Quick question. The webbing on top of the used Old Town kayak I recently bought is pretty stretched out, and I’d like to replace it. It appears that something called “shock cord” is what I should be looking for? Just looking for conformation, or being steered in the right direction.
Thank you
Shock cord is the same as bungee cord (as is used in the stretchy, braided fabric covered, hook-ended thingees used to hold stuff on bike racks.) You can buy it by the yard in various thicknesses at fabric stores like Joanns and at outdoor stores like REI and EMS. Even some Walmarts have it.
Or buy it on line – it’s quite cheap. The 1/4" size is usually sufficient for kayak deck rigging. Get the marine grade stuff, which is polypropolene sheath rather than nylon (nylon doesn’t hold up well to UV light.) Here is an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/25ft-1-4-Black-Bungee-Cord-Marine-Grade-Heavy-Duty-Shock-Rope-Tie-Down-Stretch-/232131484532
When you cut it, sear the ends with a lighter or match to keep the braided sheath from unraveling.
Marine grade made in USA
I get mine from West Marine down the street. They sell on line.
Thanks all for the confirmation and suggestions!
I buy mine from the local hiking store. If my bill runs $18, I have them toss in a couple bucks of bungie to round it out. The bungie goes into my kayak-junk box with pad-eyes, bolts, etc so when I do my Spring boat-work, I have it on hand when I replace my deck-line, bungie and whatever else I need to do for the upcoming season.