After years of use, your kayak might have started falling apart or is no longer fit to use for various reasons. Perhaps, you don’t want to use it anymore and rather invest in a new, better kayak. But, now you are concerned about how to dispose of it.
The best thing to consider before disposing of anything is whether you can recycle it or not. There are many types of kayaks, and you can recycle a good number of them. You could also upcycle it or do something fun with it if you no longer need it on the water.
Reach out To Your Local Waste Disposal Authority
Your first choice should be to recycle your kayak. First, you should check whether the material it is made out of can be recycled or not. For example, wooden kayaks might be recyclable, whereas plastic kayaks may not be. Even though plastic is generally assumed the easiest to recycle, many parts of plastic kayaks are contaminated and unsafe to recycle.
Then, we recommend that you reach out to your local waste disposal authority or any good recycling companies. They will know how to help you recycle your kayak and will tell you if you can.
You should know that different regions will have different rules and laws on recyclable materials. Your kayak’s recyclability will also depend on the region you live in or that you decide to dispose of your kayak in. make sure you find out your region’s ability to recycle certain materials that your kayak is made of, as well as if they can recycle the kayak itself.
Offer It to Someone Else for Free
If the kayak is still in decent condition and can still be used on the water for a while longer, you can offer it to someone else for free. There are a few ways to go about this.
You can put up an ad online with your contact information and kayak details as a free offering. Perhaps someone who needs it and could not afford it could make great use of it. Even if it is not in great condition, someone else could recycle it for you.
You could also hand it down to a family member or a friend. This way, you would not be wasting a good kayak still in decent shape even if you have no use for it anymore. They could use it if it’s still good enough, or they can even upcycle it with you.
Upcycle It Into Something Else
If recycling is not an option, and you are still unwilling to give it away to someone else, you can upcycle it to anything you like.
If your kayak breaks or it sustains irreparable damages, you could get creative and do something cool with it. You can turn it into something likes decoration, an art piece, or something that serves another purpose for you.
You will find many ideas and tutorials online on how to upcycle a kayak. The options are endless, and you can even come up with your ideas! However, let us tell you a few ways to upcycle a kayak.
You can upcycle a kayak into home or garage decorations. For example, you can cut the top of the vessel and a cross-section along its length to create a big, hanging bookshelf. Or you can repaint your kayak however you like and hang it on a garage wall.
You can make art out of literally anything, including an old kayak. You could cut it up into pieces and use it for different pieces of work. Another option is to leave it whole and create artwork on it to sell as decorations.
Attempt DIY Repair if You’re Feeling Adventurous
If you are braver and more confident in your repair skills, you can repair the kayak and restore it to a brand-new state. That way, you can either use it yourself or further sell it for a good amount of money. You can only resell it if your repair quality is excellent and does not hurt the kayak’s ability to be dependable enough for a beginner at least.
The more dedicated you are, the more damages you can attempt to repair. Of course, you can’t guarantee that you will repair it enough to be usable again. But it never hurts to try, right?
You can use an old kayak as practice for simpler repairs, such as scratches or paint chipping off your newer kayaks. You will get to refine your abilities to repair kayaks and maybe do it for other people for some extra cash.
DIY repair can also be cheaper than getting a newer kayak or restoring the old one you wanted to get rid of.
Find a Local Kayak Repair Company
If you want to repair and restore the kayak and are unwilling to DIY, you can find a good local kayak repair company. It will cost you some money, but at least it won’t require you to do any of the hard, delicate work.
Kayak repair is not usually an easy job and requires some basic skills to pull off. It can be very messy and time-consuming. Leaving the repairs up to professionals will spare your time and energy.
Kayak repair companies will not only restore your kayak, but they can ensure that the finished kayak will be dependable. They have all the tools required to carry out bigger repairs, and they can do it pretty quickly too.
Conclusion
Not all kayaks can be recycled, but they can be upcycled, repaired, or donated to someone. It is good to be more environmentally conscious, and if you are, you should get yourself kayaks out of recyclable materials.
We hope to help answer all your questions and provide you with useful options to use or dispose of an old kayak.
