It's been a long time since I've been on rbp. Good to see some of the
old names still about. Some.
T'any rate I've been playing with canoe outfitting customized for my
own pecularities. Like so (re-posted from a moderated board):
Deck Plate Painter Keepers: Having painter lines secured but ready to
grab can be advantageous. Bungee cord strung in a sideways Z pattern,
running over, under and over larger deck plates will provide painter
storage above or below decks. Secure the painter between the two
bungees topside (retrieve the same way) and it won’t accidentally end
up pulling out under a stretched bungee, or secure it under the deck
plates where it can’t be grabbed by branches on narrow, woody trips..
Tools & Materials: Quality bungee cord, drill & bits, clamp. The Big
Book of Knots for Dummies.
Installation: Knot the far end of a length of bungee and begin the
lacing from underneath one of the two far reach stem holes. Pull the
bungee through to the knot, run it back topside and down into the wide-
end deck plate hole, up diagonally underneath, back out the remaining
stem hole, topside again and finally through the remaining hole.
Stretch the bitter end slightly taut, clamp it under the deck plate
and tie off another stopper. That accessible-end knot can be shortened
as the bungee stretches with age.
Photo – bungee run without line
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283KWxCxs
Photo – topside bungee position
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283phDBsW
Photo – underdeck bungee position
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283DcZgJq
+++
Thwart Bungees: A bungee-strung thwart makes a handy repository for
paddler miscellanea – sunglasses, hat, compass, map or etc.
Tools and Materials: Same as above. Add varnish and string a drilled
dowel or wood ball for easier bungee grabbing with wet, cold or gloved
hands. The flatter dowel shape is better for holding gear; the round
ball is easier to stuff a paddle blade under.
Installation: Measure and mark the bungee hole positions on the thwart
in situ. For near thwarts I like an over, under, over pattern for
multiple bungee catches top and bottom side. A single topside run of
bow thwart bungee makes a good spare paddle blade holder. Offsetting
the end bungee holes from the machine screw hole along the grain will
help preserve the strength of the thwart.
Remove the thwart and drill the marked holes. Use a burr to bevel them
out both top and bottom in the direction the bungee will be stretched
to prevent wear. Seal any raw wood with varnish (a pipe cleaner is
useful for varnishing inside the holes). And, what the heck, might as
well reseal the butt ends while the varnish and brush are out.
Tie a stopper knot, run the desired bungee pattern through the holes
(don’t forget to add the dowel or knob spacers), tension, clamp, knot
the bungee again underneath and replace the thwart.
Photo: Stringing the bungee
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283SnHUVA
Photo – Tandem with thwart and yoke bungees
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283GwTYIP
Photo – Thwart bungee as gear keeper.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283JDvKeI
Photo – Single bungee run as paddle keep (reflective bungee)
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283llgXtz
+++
Utility Thwarts: While the thwart is out, is that sturdy crosspiece
all that it can be?
Think multi-functional: foot brace, kneeling thwart, sail mount. Lazy
river ottoman or padded poling brace if that’s your style. A wider
thwart, slightly suspended and double-hung with two machine screws per
side can provide strength and adaptability.
Tools and Materials: Dimensional lumber, saw, drill & bits, resized
machine screws for suspending thwart. Add minicell, sail mount, GPS
holder, bungee cord - whatever floats your boat.
Installation: Design and cut the wood to the desired utility thwart
size and shape. Don’t forget to shape the thwart ends to accommodate
the curvature of the gunwale line and angle of the tumblehome or
flare. Mark and drill the holes for appropriately sized machine
screws. Install the unfinished thwart for a test fit, sand or shape
any minor corrections needed and then stain, oil or varnish as
preferred, including pipe cleaner varnishing the newly drilled holes.
Photo – Sail mount utility thwart
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283aItRyt
Photo – Kneeling thwart/foot brace/sail mount combo
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283BxGsZu
Photo - Sail Mount utility thwart with ball spacers
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283XVaUVb
+++
Minicell Exercise flooring: 60 x 1 cm square sheets of minicell
exercise flooring available at big-box stores are the best bargain
going for thin padding needs. The flat finished side allows a good
contact cement bond, and the crosshatched side provides traction and
added durability.
