Material for polyethylene kayak repair

[BigFlyReel]

There are kits you can buy online for "heat welding" repairs of cracks and holes in polyethylene kayaks, usually consisting of a bunch of thin colored strips of high-density polyethylene. Using a heat gun or soldering iron (saw one that specified a torch, but I'm not that brave), you heat the boat material, then melt the HDPE strips into the crack/hole/whatever. It can be a touchy process, but it works quite well.

I found a great source of lots of HDPE that is just EXACTLY the right thickness and is easy to cut: TidyCat scoopable cat litter jugs. It's white/translucent, but if you're not picky about the color match and don't want to wait for a kit to arrive, it's an easy solution. You can easily cut the sides with a scissor and make a TON of strips of varying widths to fit your needs. There's enough to practice with, which is an added bonus. Many plastic milk jugs are also HDPE, but it's tough to get a long enough straight strip that will keep your fingers out of the heat zone.

BFR