J W wrote:

Brian Nystrom wrote in
:



J W wrote:

Brian Nystrom wrote in
:

You can get padeyes, cord, bungee and stainless screws/washers/nuts
at most marine suppliers. Yakima footrests are available as an
aftermarket item. All attachments will need to be done via drilling
holes in the boat and installing the parts with screws or stainless
pop rivets, since you cannot easily glue anything structural to
polyethylene.

Another important concern is floatation. You should install float
bags front and rear. Without them, there is no way you'll be able
to self rescue in the event of a capsize.

It's got foam blocks in each end; they're Styrofoam, though, and over
the winter/fall I intend to pull them out and replace them with
closed-cell stuff.

Foam blocks (I assume that they're pillars) are not enough, You still
need float bags. There are split bag sets made specifically for going
on either side of foam pillars.

I don't know what a pillar is, in this context. The blocks are large pieces
of foam formed roughly like the inside of the bow and stern areas. Each one
is about 12" long, maybe 8" to 10" wide and high.

They don't sound like pillars, which are typically 3-4" wide pieces of foam set
vertically to prevent the deck from collapsing. What you have is still not
adequate floatation.

If I do add tie-downs and braces, it'll have to happen then, too.
I'm having too much fun to go _working_ on it right now!

You may want to reconsider that. Now - when you're using the boat the
most - is the time you need to have it properly outfitted, since now
is the most likely time for a mishap. The water won't reward you for
good intentions.

Most of what I carry (aside from me and my PFD) is tethered to the seat
posts inside the boat.

The issue is not gear retention, it's floatation, as John pointed out.

--
Regards

Brian