oilcanning issue / car top HELP!!

[ruge13]

I have a problem....I left my Kayak on top of my car for 3 days...one of the pads cause the yak to oil can and made a dent in the bottom. This has happened before over long trips but usually pops right back out. This time the dent ain't goin' away and it is actually causeing problems when I paddle. I can live with it but now the bow of my boat rides lower in the water by an inch or so and it causes much more drag. There is a significant difference in how hard I have to paddle now for the same speed. Now it feels like my old pungo....any suggestions as to how to fix it?? I tried standing up in the boat on the dent anbd it stil pops in afterwards instead of poppng out. SHould have sprung for the composite instead of the Poly...

[Wes]

Heat and hope the polyethylene memory is enough. Check the care and repair instructions at this site, it's an adobe download.

Voyageur link (http://www.voyageur-gear.com/)

Jim

[ruge13]

thanks

[rockfisherman]

Try leaving it out in the sun on a warm day. Then try pushing it out.

[ekg]

I had the same problem with my Loon. Try this: Go to an auto parts sore and by an inner tube.Partially infalte it and stuff it in to the deformed area. Inflate till the dent pops. Leave the kayak in the sun for a day or so.The inner tube provides support while the hull regains its lines. Be fore you leave it to set sight down the keel line and make sure the hull is symmetric if not adjust the tube,. I used this method to remove a deformation that had gone uncorrected for a year. No recurrence EKG:)

[Clark]

I have had this problem with my 16 foot old town for a year and felt that is was my fault for tying it down too tight on a trip to Maine. I have had the boat in the sun for two days and it's back to normal! Thanks for asking the question!

[ruge13]

here is what I did.....I left the boat in the sun for a couple hours..got it warm and soft. The dent is just below the lip of the cockpit so I put a small car jack in the boat and pushed out the dent. I left it in the sun wiht the jack inside for another 1/2 hour or so. Then I ran cold water over the area to set the plastic. Then I took the jack out and put the boat in the shade. Looks fine now and I don't have any more problems paddling. Thanks for the advice and the web sites...