I just bought this kayak from REI and it seems to have a massive dented line down the middle horizontally across the kayak. Is this supposed to be there or do I need to return it?
I probably wouldn’t want a crease like that on a new boat, and would try to get it exchanged. Did you get it shipped to you or did you pick it up? If you got it shipped that could have happend then and I would call them. Could have also happened from a tight ratchet strap on top of your car. Worst case it probably doesn’t matter much, just a bumer on a new boat.
REI is refunding me and coming to pick it up they looked at the pictures and decided it’s pretty bad. Not sure when I will find another boat in stock again.
4 Likes
Maybe ask for a discount to keep it?
The crease shouldn’t be there. Given that it goes around the boat, it looks like possibly someone tied a line around the boat and pulled it too tight. Especially if the boat was in a warm location when this happened.
That said, the crease won’t affect the way the boat paddles or safety or anything like that. Plastic boats are very rugged and will collect scratches and creases. And the crease may partially come out in its own the next time it is in a warm area (hot sun or the like). Plastic likes to try to reset back to the shape it was molded in to. Won’t return all the way, but could reduce by about half or so.
The idea Mike93lx had isn’t a bad one. As someone who works for a paddlesports company, I can sometimes buy direct from manufacturers. The last plastic boat I bought was shipped to the company I work for by itself. Came with a decent size scratch (larger than what you show in the photo) where it looks like a shipper ran a forklift into it. They said they would take it back, or give me something like $150 off the price. I took the discount and the boat is still going just fine some 2 years later, just with additional scratches I put in it along with the one that it arrived with.
Alright thanks for all the feedback. I’m going to go ahead and let them take it back because it’s actually heavier and wider than what I want in addition to the damage
1 Like
You can get that out with a heat gun or possibly just by leaving it out in the sun to warm up enough to allow you to press it out from the inside.