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If you’re looking for kayak deck padding you might find that there’s not a lot of information out there. And that’s why we’ve put together this little guide.
Hopefully we can give you some information on why you might want padding and some tips on how you can install it yourself.
Why Pad Your Kayak Deck?
Padding your kayak deck can have its benefits. First of all, it can provide a padded platform for standing on. This can help to give you traction when getting in or out of your craft.
It can also provide a non-slip, padded surface so that you can stand up to fish while on the water (if your kayak is stable enough).
As well as its non-slip advantages, it can also be used to minimize sound, as it can act as a type of insulation for soundproofing. This can be useful for kayak fishing, where you don’t want you or your gear to be causing loud knocks on your deck and scaring away all the fish or disturbing the wildlife.
What You’re Going To Need
- Solution of 50% water / 50% alcohol for cleaning
- Paper towels
- Yoga mat or your preferred type of padding
- Scissors
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Waterproof adhesive such as Barge Cement or Gorilla All Weather Tape
How To Pad Your Kayak Deck
Step 1: Measure Your Deck
The first thing you want to do is to measure the areas where you want to install the padding. This should give you an idea of how much padding you will need, as well as give you the measurements for when you cut your padding.
Step 2: Cut Your Padding
Cut your preferred padding material. This could be a yoga mat, a roll of closed cell foam or neoprene or whatever suitable material you wish to use.
Step 3: Scrub The Deck
This may be less scrub and more wipe, but using your cleaning solution that’s 50% alcohol and 50% water, spray it onto the deck of your kayak and clean the area with your paper towels.
Video: How To Install Deck Padding
This should remove any dirt and residue from your kayak so that you can apply your padding to a clean surface.
Step 4: Allow It To Dry
While your kayak deck is drying, you can lay out all your padding pieces on your deck so that you know you have the right shapes and sizes for all the areas you want to pad.
Step 5: Apply The Adhesive
Now that all your pieces are laid out and your surface is dry you can apply your adhesive onto the back of your padding. This should be done one piece at a time to prevent the glue from drying before you have a chance to stick it down.
Barge Cement or Gorilla Waterproof Adhesive tape can be ideal for gluing foam or neoprene to your kayak. If you’re using padding that already has a peel-off adhesive you may not need the additional glue.
Step 6: Install Your Padding
With your adhesive in place on your padding, press it down onto the deck of your kayak so that it sticks evenly. Repeat the process for each piece of your padding.
Step 7: Allow To Dry
Follow the instructions for the adhesive you used and allow the glue to set for the recommended time. Once it’s fully dry you should be ready to hit the water with your new padded kayak.
Conclusion
Kayak deck padding can enhance your fishing trip by reducing noise on deck and can give you a more comfortable surface to stand on.
Hopefully you enjoyed our tutorial and can give it a go yourself. Leave us a comment to let us know how you get on and if you have any tips of your own to share with us. Feel free to share this if you thought it was helpful.