I recently bought a Seattle Sports Hydrostar LED light for my kayak. It is supposed to attach to the deck with a suction cup, and has a safety cord as well. However, the suction cup won’t adhere well to my deck, apparently because my kayak, a P&H Capella, has a rough rather than smooth plastic finish.
I emailed Seattle Sports and they said the suction cups don’t work well with “rough” plastic finishes, even their marketing says the light will “secure easily to any deck configuration.” I would like to keep the light because it works well otherwise and would be a pain to mail back. Does anyone have any tips for making the suction cup work better?
wet
Wet both surfaces before attaching, keep both surfaces spotlessly clean, avoid jarring bumps.
Still, both surfaces need to be smooth for it to hold long.
Oh, if you want to go to the extra trouble and mess, you’ll get a tighter bond using something more viscous than water to wet the surfaces - like vasoline, for example. If you go that route, you’ll want to clean both surfaces and then dry them with a towel to get rid of ALL water, then liberally coat each surface with the vasoline. After sticking, wipe off the vasoline outside of the surface cup area.
with cup
two ideas come to mind. Afix a smooth surface (such a stiff plastic sheet) to under decklines for cup to stick to. Or with iron melt a flat spot on deck. Or you can lash or bungee the light to deck lines still using cup on rough deck to keep vertical.
Is your Capella
polyethylene or composite construction? Suction cup mounts aren’t going to stick to polyethylene boats, wet or dry.
Own Same Product
With a smooth plastic boat and it works great. I would suggest you take advantage of the two plastic loopholes on the suction base and tightly tether it to your decklines or bungees to keep it in place. That should keep it in place and upright and reduce the chances of losing the suction base.
Here you go
http://www.gpscheap.com/pc-1587-48-arkon-ap020-adhesive-mounting-disc-adapter-plate-90mm-circular-disc-with-3m-adhesive.aspx
or they may have one at your local best box store.
You could take a piece of smooth plastic like a cd cover, cut it round, the double back tape it to the deck??? Make your on disc.
Google GPS mounting disc
ideas
Thanks for the suggestions. I should have thought of that – affixing something smooth for the suction to adhere to. Will rubber cement damage a plastic kayak? Mine is the RM version of the Capella. Wouldn’t have the problem if it was fiberglass.
cut or make your hard and smooth …
– Last Updated: Jul-10-09 8:54 PM EST –
...... plastic or other disc material (whatever you use) , a little bit bigger a round ... and just rivit it on with 3 or 4 rivits .
Make sure the rivits are outside the suction cup area , not inside it .
Whatever disc material you decide to use , check to make sure with your light suction cup , that it sticks well enough for you , before taking the time to shape/mount it .
I have the same light
And the suction cup sticks well to my smooth finish plastic kayak.
You could toss the suction cup and just use the magnet that’s on the bottom of the light. Just get a strong (neodymium?) magnet and glue it under the deck. Just make sure to use the tether in case it somehow breaks free.