A number of years ago I bought some kayak saddle “booties.” They were like terrycloth or micro fleece or something covers (maybe with some sewn-in bungee that acted like a drawstring) that you slipped over your saddles. I have since replaced the boat and the saddles, and the booties eventually wore out. I now find that my brand new boat, with it’s pristine white hull, is getting substantial black marks every time I load and unload it (I have a pick up and with my system, I need to slide the boat a few feet across the saddles to get in correctly positioned). Just spent 20 minutes with some oxidizer rubbing the marks out. I can’t find kayak saddle booties on the web and am wondering if anyone here knows of such a product that is still being made (I think the ones I bought were from someone who was probably knitting them out of her house - not a big-time manufacturer). If not, maybe I can get some of that soft material that is used on boat trailer skids and glue it to the tops of my EvelKeel saddles. Thanks.
Get some self sticking felt from Walmart.
https://www.michaels.com/creatology-peel-and-stick-stiff-felt/10331812.html It’s for ages 3 and up, so I think you pass that test.
Tube socks?
McMaster-Carr sells adhesive-backed felt in approximately a zillion variations.
Thanks all!
We use terry cloth buffer pads. They work very well.
Yakima sells replacement saddle pads for my older saddles. I suspect they sell them for yours also.
Great idea! I just got some replacement buffer pads too. May repurpose them, at least to see how well they work.
@tjalmy said:
We use terry cloth buffer pads. They work very well.
We’ve never had one blow off! Sometimes I’ll travel with only one boat at speeds I won’t admit to, and the pads stay on the unoccupied saddles just fine.
Just ordered some Yakima replacement pads for my mako saddles. 6 bucks per pair.
until you get your pad covers installed, try WD40 on the black marks. That’s what I use on the black marks from a set of Hully Rollers I have. Works like a charm & kinder to the finish than oxidation remover.
I don’t remember getting it, but I have some black streak remover in the closet that worked OK also. With respect to WD40, I’ve found that in combination with a rotary buffer, it makes the front of my dishwasher look brand new.
@Seadddict said:
until you get your pad covers installed, try WD40 on the black marks. That’s what I use on the black marks from a set of Hully Rollers I have. Works like a charm & kinder to the finish than oxidation remover.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is what’s worked best for me. Quick and easy.
We used to have a member that used shower caps to cover her saddles.
@Rookie said:
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is what’s worked best for me. Quick and easy.
Me too. I write notes on my deck with regular pencil, then clean it off later with a no name knock off.
BUT be careful and use sparingly. It is actually a pretty powerful abrasive. You will be removing some of your gel coat (or plastic hull) each time you use it.