gyork Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Lots of wear and tear on the old bus after so many miles has led to the port-side metal support for my back-band to work loose. Advise please as to how to repair. No experience with 'glass, I'm thinking of securing the bolt with marine epoxy, ensuring that the head of the bolt is flush with the seat, then wiping away excess. Of course the bolt will no longer turn with this repair, but do I care, as long as I can finagle the nylon lock nut tight in close quarters?Metal support hardware Close-up of worn attachment point As luck would have it, some careless person and Mother nature provided me with the most comfortable lower back support that I have ever had!gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pintail Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Good idea on the oil, Gary: you might still the troubled waters with that!I would be inclined to do away with the back-band altogether and make a foam block back-rest in its place. See Brian Nystrom's website on how to tackle the (easy) glass-fibre work (filling-in those holes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Hey Gary,I think you would be very happy with a foam back support system. If you need help with that, I have a band saw that I use solely for this purpose and have made quite a few of them. I live in Derry so we are relatively close. I also feel comfortable doing glass and some epoxy repair work but can't really tell from your photos the extent of the repair needed. Reach out to me if interested.Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Gary,If you're not familiar with the foam block substitute for a back band, here is a picture of one in my Explorer. Many paddlers prefer this to the factory back band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Gary:If the oil can felt good, think how comfy a big water bladder would feel. Might want to think abut using one instead of a backband since it puts the weight in a nice location. The foam solution undoubtedly works very well, but I loath to loose the storage space when touring since that space is so useful for some things. Day tripping and play is another matter, and if you can use removable foam insert, then bases covered. I suspect Doug could fix that up very quickly and nicely.Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Thanks for all the good advice. Im thinking of keeping the oil container for the day trips and substituting something else back there for safaris (already keep my 6L drom on the cockpit floor, bungied with the help of D-rings). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Just curious - what happens to your dromedary back support as you use water during the trip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Crouse Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 You can also use a paddle float if your back band goes. See I told everyone those things were useful!The nice thing about the foam is it's pretty foolproof, it's not going to rust, snap, etc... I've seen people drill holes in the foam and store things like flares, emergency kits in a Nalgene bottle, and other small stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Rob:I was afraid someone would ask that question. I tend to take food and water for two extra days so it is never empty is one answer.Another answer is my Bahiya has one of those old, great FG seat pans similar to the newer NDK ones which makes a backband superfluous for me.Actually I don't use a backband with the AA either. So maybe its a unique solution since I just rely on something back there to rest on when leaning back as opposed to the coaming.I keep backbands installed in both just in case, but they are loose and normally slid behind/under the seat.Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 You can also use a paddle float if your back band goes.Actually that would be comfy and I recall someone using one for that purpose on purpose thinking it would speed self-rescue if needed.Jed Luby used a rolled short, closed cell sleeping pad (remember those?) as a back band which seemed to me to be a neat idea.A great deal to be said for using things on a boat that do not rust, snap, etc.Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 Just curious - what happens to your dromedary back support as you use water during the trip?Add as much air to the bag as needed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Clever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 The most important use for a back band or the foam block is not back support but something to keep your back from hitting the coaming during a layback roll, IMHO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 On Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 11:02 PM, Pintail said: Good idea on the oil, Gary: you might still the troubled waters with that! I would be inclined to do away with the back-band altogether and make a foam block back-rest in its place. See Brian Nystrom's website on how to tackle the (easy) glass-fibre work (filling-in those holes). I agree with Christopher. A backband inhibits rotation. A block will give you support and allow your pelvis to pivot freely. B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 A backband only inhibits rotation if it's too tall. If it's supporting your pelvis as it should be (rather than your lower back), it's not an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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