Interesting topic......and as you can see there are many different methods to care for you kayaks and gear...or not!!
I have always used "303 Aerospace Protectant" on my kayaks, especially the top deck surfaces, and it is very good for plastic and rubber hatches and the surface of the yak. It contain a UV protectant that keeps the kayak from getting brittle, and keeps the hatches from warping or drying out. Especially good for the older style rubber snap-on hatches and keeps them pliable and helps them seal tightly. I did not use it very often on the older Tarpon 120...maybe every 2 months...and it was nearly always stored ON my old Corolla and exposed to the sun, so it obviously works great.
Hobie sells two "boat care products"..the Hobie Boat Cleaner (altho I just use warm soapy water) and their Hobie UV Protectant, which I think is the same compound as the "303 Aero" product mentioned above.
Hobie Mirage Drives should be rinsed thoroughly after each trip. I just use warm soapy water and a soft bristle brush to try to remove the sand and salt water, and then rinse that off completely.
Gumby....then I let the Drive dry and then lightly spritz ALL metal moving parts lightly with WD-40, which Hobie even recommends on their website and DVD.
Like Clark mentioned above, my rods and especially my reels get much better treatment every trip, and I NEVER use any type of grease or petroleum based products on them. I stack them in the corner of my shower, loosen the front drags, and spray them thoroughly...getting the rod eyes good and clean and rinsing the reels from the front and rear.. I then turn them upside down and hang them from the shower rod overnight with the BR vent fan on. In the morning I lubricate them. I have used "Tri-Flow Protective Lubricant" for many years and it contains Dupont Teflon which repels dirt and sand and grit, and it was developed for very high speed industrial machinery and for guns and I buy mine at our local bicycle shop....it keeps sand and grit off the gears and chains!!
I have several older Shimano reels and one Penn model that each have more than 400 or 500 trips on them and they have never had the side covers off them or been to the Reel Doctors....Honest!!
Good Luck.....JohnYaksJax
About once a month I may apply a coat of Aerospace 303 spray to the top/deck and wipe it off. I do a fresh water flush on the motor each time I use it. Other than that......
