I bought a used 2008 wilderness systems 120 Tsunami. The rear bulk head is leaking and the front was just laying in the seat. I’ve removed all the old sealant residue up front and bought some lexel to reseal it. I was wonder should I scuff up the kayak surface to get a better bound or leave it smooth?

I haven’t seen any manufacturers that scuff the plastic before bonding bulkheads, so there’s probably not much point in doing so. It could also potentially compromise the seal. Make sure that you bulkheads are vented to prevent pressure buildup due to temperature changes. With foam bulkhead, I just poke a wire through them and insert a piece of the thin plastic tubing from a can of spray lube or cleaner. I typically put the hole a little above center in the bulkhead. The tiny hole is enough of a vent, but won’t allow any significant leakage if the cockpit gets flooded.

Lexel should work fine as long as you scrub the surfaces clean.

I have the surface 99.9% clear of the old sealant. I just wanna get it resealed so it won’t sink and so I can get ready for boundary waters next year