Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Does my outfitting look okay? I ended up using NRS pad eyes because I just couldn't bring myself to drill holes all the way through that beautiful ash or purple Royalex. Hopefully the pics are clear, but here's what I did. Ran paracord through the eyes for lacing in the center. I didn't want to glue D rings there because I'll occassionally need to move the center bag back in order to solo from the floor. I configured it so I can just move the bag back against the seat and tie the corners down against it. I'm hopeful that running the paracord through all the corner grommets will be sufficient, but I'd love to know what you guys think. I did glue down D rings on each end. This is my first outfitting job, so please feel free to critique as you see necessary.
http://deucecoop.shutterfly.com/pictures#n_5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the attachment rings look good! With a plastic or aluminum gunwale, I'd drill, but I agree with your decision to not drill through the unreinforced part of the royalex, or all the way through the wood.

One thing I can't tell from the photos, are the end bags tied off somewhere under the bow plate? If you can get a "leash" on that pointed end grommet, that will help keep them from "squirting out". Air bags in general will try to work their way around the tie-down ropes, especially with the forces of current pushing on it and maybe even sloshing it back and forth. Many folks outfitting boats for Class III and above use more ropes, and even nets across their bags, for this reason.

Also, are you planning to add thigh straps and kneeling pads? If this boat will be used for milder WW where these are not needed, then I think you can get by with just the end bags much of the time. I once experimented with a boat by sinking it at Rockport, below the main feature, and just dragging it to shore in the Class I minus current there.

Trial 1 - no air bags - it was difficult to get the boat quickly to shore, and it took a small beating just bouncing over a shoal with no major rocks and really nothing it could get pinned on. (This was particularly problematic because it was my wife's boat, not mine, that I was experimenting with...)

Trial 2 - very small end bags, no center bag - I was able to swim the boat to shore easily.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how much just the end bags help even when you leave the center bag out - that may cover a good % of the times you want to use the boat.

I recommend you do a similar experiment at Rockport or some nearby lake soon - swamp the boat, move it back and forth, and see if the bags stay in place and do what you want them to do. You'll either see that it is doing exactly what you want, or, know if more tie-downs are needed and if so where.

`Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing--about--in--boats; messing----'

Richard wrote:Uh . . . where does the camping gear go?!?!?!? :myday"

Ha! Excellent question sir. The camping gear goes where that center bag will not be 99% of the time. The pics represent how she'll be rigged for rec school. I'm not planning to turn the Mad River into a whitewater boat.

Thanks Cowper. I don't plan to paddle anything above class II, so I don't see any thigh straps or other such mods in my future. For the end bags I did run straps down to D rings that I glued to the floor, but there's nothing under the deck plates. Do I need to add something there, or will the end straps be good enough? Also, can I count on the corner grommets to keep the center bag from squirting out (no end straps)? I have a couple more D rings I can glue down for end straps if necessary, but I'd rather not if I can help it. It seemed like it would be okay. I'll try that experiment at Rec school.

Regards anchoring the tip of the end air bags:

I would think the boat has grab loops on the end that are secured by running the rope through the two holes just below the gunnels and tying off on the inside. If the air bag has a grommet on the tip, just attach the air bag to the inside part of the grab loop with one of those small carabiners that you get at the box store that shall not be named or even Sports Academy.

If you plan on doing any paddling in the kneeling position, you need to glue in some knee pads. The flat ones would work fine. Also something for your feet. Your knees and your feet would greatly appreciate it after a long day on the water.










T

whiznut wrote:If you plan on doing any paddling in the kneeling position, you need to glue in some knee pads. The flat ones would work fine. Also something for your feet. Your knees and your feet would greatly appreciate it after a long day on the water.
T

Thinking about grabbing one of these. Seems like it would come in handy for soloing and when there are three in the boat (Deuce, Little Deuce and Mrs. Deuce). Any thoughts?

http://www.harmonygear.com/product/4414 ... eeling_Pad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Deuce wrote:

whiznut wrote:If you plan on doing any paddling in the kneeling position, you need to glue in some knee pads. The flat ones would work fine. Also something for your feet. Your knees and your feet would greatly appreciate it after a long day on the water.
T

Thinking about grabbing one of these. Seems like it would come in handy for soloing and when there are three in the boat (Deuce, Little Deuce and Mrs. Deuce). Any thoughts?

http://www.harmonygear.com/product/4414 ... eeling_Pad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Buy you a cheap closed cell foam sleeping pad and cut it into the size you need. Cut it long enough that it curves up the sides of the boat. Probably be less expensive and do the same.

Use it for my big Mohole boat when I paddle it from the stern seat. Probably could tack the corners down with duct tape to keep it from sliding around though I don't do that.

Cool. Thanks Roger.