How to Dry Out your Inflatable Kayak

As convenient and fun as an inflatable kayak is the one hassle is drying it out at the end of your kayak trip.

I have had a lot of practice with drying my inflatable kayak as well as cleaning it and have a few tips on how to make the process quick and simple.

Personally I like my kayak to be clean when I use it. Therefore I am fairly meticulous at removing all of the sand, gravel and rocks that get inside at the end of each use.

Mine gets particularly dirty because I usually have my dogs out paddling with me.

It only takes me a few minutes to clean out any debris and towel dry the kayak so that it is dry enough to deflate, roll up and store away in the kayak bag.

Drying Your Inflatable Kayak

If you have the time and it is a sunny day then leave your kayak sitting out in the sun for a short while to dry the surface.

If you don’t have the time to sit around and relax for a bit then you can get to work right away.

I always bring two towels with me and leave them in the car while I am kayaking. I usually need the both of them to get my inflatable kayak completely dry.

Begin removing the seats and bags from your kayak and then dry the outer surfaces with the towels while the kayak is still inflated.

Most inflatable kayaks dry out real easy so this process goes pretty quick.

From there deflate the floor and then tip your kayak sideways or upside down to drain out any excess water that has gathered inside the kayak. Use the towels to soak up any water that is left behind.

While doing this you can also use the towels to clear out any debris within the kayak such as sand, rocks or gravel.

Don’t worry if you can’t get all of the sand and gravel out. As long as the kayak is dry you won’t have any problems.

Then deflate the rest of the kayak and continue to use the towels to soak up any excess moisture. This whole process takes very little time and if you are not too fussy you can probably have it done in a matter of two minutes.

When you roll your deflated inflatable kayak up use the towel to dry off the underneath of the kayak as you are rolling it.

How Dry Does it Need to Be?

If you are using your inflatable kayak at least once a week then you don’t have to be too paranoid about leaving a little moisture.

As long as you get the majority of the water out of the kayak you will be fine.

However if you are kayaking less often it will be more important to have your kayak dried out as much as possible in order to avoid mold and mildew buildup (especially if you live in a humid environment).

Storing your Inflatable Kayak

For several months of the year the weather in my town is extremely cold and my inflatable kayak does not get used.

So just before winter sets in I tend to do a major clean out of my kayak before it gets stored away for the cold season.

At this point you can spend a little more time on your inflatable kayak and make sure that you have not only dried it out with a towel but have allowed it to sit in open air to for a little while to make sure it is really dry.

This is normally when I will use my kayak soap and really give it a good clean as well.

Quick & Easy

I promise that after you have dried your inflatable kayak out a couple of times you will become an old pro and find that you can whip through this process really fast.

Keep in mind that the dirt, sand and rocks that will undoubtedly gather inside the kayak are not a problem.

The water and moisture is the important part to dry out so that you don’t end up with mold and mildew.

Next Article:  Is Kayak Therapy A Real Thing?


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