Basics - Keeping Warm and Saving Energy in Winter

Taking the time to pack your gear correctly for storage of any length of time is well worth the effort. Here are a few basic things to do and think about, to help you keep your equipment in good shape when in storage. When storing any dry gear (excluding PVC or vinyl materials) I would recommend the following for use before storage and especially when you take them out for your first winter sessions:

 

Penguin Sport Wash - This is a residue-free laundry detergent, designed specifically to keep high-performance fabrics performing like the day you bought them. In addition to using this non-allergenic detergent to prolong the life of your high-performance fabrics on a daily basis, a last wash before storage will help a lot, as this ensures that no oils, sunscreen, dead skin cells or any other nasties can cause damage while you are playing in the summer sun.

 

Penguin Permanent Water Guard - This restores the water repellent finish to all water repellent and waterproof, breathable fabrics, making it ideal to further protect your gear when in storage and get it into full swing after the winter. Make sure you rinse or wash the top with a residue-free detergent like Sport Wash. Any residue from detergents or anything else will hamper the effectiveness of the bond that the treatment creates with the material. Lay your top on a flat surface and spray the PWG on as evenly as possible. When you hang it up to dry, hang it upside down as this helps to get any excess PWG on the top parts, like your shoulders, where there is the most wear and tear. If you see that after a while the water is no longer beading on the surface of the materials, re-apply some PWG. If you find that this is only on a couple of spots, like your shoulders, then treat that area and not the whole top.

 

UV Protector - This stuff is brilliant, sunscreen for clothes. It protects the fibres in your gear against UV damage, especially while it is hanging out to dry. If you read the care instructions on most high-performance garments or gear, pretty much all of them make a point of saying 'do not dry in direct sunlight'.

 

Your nearest Sportsmans Warehouse should stock all of the Penguin range. The only other brand I would bring anywhere near my gear is Nikwax, which is similar to and just as good as Penguin's products, but not always easily available.

 

If you treat latex seals with baby powder (talcum powder) before you pack them away, they should be hundreds after a quick spray with some pure silicone spray. If you didn’t powder them or they have stuck together, then pull them apart as carefully as possible and trim off the edges if they have started to perish. As soon as you have done that, lube them with some silicone spray. This is only a temporary solution because once they start to perish, it's only a matter of time before they break. In the meantime, contact your nearest kayak dealer to order some replacement gaskets.

 

Keeping dry

The key to a good winter paddle session is staying as warm and dry as possible. Therefore, the less energy your system has to waste on keeping warm, the more energy you will have to paddle with and enjoy your day on the water.

 

Step one is to stay dry, but with kayaking being a water sport this makes it rather tricky. The two most important toys for this are a splash deck and a dry/semi dry top.

 

Splash deck - I use a Seals Pro Rand deck and have found it to be the driest deck ever. If you can’t get your hands on one of these bad boys, I would opt for the Peak UK Whitewater deck, which is new and part of their 2013 line up and replaces the old Creek and Freeride decks.

 

Dry/semi dry top - This is the biggest staying-warm investment you should make - a dry top cag. When water sneaks in at your waist, neck and arms (wrists/biceps) when kayaking, you have two choices when looking at the gasket cags. Neoprene-only gaskets are more comfortable, as well as a bit tougher, but they will allow some water to sneak in and wet you. Latex gaskets are super tight and the way to go if you really need to stay dry. Most cags that have latex gaskets will have neoprene gaskets covering them, to help protect the latex gaskets. Please take the time to check the instructions on the cag you buy for care and adjustment instructions, especially with latex gaskets.