So now that I have a dry top w/ latex cuffs and neck how do I store it?
I have a few things that might make it’s longevity in danger.
First is that I spend a lot of time in the desert, a horrible place for latex.
I also live in a mobile rig and have almost no closet space. My PFD lives in the kayak w/ my paddle and other safety gear.
Should I be treating the latex w/ 303? Something else? I don’t use 303 on my yak as I tried it and liked something else better.
Should I just roll it up and store it in a plastic bag?
Looking for any advice that will help me keep this top good for years, . . . or at least until I don’t want it anymore.
Keep it away from high heat or constant exposure to sunlight. I suggest that the dry top come inside the mobile unit for storage, not in the kayak exposed to the weather extremes.
Dry it or hang it inside out after a paddle so that the fancier water blocking layers have the air.
My Scuba dry suit had latex neck and wrist seals. I always made sure it was good and dry then used baby powder on the latex to protect it. I always hung it up…never left it rolled up or in the bag.
I always looked like a Columbian drug lord when I put it on due to the white powder all over my face but I never had an issue with rotting or sticking latex.
Heat is not a friend of suits and gaskets. Friend left his in a car all the time. Turned Kokatat to JUNK. I rinse mine all the time I guess he didn’t. Cars can hit over 175°F interior temperature.
Here we tend to bag things so that they don’t dry up and become brittle. So I was just floating that as a possible way of keeping it from doing the desert deterioration.
I live full time on a 38’ sailboat. I do have a dedicated locker for my paddling gear, although my paddles live in with my regular clothes on hangers as they fit better in there. The dry top can go in with your clothes, either hanging or folded, once it’s clean and dry.
@LowTech yep, my space is luxurious compared to that! I probably have just under 200 sq ft. One big difference with boats vs RVs/trailers is that boats aren’t width restricted to travel on roads. My boat is 12.5’ wide.
The climate part is easy as we can just relocate based on the season. Never have to experience a too hot summer, or too cold winter.
Finding time to kayak is easier than finding locations, but the real challenge is storage of gear. I spent over a decade flying back and forth to the SE so that I could could paddle and storing my sea kayak at my mom’s place, the whole time thinking about what it would take, how I could live w/ a yak and gear, and where I would be able to paddle.
Finally the plan came to fruition last fall and I was able to find a couple kayaks that would work for us. Of course w/ limited space and the need to paddle rivers as well as some coastal stuff I kept the length down to the 14’-15’ range.
You should see me load the yak onto the top of my trailer, even the hullavator wouldn’t help.
Cars can hit over 175°F interior temperature.
