Maintaining your Cajo: wash, store, off-season

Kayaks that get rinsed and stored dry run for years. Kayaks that get bagged wet, left in hot cars, or stored in direct UV are the ones that fail early. This is the maintenance routine that keeps your Cajo fishing for the long haul.

This article folds in the official guidance from the Cajo Brand Book (rigid + inflatable care) and the Highlander User Manual (inflatable-specific storage rules). For the universal customer-care doc, see Cajo User Care.

After every outing

Freshwater rinse — non-negotiable for salt

Salt is the enemy of every moving part on the boat. After any saltwater outing — bay, ocean, brackish, surf — rinse:

• Hull, top and bottom, including scuppers and the drain plug area
• Pedal drive head, crank arms, lower unit, prop, indexer mechanism
• Rudder blade, U-connector, steering cables, pivot points
• Steering handle
• Foot pedals (Slide Lock Foot Braces) — including the tracks
• All accessory rails and mounted hardware

A garden hose is fine. A pressure washer directly into seals is not — too much pressure can drive water into sealed mechanisms. Garden-hose pressure is plenty.

For freshwater outings, a rinse is still good practice but less critical. At minimum, rinse anything that got muddy or has visible debris.

Cleaning agents — what's safe

Per the Brand Book:

• Mild soap + fresh water + soft, non-abrasive brush = safe for the hull.
• Vinyl/UV protectant = fine.
• Automotive waxes and harsh chemicals = NO. The HDPE doesn't like them and they don't stick.

For inflatables, the rules narrow — Highlanders accept freshwater + mild soap only. Skip the wax, skip the chemicals, skip the abrasives.

Drain the hull (rigid only)

Pull the drain plug, tip the bow up, let any water inside drain out. Standing water inside the hull leads to mildew and weight gain over time.

Dry before storage

Don't bag a wet drive. Don't store the boat with the drive socket full of water. Don't roll a wet Highlander into the bag (mold + adhesive risk). Air-dry everything before it goes into long-term storage or back in your garage.

Every couple of weeks during fishing season

Cable check on the rudder

Look at the steering cables at the handle and at the U-connector. You're checking for:

• Frayed strands sticking out
• Visible corrosion (especially on salt-fished boats)
• Stiffness — turn the handle through full travel; it should feel smooth, not gritty

If you see fraying or one direction binds, that's the known-issue steering handle pattern — file the claims form. We replace at $0. See Steering handle: cable binding, fraying, or seizing.

Pull-up cord check

Inspect the rudder pull-up cord for wear and fraying. If it's getting thin, ping support — we'll send a replacement.

Pedal drive seal check

Look at the seal where the prop shaft enters the lower unit. If you see milky water or grit inside the gearbox area, stop using the drive and file a claim.

Hardware check

Walk around the boat and check that any accessory mount you added is still tight. Vibration and temperature swings loosen hardware over time. The Traverse Drive User Manual notes: "Retighten any hardware that has loosened from its factory setting."

Inflatable inspection (Highlanders)

Per the User Manual, check for:

• Cracks or scrapes on the drop-stitch panels
• Punctures or tears
• Valve seat dirt or sand
• Loose D-rings or fasteners

If you find a small puncture, you can field-repair it — see Highlander patch and repair.

Monthly during fishing season

Light marine lube on key points

A small amount of marine-grade lube on:

• The U-connector pivot at the rudder
• Cable pulleys / steering cable routing points
• The pedal drive's exterior pivots

Use marine grease or a marine-grade silicone lube. Don't use WD-40 as a long-term lubricant — it's a solvent, not a lube.

Traverse Pedal Drive: full seasonal lubrication

Per the Traverse Drive User Manual: lubricate the drive at least once per season with marine-grade waterproof grease.

• Upper unit: Remove the Allen plug on top of the housing → apply grease → reinstall and tighten.
• Lower unit: Remove the bump guard → remove the Allen plug → apply grease → reinstall plug and bump guard.

Full procedure: Traverse Pedal Drive User Manual.

Bolt torque check

The rudder pivot bolt, the drive retention mechanism, and any aftermarket accessory hardware — give them a snug check. Don't overtighten; just confirm nothing has worked loose.

Minor dent + scratch repair (rigid hulls only)

From the Brand Book:

• Minor dents — Place the kayak in direct sunlight for 24 to 48 hours, then let it cool in shape. The HDPE relaxes and reflows.
• Light scratches — Consider them a badge of honor. But if you must, use a hair dryer on low heat and keep it moving to lightly reflow the surface. Scratches fade.
• No automotive products — don't try Magic Eraser, headlight restorer, or rubbing compound. Heat is the answer; chemicals are not.

End-of-season storage

Plan for your boat to sit unused for a stretch (winter in the north, summer in the south for some, etc.). The rules differ for rigid vs. inflatable.

