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FAQ
Deck Fabric Details
- What is the difference between Cordura and Polytech?
- Cordura is a 1000 denier, 100 % nylon, with a 1 1/2 oz coating of urethane on the underside. Cordura is water-resistant. Polytech starts with a tighter 420 denier nylon, with 4 oz of urethane on the outside and 2 oz of urethane on the underside. Polytech is water-proof. Polytech costs three times that of nylon Cordura.
- Do I need to treat the deck and/or hull with anything?
- Cordura nylon decks may become tight over time. You should wet the deck to allow the frame extension. Cordura has 1 1/2 oz of urethane coating on the underside of the fabric. Because of the open weave of the Cordura, over time, this waterproof coating can begin to lessen. Products such as 303 nylon protectant, Nik Wax, and Scotch Guard can be used to treat the Cordura. We have not used any after market product on the Polytech. We have not used any treatment on the hypalon or Duratek hull fabrics.
- What do I use to clean the deck?
- Mild soap and water will work well. (We use a diluted mixture of Precision Clean.) You can even use an old soft tooth brush or soft pot scrubber on the Polytech.
- What is Polytech?
- It begins with a 420 denier high tenacity nylon balanced weave fabric. A 4 1/2 oz. per sq. yd. urethane coating on the outside is embossed (patterned) to give it the touch and appearance of fabric. The inside is coated with 2 oz per sq. yd. of urethane. These multiple applications of urethane create a total water-barrier. The fabric is completely waterproof and dimensionally stable. It can be welded, is abrasion resistant, and is fade-resistant.
Urethane does react with chlorine, so practicing rolls in a swimming pool should be limited.
- A Cordura deck kayak -- the skin is tight. What do I do?
- Over time, nylon can contract. If you find that the skin has tightened after use, wet the deck thoroughly to allow the nylon to stretch. This will help you ease the frame into the skin.
- It looks like there is mildew on the deck and/or nylon gear. What can I do?
- Here is a recipe that we saved from the August 1996 issue of Sea Kayaker Magazine. For mildew on coated synthetic fabrics:
Mix 1/2 cup Lysol in one gallon of hot water. Wash gear with sponge; let air dry. After fabric dries, mix one cup salt with one cup concentrated lemon juice in one gallon of hot water. Wash with this solution. Let it dry. Flotation bags and many other non-fabric surfaces contaminated with mildew can sometimes be flushed or scrubbed with a low-strength bleach solution. A word of caution : before you try a large area with any cleaning solution, first experiment on a small piece of fabric, maybe from your patch kit.
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