are a few options for transporting your kayak:

• Transporting on top of your car
• Transporting in the back of your car
• Transporting on a small truck or SUV (if allowed)

If you don’t want to invest in a trailer, you may be able to get away with just strapping it down with ratchet straps or bungee cords, but this is not ideal because it will bounce around more than if it were secure inside something like an enclosed trailer.

It’s also important that when transporting by a vehicle, you check local laws regarding what type of vehicles are allowed on roads.

Additionally, if you are planning on driving long distances and need additional space for gear or passengers, then keep in mind that most kayaks are quite wide, so make sure not only does everything fit within legal allowance limits but also leaves enough room; for other passengers/gear too!

Not Portable Enough

You can’t carry a kayak on public transport or in your car. You can’t carry one on a bike either (unless you’re strong enough). Nor can you carry it on a motorbike or scooter, and even if you could, these vehicles are not allowed on most roads anyway.

A kayak weighs around 100 pounds (45kg), so there’s no way you can walk with it very far without being tired.

If you want to avoid the hassle from airports and train stations when traveling by plane or train, then consider getting collapsible kayaks that fold up into small packages that fit easily into luggage.

To Keep Your Kayaks Looking New

If you want your kayak to stay fresh and look new, there are a few things you can do.

• Keep it dry. This is the most important thing. If your kayak gets wet, make sure to dry it off as soon as possible. Don’t let it sit in the garage for days before drying it out because this will cause damage over time. If you get caught in bad weather during an outing with friends or family members, don’t risk getting your kayak wet—just turn around and go back home!
• Clean off dirt with warm water and mild soap before drying your boat out completely; then rinse with clean water once more to remove any residue from cleaning products.
• Use wax on both sides of the hull so that water doesn’t get trapped between them (this can be done about once per month).

Leaking Issues

If you suspect that your kayak has a leak, here are some steps you can take to investigate and fix the problem:

• First, look at the kayak’s water line. If there is a ring of water on the floor around it, this could be an indicator that there’s a leak somewhere.
• Next, check all of the screw holes in your boat with an eye for moisture. If any appear to be wet or damp, then you may have found where water is getting into your boat from outside sources—such as rain puddles or even waves splashing up from paddling motions!
• Finally, check inside each compartment of your kayak for any signs of moisture dripping out from its contents onto other components such as paddles or seats. This will help guide you toward locating where leaks are coming from within each compartment so that they can be repaired quickly and efficiently without risking further damage down the road due to molding/mildew growth over time.

Cracked Hull

A cracked kayak hull can be dangerous and even fatal. A small crack can become bigger if you don’t take care of it properly. Cracks in a kayak can also cause other problems, such as leaks, which will make your experience on the water less enjoyable.

Cracks in your hull may occur due to several reasons: harsh weather conditions like ice or wind; improper storage; high-impact collisions with rocks or other boats; and wear and tear caused by everyday use of your vessel (like scratches).

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent cracks from forming in the future!

Need Proper Gear To Kayak

• Paddle (including paddle and paddle leash)
• Life Jacket (5-point harness)
• Helmet (with visor)
• Dry Suit/Wetsuit (if cold weather kayaking is in the cards for you)
• Dry Bags (for your phone, keys, wallet, etc.)
• Kayak Rack or Cart if you plan on storing it outside of your home – especially if you have limited space indoors!
• Trailer if you have a vehicle that can pull it

Weather Conditions Can Be A Factor

Weather conditions can be a factor. You may have to deal with the effects of high temperature, wind, rain, and even snow. These things should be taken into account when deciding where you want to go kayaking.

If you’re going out on a hot day, consider bringing along an extra water bottle or two filled with ice cubes to help keep yourself hydrated as much as possible while still enjoying your trip.

If it is going to get cold at night (especially if there isn’t much shelter nearby), make sure that you bring warm clothes along with you so that you will be prepared for any sudden changes in weather conditions during your trip – this is especially important if you are planning on camping overnight near the water!

What To Look For When Kayak Is Stored

As a kayaker, you should know that how you store your kayak will affect how it performs on the water. It is important to choose a storage place that is both safe and free of possible damage. Here are some things to consider:

• Store in cool, dry areas out of direct sunlight.
• Store in pest-free areas free of water, dust, and debris.

How Much Time Should You Spend On Kayak Every Month?

How often you should use your kayak depends on what type of kayak you have, your level of experience, and where you are going to paddle.

If you are a beginner and plan to paddle in calm waters, it is recommended that you go out at least once per week. If the conditions are not ideal for beginners, then try once every two weeks, and if the weather is bad, then consider waiting until next week when things improve.

As far as cleaning goes, most people tend to clean their kayaks after each session, but this can depend on what type of material your kayak is made from as well as how much work it takes to get dirty again (i.e., salt water vs. fresh water).

Some companies recommend washing down the hulls once every use with soap and water. If using a pressure washer, then keep in mind that it could damage parts like deck lines, so make sure they’re tied up first before starting up again later when fully dried out afterward, too.

Do You Need A Permit To Own And Transport A Kayak?

If you’re not sure whether or not you need a permit, check with the local law enforcement agency in your area. They will be able to tell if you are allowed to own and transport a kayak.

If there is no such permit, then it is up to you to make sure that whatever method of transport (such as a car, van, truck, or SUV) that you use has been modified so that it can safely carry the weight of your kayak without causing any damage to either the vehicle or its contents.

You also must make sure that everyone else traveling along with their kayaks is aware of all relevant laws regarding transportation and storage, so they do not break them inadvertently!

Conclusion

The conclusion of this blog post is that a kayak is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, but it has its own set of problems that need to be addressed.

A kayak is a challenging product to maintain, and it can be especially hard to fix when things go wrong.

If you have your own kayak, you need to make sure that it is properly maintained and that you have the necessary tools and supplies to fix it when it breaks. Check out our blog post for more information on kayak maintenance.

Thank you for reading our blog post, and we hope you are enjoying it. For more great content, don’t forget to check our website for new blog posts on kayaks.

Frequently Asked Questions