like changing the battery in the smoke alarm my yahoo reminder came up saying its time to 303 again…so went to the rack and rubbed down the kayaks…just a reminder for those who use 303.
Dh used all the 303
gettin’ his Supra all purty!
kari
hey, speaking of
I was wondering if i was the only one to use it on cars!
303 on cars and camper
I use 303 on my Miata convertible top, the awning on my camper, and the tire sidewalls on my cars, truck and motorcycle.
I also use it on the dash and interior plastic in my cars.
Good Stuff!
Once a month on hatch covers…
Boat lives outside in the shade but is paddled almost everyday.
Spray it on the PFDs a few times a year and it works great on the car’s dash. I’m too cheap to use it on the tires…
Maintenance Moron here
Should all kayaks (whitewater, flatwater, touring, surf, etc) be treated with a sun repellant? How often? What sort of things should I consider when I decide what to use?
What other sorts of maintenance should I do to my kayak to make it last?
funny how…
…words look different to some people. When I saw the ‘303 time of the year’ I didn’t even think of what you meant.
Since up here Moose season ended a couple of weeks ago and Deer season starts next week, I was sure it was going to be a blurb about someone getting ready to go to the woods.
Thanks for the reminder though.
Wish I could offer clear answers.
Some pnetters apply 303 just a coupla-three times a year, others don’t bother because they think it washes off immediately and fouls our clean waterways. I have seen some visual indication that 303 is still “somewhat” on the boat after one river trip, but after that I can’t tell. The manufacturers of sunscreens aren’t making any claims or offering guarantees.
One situation where I use 303 or other sunscreens is if the vinyl has worn off the ABS on one of my Royalex boats. Vinyl is very sun-resistant, and hardly needs sun protection, except to make it look “new.” ABS, the structural layer, is VERY easily weakened by sun exposure.
Today’s poly boats are made with UV inhibitors, so they’re more susceptibe to UV than vinyl, but much less so than ABS. If a poly boat is exposed to sun a lot for more than a year, the color may fade, the surface may get dull… and eventually the plastic will weaken. If you plan to keep a boat more than five years, you need either to keep it out of the sun when you’re not in it, or use a UV inhibitor like 303 and hope it is helping.
Applying 303 now, …
… at the end of the season, is like rubbing yourself down with sunblock AFTER you’ve been to the beach; the damage is already done.
The maker of 303 makes no claim to ‘condition’ or ‘restore’ plastic, but only to serve as a UV protectant and sunblock for plastic. This serves little purpose while the boat sleeps in the darkness of the garage.
It’s certainly wise to clean and inspect your boats and their fittings, etc., and the off-season is a good time to make any repairs. But save the 303 for spring, and several times during the paddling season, when it does the most good.
somehow I think of spring
and summer as the 303 time of year
(for drysuit gaskets …)
Cabelas
They sell so darn many canoes and rec kayaks yet they have no 303.
I live a half mile away(crow flight),So I spend a lot of time there looking for bargans in the cave.So many times I see a guy ratcheting one down to the top of his S.U.V.and he has no idea what he’s doing.I’ll help or just talk and they have no idea what 303 is or how to care for their boat.
At a shop you get all the info you need to take care of your new toy,Basicly let everyone know to use 303 regulary.
Why …
… would anyone want to properly maintain their outdoor gear?
Everyone knows that in another year or two, they’ll come out with some newfangled, gee-whiz, high-tech replacement for it. And if your dependable old canoe (or whatever) still looks well cared for and like new, you’ll never be able to convince your spouse that you absolutely NEED the new one …
That is my phylosophy exactly. but try
to tell “the bride that”. !
Cheers,
jackL
sheltered
my kayaks are sheltered from overhead direct UV when not in use but there is the attack from the side and maybe scatter…so while they’re sitting there they get a dose of 303…and during the season which never ends for me.
If you are going to use 303 get it off the net and in large quantities, my local outfitter charges way too much for the small spray bottles.
vinyl worn off on royalex boats
brings up a question as I’ve seen more than a few posts on folks sanding off scratches on their hulls. Have to assume that action comprimises the abs/vinyl and the 303 should be a weekly maintenance if one’s cartopping the boat or leaving it outside.
Well, my most-used Royalex boat
is ten years old, and the only serious vinyl damage was under the solo pedestal seat, where the vinyl wore through from blundering over rocks. I covered the exposed ABS with two concentric layers of S-glass and epoxy, which are holding up very well. I have occasionally put 303, Armorall, or McNett on the boat before a long western trip, and the boat is stored in the shade. But mostly, the vinyl has had to care for itself. Other than getting a bit chalky on the surface, and perhaps paling a bit in color, vinyl seems close to carefree.
So, one can put 303 on Royalex to make it look good, but it doesn’t seem to need the protection for the vinyl to survive and protect the ABS.
Does anyone put sun protectant on the INSIDE of their Royalex canoe? That would be a slippery mess.