Tools and Materials: Minicell flooring, razor knife, contact cement,
chip brush.
Installation: Cut the minicell to the desired shape, trace the
location on the hull and clean the area inside the trace. Coat the
minicell with contact cement, wait, coat the minicell again, wait,
coat inside the trace on the hull and coat the amazingly thirsty
minicell yet again. When both surfaces are just barely tacky press
together. Careful with the alignment; you only get one shot before all
is stuck.
Photo – 60 x 1cm sheets of minicell exercise flooring
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283JnkhJz
Photo – exercise flooring minicell knee and poling pads
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283PvcnuC
++++
Minicell knee bumpers: Custom cut and carved minicell knee bumpers
glued below the gunwale add comfort and contact for boat control when
paddling seated, especially when paired with a foot brace.
Tools and Materials: Chunk of minicell, saw, contact cement, chip
brush. Dragonskin for custom shaping (drywall sanding screen will work
in a pinch).
Installation: Cut to size and approximate shape, leaving one corner as
a right angle ┐ for contact cement application under the gunwale. Put
the canoe on the ground (or on a pad on the workshop floor), assume
your customary paddling position, tape the knee bumpers in place and
trace the outline. Contact cement same as above (two or three coats on
the minicell, one or two on the hull. After the bumpers are set in
place the final shaping works best if done incrementally; sand a
little off, have a seat, mark another shaping increment and take a
little more off. Bring a marker on the first couple trips for the
final shaping notations.
Photo – Minicell knee bumpers, cut to shape for gluing
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283axQDxY
Photo – Glued in place
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283nlXkgG
Photo – Holy knee comfort Batman
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283VGphyn
Shank End Webbing Loops: Homemade webbing loops added to the shank end
of thwart and yoke hardware provide a stout tie down point. Adding a
half twist to the webbing will keep the loop open, vertical and easier
to use than a flat loop.
Tools & Material: 1” webbing, scissors, tape, propane torch, nail and
vice grips.
Installation: Cut 1” wide webbing to length (13 to 15cm works well),
add a half twist, fold over and secure the free ends with a piece of
tape. A 20-penny common nail heated with a propane torch will melt
perfect 5mm holes for most canoe hardware. Remove the nut or nylock,
slip the machine screw shank through the melted webbing hole and
install a flat washer before replacing the nut. A 5mm pop rivet will
secure these same webbing loops under a vinyl gunwale.
Photo – Cut the webbing to length
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283KwWRlP
Photo – Flame seal the cut ends
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283RFvIcF
Fold over a half twist and tape the ends together
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283VfwQys
Photo – Ready to melt perfect 3/16” holes
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283gwbjRI
Photo – Melting the hole
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283wTlnrH
Photo – Half twist webbing loops on thwart end.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283tMlntC
Photo – Half twist webbing loops pop riveted under the gunwale
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283sPOXIv
+++
Seat pad: If you spend hours in a canoe it should be the best seat in
the house. For daylong comfort nothing beats a little cush for the
tush. Choices range from closed cell foam to gel pads to inflatable
pads. My favorite for inflation adjustability while paddling is a
simple Therma-rest Trail seat, used mostly deflated for maximus
gluteus contact and wrapped over the front seat edge for kneeling
comfort. Plus it’s handy out-of-boat around camp or on shore during
daytrip respites.
Keeping it in place needs only the addition of two slightly loose
webbing pieces wrapped around the seat frame.
Tools & Materials: Webbing, scissors, stainless steel staples or
brads.
Installation: Remove the seat, wrap two slightly loose pieces of
webbing around the frame front to back and staple or tack the webbing
ends under the seat. Reinstall the seat (refinish the butt ends with
varnish, eh).
To use just slip a partially deflated pad under the straps. Even a
mostly deflated pad provides sufficient comfort and seat contact, and
can still be incrementally deflated a few times to change pressure
points over the course of a day.
