How to replace the fairings on the Oru Inlet kayak
Fairings are durable, riveted polyethylene sleeves that help streamline the Oru Inlet kayak and protect the ends from scratches and scrapes.
If you discover your fairings are damaged on your Oru kayak, here’s how to replace them.
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Flatwater Kayak Club took this photo of a brand-new, out-of-the-box Oru Inlet kayak fairing.
What’s an Oru kayak fairing?
Fairings are durable, riveted polyethylene sleeves that help streamline the Oru Inlet kayak and protect the ends from scratches and scrapes.
You have two fairings on this kayak model – a front (bow) and back (stern).
Since fairings can take a beating depending on many kayak experience factors, they may need to be changed at some point on your Oru Inlet kayak. If that happens, replacement parts can be purchased on Oru’s website.
This is what an Oru Kayak fairing looks like, photo taken by Flatwater Kayak Club. This photo represents after some general usage, but a pretty new boat.
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Here’s what my damaged Oru Inlet kayak fairing looked like before I repaired it at home with the delivery accessory repair kit.
How do I know if my fairings need to be replaced?
Safety checks before/after each paddling trip are always a good idea as part of routine Oru maintenance.
One of the things to look for are cracks, pulls, and tears in your Oru Inlet kayak fairings.
Another indication could be if water is leaking into your kayak when you’re out on the water.
It’s important to have undamaged, safe Inlet fairings when you head out to flatwater kayak.
How do I replace an Oru Inlet kayak fairing?
I personally discovered that, after one year of use, my Inlet bow (front) kayak fairing was in rough shape and needed a replacement.
Oru Kayak sent me one free of charge, but as of this posting a fairing replacement costs $20. Note that this cost only includes fairings for one side (front or back).
Changing the bow fairing on my Inlet was simple to do and took just a few minutes of time. All you need to do is remove the screws on the current fairing, and remove the hardware and plastic fairing piece that protects your Inlet kayak.
Then, use the new replacement screws and fully secure the new fairing onto your boat. Be sure to do a complete safety check before heading out on the water again.
You’ll be changing out these screws, as viewed from the inside of this new Oru Inlet boat, to replace your kayak fairings.
I’ve been on several paddling adventures since replacing my fairings, and my Oru Inlet kayak is working great out on the water.
[READ MORE: Ask yourself these 5 questions before buying an Oru kayak]
NEW: Two years, 100+ paddling hours and many, many miles - my full, in-depth Oru Inlet folding kayak review – with more photos and videos than ever before – and bonus thoughts on the Oru Paddle!
Are you looking for more information about the Oru Inlet kayak?
We have several Flatwater Kayak Club blog posts about our Oru experiences, including kayaking on Trillium Lake in Oregon, Scappoose Bay outside of Portland, and more, with new content posting every week.
I frequently also kayak with my Oru kayak 4-piece paddle, so you’ll see lots of pics of that too.
We also did these extensive comparison posts, if you’re trying to decide which Oru foldable kayak is right for you:
And, of course, our two-year ultimate Oru Inlet origami kayak review.
About Flatwater Kayak Club
Flatwater Kayak Club is a leading woman-owned online platform dedicated to supporting beginner and intermediate kayakers in the Pacific Northwest. Our company founder, a former writer for The National Geographic Channel and a current ACA member, guides our mission with her passion for kayaking, nature, and storytelling