Rigid hulls (Outpost 100, Outpost 128, Terra 116)

Per the Brand Book:

Do:

• For short periods: store on its side or flat on a level surface.
• For long-term storage: support the hull evenly along its full length to prevent warping. Padded racks, sawhorses, or a custom stand all work.
• Keep it cool, dry, indoors when possible.

Don't:

• Don't store in direct sunlight — UV degrades HDPE over years.
• Don't tighten straps too tightly — distorts the shape.
• Don't use the carry handles to support the kayak for storage — they're rated for short-term carry, not long-term hang.
• Don't store top-down on suspended straps for months — deforms the hull.

Spring check before first paddle

• Walk around the hull and confirm no warping from storage.
• Check the rudder for free movement; cables for stiffness or visible corrosion.
• Test the drive — pedal a few revs on dry land to confirm smooth motion.
• Top off any deflated tires on the cart, check the cart bolt torque.
• Rinse off any storage dust.

Inflatables (Highlander 100 / 120 / 140T)

Per the Highlander User Manual + Brand Book:

Always:

• Clean the board with freshwater and mild soap before storage.
• Fully dry before rolling — wet boats grow mold in the bag, and trapped moisture damages adhesives.
• Roll loosely, nose to tail along the long axis. Don't fold or crease.
• Pack with valve protected — keep the cap on.

Storage pressure:

• Short-term (between trips): ~5 psi is fine if you want to keep the boat ready to go.
• Off-season (a month+): fully deflated is the right call.
• Maximum storage pressure: 10 psi — never more. The User Manual is explicit: "Working pressure NO MORE THAN 10 psi" when not in use.

Temperature:

• Store between 0–40°C (32–104°F) per the User Manual.
• Avoid attics in summer, garages in deep winter without climate control, car trunks in the sun.

⚠️ Use the boat frequently:

• Both the Brand Book and the Highlander User Manual say: "Use the board frequently as long-term storage may cause adhesive failure."
• Drop-stitch boats are built to be used, not warehoused for years. If you know you'll be off the water for an extended stretch, pull the boat out every couple months and inflate to operating pressure for at least a few hours to keep the seams flexed.

Never:

• Never store inflated at full operating pressure (12-15 psi) for long periods — constant stressor on seams.
• Never leave inflated in direct sunlight (heat raises pressure; UV ages fabric).
• Never store wet (mold + adhesive damage).
• Never store with extreme creases / folded panels (drop-stitch fatigues across folds).

Spring check before first paddle

• Unroll and inflate to 12-15 psi.
• Walk around and listen for hissing — slow leaks show up at full pressure.
• Hold at pressure for an hour and recheck — temperature shifts aren't leaks; sustained drops are.
• Inspect the valve seat and clean any debris that accumulated in storage.
• Check the D-rings, gear tracks, and fin box for loose attachment points.

Traverse Pedal Drive (off-season)

• Rinse and fully dry before storage.
• Remove from the hull socket and store separately if possible.
• Lubricate before storage if it's been a long season — marine-grade grease on the Allen plug points (see seasonal lube section above).
• Indoor, dry space — not in an unheated garage in freezing climates.
• Use the carrying case that came with the drive — keeps it clean and protected.

Traverse Rudder System (off-season)

• Rigid kayaks: the rudder stays bolted to the boat. Hose it down, dry it, and store under the stern.
• Highlander inflatables: remove the rudder kit before deflating and store with the deflated hull. The Power-Pole Micro Spike mount holes are reinforced inserts in the inflatable floor; the rudder hardware comes off cleanly.

What's NOT covered by the warranty

Worth restating since maintenance and warranty interact:

• Damage from top-loaded landing-gear style carts (Boonedox, Wilderness Freedom Launcher, Sidekick) — we recommend the YakAttack TowNStow bunkster instead, and we don't warranty cart damage from the non-recommended styles.
• Normal wear and tear
• Damage from improper rigging, installation, or modification
• Damage from impact, grounding, or collision
• UV degradation beyond expected lifespan — a boat stored in direct sun for ten years and chalking is expected; a boat that fades dramatically in one season is something to file.
• Inflatable punctures from misuse (dragging across rough surfaces, sharp debris, abrasion) — covered by your patch kit, not warranty.
• Heat-related damage to inflatables (leaving inflated in direct sun, air compressor overinflation, temperature extremes outside 0-40°C range).
• Long-term storage adhesive failure on inflatables — using the boat is the prevention.

When in doubt, file the claims form

If a maintenance check turns up something that looks like a defect — frayed cable, leaking seal, cracked plastic, seam separation on an inflatable, anything that shouldn't be wearing the way it is — file the claims form. We'd rather diagnose early than have you fishing with a compromised part.

Related links

• Cajo User Care — universal storage, cleaning, safety, warranty
• Highlander AirTrek: inflate, paddle, deflate, pack
• Highlander User Manual
• Traverse Pedal Drive Manual
• Traverse Rudder System Manual
• Anatomy of the Traverse Pedal Drive
• Anatomy of the Traverse Fatback Rudder System
• Steering handle: cable binding, fraying, or seizing
• Highlander patch and repair