Photo – Webbing, stainless steel staples, seat and pad
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283ELTAHW
Photo – Seat cushion (and back band)
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283BRhazt
Photo – Seat cushion in place (with back band and spray cover)
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283BuCZqF
++++
Through-hull lining holes: A well placed through-hull connection is no-
contest better than the alternatives of tying off painters or lining
ropes from a carry thwart or deck plate handle. Making a through-hull
connection sturdy and waterproof on Royalex canoes needs only a couple
of plastic electrical box grommets, a piece of tubing, some epoxy and
the courage to drill a big hole.
Tools and materials: Marker, tape measure, drill, spade bit, box
grommets, tubing, epoxy.
Installation: Mark the through-hull hole locations evenly on either
side of each stem and drill the holes (keep the spade bit flush with
the hull, not the keel line). Test fit the diameter of the box grommet
shank to make sure it fits snuggly inside the hull hole, and that the
tubing fits over the shank end of the box grommet inside the hull.
Sand the grommet shank or file the drilled hole as necessary for a
snug fit. The ends of the tubing should be cut to match the angle of
the interior hull dimensions. Test fit all of the pieces before
gluing.
Epoxy the outside of the grommet shank & flange and the inside of the
tubing, situate the tubing inside the hull and press the box grommets
through the hull holes and into the tubing. Bend a long bolt to match
the angle of the canoe’s stem, run it through the hole with a fender
washer on either side and tighten the nut for a snug epoxy-drying fit.
Once the epoxy has set remove the bent-bolt tightening jig, run the
painter line through the waterproof hull hole and find that knot book
again before attaching the painters.
Photo - Drill the hole for the box grommets
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283yGtlhz
Photo – sanding the box grommet shank to fit the tubing
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283BeHoUm
Photo – Box grommet-tubing test fit
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283MPvmYc
Photo – Ready to glue it up
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283niQnZg
Photo – Box grommets, tubing, angled machine screws
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283EmuXrq
Photo – Angled machine screws holding glued grommets and tubing tight
to hull
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283vGmfgA
Photo – Tubing inside the hull
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283oVtPNl
Photo – Through hull line connection
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283FXAXeK
+++
Stem line carry candles: Carry thwarts or deck plate handles are
convenient for pulling over beaver damns, hauling above the tide line
or double carrying a ready-to-launch canoe to the water at busy put
ins, but those usually accessible grab holds can disappear when using
a spray cover.
Those through-hull lining holes, located well below any spray cover
interference, can be augmented with a short piece of flexible tubing
for a handhold more comfortable than tugging on naked rope.
Tools and materials: Tubing for handle, torch, vice grips, short piece
of thin metal pipe for melting a rope-size hole in the tubing.
Installation: Cut the tubing to handhold length, heat the pipe and
burn a rope size hole in the center of the tubing (shove a dowel
inside the tubing for something to press the hot pipe end against).
Place the painter line through the box grommeted hull hole and run the
short end of the line through the tubing from one side and out the
other side (leave enough slack line protruding to tie a knot).
Run the long end of the line halfway through the tubing from the other
direction and pull it all the way out through the melted hole. Knot
the short end around the loop (where did you put the Big Book of Knots
for Dummies?) and pull the knot back until it is centered inside the
tubing.
Photo – Flexible tubing, torch, narrow “melter” pipe, dowel
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283vIpFJS
Photo – Centered hole in tubing
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283wkNfRr
Photo – Line through tubing. Leave enough slack to tie a knot and it
slide back inside the tube.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283PCGLxt
Photo – Tubing handhold at the ready
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283UVFZtK
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283PWJadH
+++
No-waste one-cut seat drops: Altering the seat position or depth may
be the first step in customizing a canoe for individual paddler
preference. A full truss or half truss seat drop will add rigidity to
the frame. Home outfitters can save wood and time by making a mirror
image truss curve, so that each cut begins the shape of the next piece
in line without any wasted wood (or wasted cuts). Mirror image curves
work equally well for seat drops or kneeling thwart drops
Tools and materials: Dimensional lumber, band saw or jig saw,
sandpaper, drill, varnish.
