Kayaks are a fun way to explore and roam around the waterways. But suddenly, when you are done with your adventure, you do not have any energy left to deflate the Kayak.
Deflating a kayak is undoubtedly not the fun part of a Kayak. Especially if you do not know how to deflate a kayak, it can be time-consuming. But with proper guidance, you can deflate a kayak within a short period.
In this guide, you will find out how you can deflate a kayak within 10-15 minutes. So that you can take your sweet time enjoying the Kayak instead of dreading the whole deflating process.
How Long Does It Take To Deflate A Kayak – A Beginner’s Guideline
Estimated Cost: 0
Time Needed: 10-15 minutes
Deflating a kayak is really simple and does not take much time. But you do need some guidance, or else you can damage your Kayak.
You do not need much to deflate a kayak. Most people prefer deflating a kayak with bare hands.
Tools Needed
1. Pump
Before the whole process of deflation begins, you need some preparations to do. If you skip this part, then your Kayak will not deflate properly, and over time it will be damaged.
Moreover, these steps are required; otherwise, the deflation process can take up a lot of time.
Steps You Need To Follow Before Deflating
Step 1 – Getting Back To The Dry Land:
When you are done exploring the water, you will have to come back to the ground. When you reach the ground, use whatever your environment offers to step out of the Kayak safely.
How fast you can paddle up to the ground is up to you. At first, it may seem difficult, but over time you can reach the shore smoothly. But if you are a beginner, do not try to hurry up the whole process. It may cause an accident!
You need to choose an area that is flat, cool, and does not have any sharp objects such as rocks or debris that can hurt you or your Kayak.
Step 2 – Clearing Out & Cleaning Up The Kayak:
To make the deflation process easy and time-efficient, you need to clear out the Kayak and put aside the compartments of kayaks such as seats, paddles, and others. Make sure to set aside everything.
Now that you are done with your Kayak, you need to clean the Kayak by rinsing water to remove any kind of dirt, mud, or debris.
Starting with the bottom up is a good idea, as when you will rinse, the water inside will drain instead of pooling up.
Step 3 – Drying The Kayak Properly
The Kayak needs to be completely dry before deflating it. If you have time in hand, then dry the Kayak in the sun for a little while.
Meanwhile, you can relax in an intense situation of exploring the waters with your Kayak. Once you are done air drying, use a towel to manually dry the Kayak. You have to make sure that the whole Kayak is dry.
There are two ways to can dry your Kayak. This is mostly up to the paddler. You can air-dry the Kayak and use that time to rest before starting the whole deflation process.
But if you are in a hurry, use a towel or a dry piece of cloth to manually dry the Kayak.
Air Dry
When the weather is sunny and beautiful, and you want to relax a bit before deflating, folding, and packaging your Kayak, then you should consider air drying. Position the Kayak in the exposure to the sun and let the sun do all of the work.
Manual Dry
Before drying the Kayak, make sure that the ground is also dry. You would want to ensure that the ground is clean and free of any mud and dirt, or else the time and energy you put before cleaning the Kayak will be wasted.
You need to be careful that the towel or the clothing you are using is also dry and can saturate water easily.
Whether you air dry or manually dry you’re Kayak, ensure that all the areas of the Kayak are adequately dry before deflating.
Because it is easier to dry your Kayak while it is inflated, once you deflate the Kayak, drying up is really tough, and it takes more time.
All these steps make deflating your Kayak easier than ever. Following these steps saves up a lot of time during the deflation process. You can still do this part while deflating, but you will notice a lot of hardship in each step.
Steps On Deflating A Kayak Quickly And Efficiently
Step 1 – Unscrewing The Valves
While deflating your Kayak, you better deflate one valve at a time. Initially, unscrew the valves partially and gradually take the entire vales out wholly. This process is better than deflating the entire compartment all at once.
Step 2 – Deflating The Sides
Before moving on to the floor, deflate the sides first. This will make deflation easier and will take less time.
Step 3 – Letting The Air Out
To get as much air out as possible, you need to put pressure on the compartment you are deflating. This process gets more air out as well, as air comes out faster.
Step 4 – Replacing The Valves
Now that you are removing the air out of each section, you need to replace the valves. Do not forget to leave them behind or letting them get lost.
And if you do not want unwanted material to get inside the valves, then partially screw the valves back in before starting the folding process. Doing this will save up a lot of time and effort in the cleaning part.
By following these steps, you can deflate your Kayak easily and move up to the folding and packaging part.
With proper instructions, once you get hold of the whole deflation process, it will roughly take 10 minutes to deflate your Kayak.
FAQs:
1. Do I Need To Deflate My Kayak?
Yes, you must deflate your Kayak. If you do not deflate your Kayak over a long period, it can damage the valves, and you will notice strains on the Kayak’s skin.
2. Is Deflating Time-Consuming?
No, deflating Kayak takes up to 10-15 minutes. And once you get used to it, it will take you less than 10 min about 7-8 minutes.
An easy way to deflate your Kayak is by treating it like an air mattress that you are rolling in the air instead of trying to fold the Kayak.
3. How Dry Does My Kayak Need To Be Before Deflating?
You need to dry your Kayak completely before starting to deflate it. If you do not dry your Kayak correctly, it will cause mold and mildew to build up, especially if the environment is humid.
Moreover, after deflating, drying up takes more time, so you should do it before you start deflating.
Final Words
Deflating the Kayak is the most neglected part of the Kayak. Many people often forgot to deflate the Kayak, and even when they do, they do not do it properly. Hence, a lot of kayaks get damaged and end up taking a lot of time.
Deflation is a straightforward process that neither requires much time nor requires many tools. You can deflate your Kayak without using any tool or additional cost.
And if you follow the instructions correctly, you can deflate a kayak in under 10 minutes. All you need to do is take some necessary preparations before deflating your Kayak, and while deflating, follow the guideline properly.
In this article, we have tried to make the whole deflation process as easy as possible. Now that you know the necessity of defeating the Kayak and how to do it, do not be one of those people that do not deflate their kayaks!
