Of course not! Our Bluefin models come with a leak-proof guarantee.
There is a silicone foam gasket, which has the best rating available for exposure to UV radiation and salt water, at each of the connecting sections to keep it watertight. It does not take a compression set. In other words, it does not stay crushed but rather always returns to its original shape. The gasket is slightly oversized and pressed into a 1/4” wide channel at the bottom of the groove where it is protected from damage when the boat is in its disassembled state.
If the gasket is damaged, it need only be plucked out with your fingers or a key, for instance, and replaced by pressing the new gasket in the groove. Once it’s clamped together the first time, it will not fall out. If you need one, you can buy a replacement gasket here.
The gasket forms itself to the tongue creating a seal with a large surface area which can overcome minor contamination on the seal but in the event of extreme amounts of sand or dirt contaminating the seal, brushing it clean with a damp clean cloth or rinsing it with water will be all that’s required prior to clamping the sections together. We have had our boats nearly buried in the sand and one quick dip in the ocean was all we needed to clean it before assembling.
We include a towel on which you assemble the Pakayak and we recommend a vertical assembly which is the easiest and offers the least exposure to the sand or dirt.