Installation: Rough cut the drops and check the angle at the wide end
of the drop where it will be installed under the gunwale to make
certain it sits flush and hangs straight from the inwale. Mark and
drill the holes and test fit the drops for any minor corrections
before varnishing. Remember the pipe cleaners.
Photo – Kneeling thwart drops, full trusses, long half trusses, short
half trusses
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283sfTWVi
Photo – Half trusses replacing dowel drops.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283vktLgi
+++
Other Odd DIY Stuff
Gogetch:
All of the friend’s boats that come through my home workshop get owner-
customized stem designs, and my personal boats all sport the shop
logo; a stylized combination of various Passamaquoddy builder
“gogetch” stem decorations
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283IufKgG
The crescent moon and star are borrowed from the mark of Joe Ellis and
the pipe from the mark of old Peter Plochies (see pages 85 and 85 of
“The Bark and Skin Boats of North America)
My artistic talents ceased developing at the crude stick figure level,
so I make a carbon paper trace from a copy of the Shop Gogetch
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283VwxdAl
tape it on the canoe and scribe the outline with a pencil
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283IQXSNo
and fill in the blank
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283MNLgoW
Each shop Gogetch turns out a little different
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283xWDwCE
And each friend’s boat through the shop gets something that speaks to
their history
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283rQHiJM
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283qlEMqG
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283aOSTkP
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283UTXnDd
+++
DIY Padded/Insulated Dry Bag: A 5 to 10 liter dry bag stovepiped with
a cylinder of ensolite foam makes a multifunctional padded dry bag for
small cameras, optics, weather radios or other electronics.
Tools and Materials: Small dry bag, ensolite pad, razor blade, contact
cement, chip brush.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283KUVBeF
Installation: Measure loosely around the circumference of the dry bag;
any excess length of ensolite stovepipe will be overlapped and glued.
Cut the ensolite strip to size, leaving enough headspace to roll the
bag down and clasp securely.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283FJsDRT
Slip it unglued into the dry bag and mark the overlap in situ.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283NCKidw
Remove the stovepipe from the bag, contact cement the facing edges of
the overlap and press together. Add a couple of circles of foam for
bottom paddling and slip the glued stovepipe into the bag.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283gdBMJP
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283iIspfs
Because the dry bag is well sealed and insulated these also make
amazingly effective food and drink coolers for day trips.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283tGAkCY
+++
(84)
Frugal Paddle Bags: Using a paddle bag or sock protects your preferred
propulsion from shuttle abuse; a $5 gun sock provides a frugal
solution.
Tools and Materials: Gun sock, cord lock, trip to big box store
sporting goods isle.
Installation: Add a cord lock if the gun sock doesn’t have one, slide
the paddle in blade first and presto – inexpensive paddle bag.
Photo – Gun sock and cord lock
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283ZZfNqB
Photo - Gunsock
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283PLZTvN
Photo – Paddle and gunsock
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283htYqtd
Photo – Paddle in gunsock.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283FdUDZI
+++
EZ boat storage rack: A movable storage rack, with space for multiple
boats, can be made by fashioning oversized sawhorses with an
additional low crossbar.
Tools and materials: Nine 2x4x8 pressure treated boards, four sawhorse
brackets, screws, drill, saw.
Construction: Begin by cutting four of the boards in half to make
eight sawhorse legs, each 4 feet tall. Place the legs in the sawhorse
bracket sockets and screw into place. Position the hinged top of the
sawhorse brackets about 20cm in from the ends of the top 2x4 crossbar,
angle the bottom of the legs out slightly and screw in the top
crossbar.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283xZxaoi
Cut a couple of spacers to fit between the legs, one up high for
strength, one low to seat the bottom crossbar
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283JkDSuu
Screw those spacers in place, add the bottom crossbar and one canoe
storage horse is done.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283PUXhSn
Make the second canoehorse and rack your boats. A few eye bolts and
rope will keep the top boats in place on windy days.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283TsdpBj
Easily movable and plenty sturdy
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...94614283OrCNHj