I’ve recently begun kayaking in a polyethylene kayak. This past summer has created some fairly deep gouges in the bottom from the occasional unavoided rock or stump. I’m beginning to worry about a gouge going right through the hull. Is there a product or procedure that can be used to repair this kind of damage?

Skin grafts

Shave cockpit combing area a bit larger, use the slivers
and a heat gun, presto changeo, no deep gouge hole.

I’ve never had a rock gouge go clear
through the hull. If you hit an old rebar spike, it might happen. You really don’t need to fill the gouges.



If you do hole or tear the hull, there are plastic welder specialists. Ask your dealer or experienced paddlers.



One could try to fill a gouge with 3M two part polyurethane adhesive, or with West G-flex epoxy. But you won’t really accomplish much by doing so.