Free Kayak + a Wich Which Cup + a Heat Gun = Problem Solved
Kayaks get holes — it happens. Especially here in Florida where oyster beds are absolutely brutal on the bottom of any boat.
Our friends gave us a free kayak with a small hole in the bottom. Perfect size for my son — and since it was free we weren’t about to spend serious money fixing it. So my husband MacGyvered a solution, which also conveniently gave him a reason to buy a new power tool. A heat gun. They run about $20 on Amazon and it turns out they’re incredibly useful for all kinds of projects around the house.
The harder question was what to use as the patch material. Then we spotted a Wich Which cup in the garage — about 8 inches tall, heavy duty plastic, and almost the exact same color as the kayak. Perfect.
What You Need
- Heat gun — around $20 on Amazon
- A piece of heavy duty plastic — we used a fast food cup but any similar plastic works
- A scraper or putty knife
- Patience — this took about an hour
Total cost for us: $20 for the heat gun. Everything else we already had.
How We Did It
First assess your damage. Our hole was about an inch wide and circular — not a crack. If you have a crack this method might still work but you’ll need to flatten and straighten the crack first before patching. Cracks are a whole different challenge.
Step 1 — Cut your plastic piece down so it covers the hole with at least 2 inches to spare on every side. You want good overlap for a solid bond.
Step 2 — Slowly start melting the plastic cup onto the kayak using the heat gun. The key word is SLOWLY. Melt a little, let it cool, melt a little more. Rushing this will make a mess.
Step 3 — Use your scraper to mold the melting plastic to the shape of the kayak as it softens. You want it to conform to the curve of the hull not just sit flat on top.
Step 4 — Keep going — melt, cool, shape, repeat — until the patch is fully bonded and conformed to the hull. Ours took about an hour total.
The Result
Not pretty. But completely patched and totally functional. We didn’t bother painting it or finding a better color match because this was going to be an 11 year old’s lake boat — he wasn’t exactly worried about aesthetics.
If you want it to look better you could find a plastic piece that more closely matches your kayak color, or hit it with some spray paint after it’s fully cooled and bonded. For a kid’s boat on a lake though? Done.
A Few Notes
This works best for holes not cracks. A clean circular or irregular hole is much easier to patch with this method than a crack that runs along the hull.
This is for recreational kayaks — the kind you’d use on a lake or calm water. If you’re patching a sea kayak or something you’re taking into serious conditions get a proper repair kit.
The heat gun is worth having anyway. Ours has been used for shrink wrap, paint stripping, removing stickers, bending PVC pipe and about a dozen other projects since we bought it. $20 well spent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you really fix a kayak with a plastic cup? Yes — if the hole is relatively small and the kayak is made of polyethylene plastic (most recreational kayaks are) this heat welding method works surprisingly well. It’s not a professional repair but it’s solid enough for casual use.
What kind of plastic works best for patching? Heavy duty plastic from containers, buckets or thick cups works well. The closer the plastic type matches your kayak material the better the bond. Polyethylene to polyethylene bonds best.
How long does the repair last? Ours held up for years of regular use on the lake. As long as you take your time melting and bonding properly it’s a durable fix.
What if I have a crack instead of a hole? Cracks are harder because you need to flatten and stabilize them first. Try clamping the crack shut and applying heat carefully to fuse the edges back together before adding any patch material.
Is a heat gun dangerous? Treat it with the same respect as any heat tool. Keep it moving, don’t hold it in one spot too long, and let things cool before touching. Basic common sense applies.
While you’re kayaking around St. George Island don’t forget to grab donuts!
Love finding free stuff and fixing it up? That’s kind of our whole thing. Check out how we find free stuff and what we do with it.
UPDATE – a year later it is STILL holding!
Disclaimer – we aren’t boat repair experts. This is just what we did to fix our boat. We are not responsible if you screw it up!
