Kayaking in the rivers is bliss. The calm, serene surroundings lift your spirits and take you away from your every day worries. People sit in their kayaks, decorate them and paddle down into the sunset. If you have purchased a new kayak and are wondering how to decorate it, stickers and decals are a good option. Then again where to put these stickers?
You can put stickers or decals on the top of the kayak. It can be either the front part or the rear of the vessel. However, if your kayak needs to be registered, you need to put the registration stickers in the forward part of the vessel – on both sides. The registration stickers must be at least three inches behind and in a straight line of the registration number of your kayak.
If you are looking for ideas on how to decorate your kayak, stickers and decals are the best options. Also, at places, it may be mandatory to register your kayak with the local authorities, and you will have to display the registration number on the kayak. This article will guide you on putting the kayak decorations on your vessel and make it look fantastic. If you are a newbie or a pro, this article will tell you something which you didn’t know. So read on to find out more.
Kayaks
Kayaks are small, slender water vessels which can carry one or two passengers on board. It is paddled by the commuters with double-bladed paddles. The cockpit (the place where the paddlers sit) covers the bottom half of the kayakers. The word ‘kayak’ means a man’s boat or a hunter’s boat.
Kayaks are of mainly two types: sit-on-top kayaks or sit-in kayaks. The sit-on-top kayaks are for beginners or leisure kayaking. The sit-in kayaks are for serious kayaking. Kayaks are used for transportation, fishing, sports activities, or leisure purposes.
Kayaks were first used by the indigenous tribes of the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. The Aleut, Inuit, and the Yup’ik people used kayaks for fishing and hunting purposes. The natives wandered in kayaks in search of food. They mainly roamed in the coastal regions of the Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic, North Pacific, and the Bering Sea. The kayaks in their initial days were made of wood or whalebones. Animal skin such as whale or seal skin was stretched over the frame and stitched together to form the kayak’s outer body.
In the modern days, kayaks are made of fiberglass or polyethylene. Fiberglass bodies are stiff and more stable but get damaged during a collision. They are also more expensive due to their raw material. Plastic kayaks are made through the rotational molding technique and are lightweight & durable. Lately, inflatable kayaks are in demand due to their ease of storage. These kayaks are more buoyant than their counterparts.
Stickers on kayaks
If you plan to decorate your kayak, stickers are the number one choice. You can go for waterproof stickers which will stick to your kayak for a long time. First, clean the surface where you want to paste the sticker. If it is a self-adhesive sticker, remove the protective butter paper from its back. Gently place the sticker on the surface and start pressing the sticker from one side. Use a plastic or metal ruler for this purpose. Once you have swept across the sticker, wait for a few minutes. You are done.
If you want to use a sticker that does not have any glue on its back, get some waterproof glue for the purpose. After cleaning the surface, apply a generous amount of glue to the back of the sticker. Place it on the kayak’s surface and press it from one side. Wait for half an hour for the sticker to get fixed to your kayak’s body.
For more serious decorators, you can try using decals on your kayaks. Decals are designs or patterns on plastic which can be transferred to your kayak. This is done by placing the decal in touch with your kayak and affirming the pattern or design using a heat gun or water. You can even transfer a design on your entire kayak’s body using this technique. Unless you already know of this method, you need to visit a pro shop to get a decal on your kayak.
If you plan to use your kayak at the night, you can put neon stickers on the vessel. They will reflect maximum light from the boat and warn any incoming boat or ship. You can run neon tape from the tip to the tail of your kayak on both sides. This will give you maximum chances of getting noticed during a night excursion.
Mandatory stickers on your kayak
There are several places where you need to register your kayak with the local authorities. In that case, it becomes compulsory to display your kayak’s registration number on the kayak’s body. In general, kayaks that are over 13 feet long or are motorized need to be registered. Inflatable kayaks greater than seven feet long also need to be registered.
You need to display both your registration number and the registration sticker on the first half of your vessel. This has to be done on both sides of the kayak. Usually, the bow area is preferred for this purpose. First, the registration number needs to be painted or printed on the vessel followed by the registration sticker. The gap between the registration number and the sticker should be at least three inches and both of them should be in line.
Conclusion
You can place stickers on the kayak where you want. You can use glue stickers, decals, and neon tapes to decorate your vessel. At the same time, you need to put the registration details at the particular places of your kayak to meet the local rules. You should stick to the local protocols to be on the right side of the law. We hope that you have gained good insights in the topic and will use them to decorate your kayak to the fullest. It will be a fun experience to do so and an amazing treat for the eyes after you are done.