Old Town Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Old Town kayaks made?
The great boats produced by Old Town Canoe Co. are manufactured in Old Town, Maine, USA.
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What are Old Town kayaks made of?
Old Town creates extremely durable and high-quality boats made from Rotomolded Polyethylene. Polyethylene is a
very durable and lightweight type of thermoplastic that is widely used for multiple types of products.
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How to store your Old Town kayak?
Old Town recommends storing your kayak indoors, deck-side down covering about 30% of the kayak’s length on
some kind of padded support.
If storing your kayak outside is your only option, it is recommended to cover the cockpit to try and prevent
any water from getting inside. Also, for outdoor storage, tieing down your kayak is highly recommended. In
the occurrence of strong winds, tying down your kayak can prevent the winds from flipping it and causing
damage. Sun exposure may fade the color of your kayak over time, so keeping it out of the sun is ideal.
Using a tarp directly on your kayak is not recommended. Too much heat from the sun under the tarp can create
an environment that could potentially damage, distort, or discolor the hull. A tarp can be used as long as
there is a proper amount of space for air circulation.
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How to repair Old Town Kayaks?
Before repairing your Old Town kayak, polyethylene hulls must be polarized because there is no material that will
bond to polyethylene permanently before it is polarized. The area of damage first needs to be roughened with
sandpaper and cleaned.
How to properly polarize my kayak? To begin this process, you will need a hand-help propane
torch. Contact with the hull to the small, bright blue flame is essential. All that needs to be done is wave the
flame across the hull. You do not need to worry about melting or blackening the surface. What happens during
this process is the flame is oxidizing the surface for the repair to take place. Make sure you do not touch the
surface with your bare hands after this process because oils from your skin can reverse the process.
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Deep Gouges: A repair adhesive that is 2-part epoxy is ideal to fill gouges and cuts
that do not go all the way through the boat.
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Breaks/Cuts/Punctures: A 2-part polyurethane resin system that is part of the
Polyethylene/Royalex repair kit is ideal. A patch on the inside and outside of the hull is typically
required for this type of repair.
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Finishing: An acrylic lacquer is recommended for finishes and can be purchased from a
local automotive shop.
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How to clean your Old Town kayak?
Hull Exterior: Mild soap and water should do the trick but you can also use Murphy’s Oil Soap.
If you are looking to beautify your hull, you can use a vinyl protectant product (Armor All®, 303 Products or
Pledge). Waxing your hull with a paste wax is not recommended.
Hull Interior: Only use mild soap and water for the interior of your hull. Do NOT use any of
the above products recommended for the exterior of your hull on the interior.
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How to register your Old Town Kayak?
To register your Old Town kayak you will need to make a visit to your local DMV/revenue office. All you need is
your original receipt and the manufacturer’s statement of origin which can be found in your owner’s manual.
If you need a more formal Bill of State, please email us at Sales@ecofishingshop.com with your serial number and
we will get that information to you.
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If you have any Old Town
Kayak questions that were not answered above, please feel free to give us a call.