Kayak Outfitting Workshop #2

[Brian Nystrom]

The first workshop was quite sucessful, but several would-be participants couldn't make it, so we've decided to do it again! Thanks once more to Richard Najarian for obtaining the space for us.

Date: January 17 & 18, 2004.

Location: Waltham, Ma

We will probably be in the same building as the first workshop, but possibly in a different unit. The final details will be posted as soon as we know for sure.

Time: 9AM - 5PM both days.

The location is huge and we can easily accommodate 20 boats or more. Those interested in participating should post here. If anyone is interested in assisting, even for part of a day, please let me know.

------------------------

DETAILS OF THE WORKSHOP:

Deck rigging-

I've got black deck line and bungee cord in bulk. If you want other colors or reflective lines, you'll need to bring them. Also, please bring scissors and a cigarette lighter or small torch for cutting and melting the ends of the rigging.

I've been able to obtain SOME wood beads for deck rigging, but if you're interested in installing beads on your deck lines, you should probably hit your local craft shop (Michaels, AC Moore). The beads I use are from Lara's Crafts and the part numbers are 10006 (3/4"/19mm) and 10007 (1"/25mm). They run $2.99 for bags of 27 and 18, respectively. I'll bring a drill press and bits for drilling out the beads to fit the deck line material.

Cockpit outfitting -

I will bring minicel foam in 1/8", 1/2", 1", 2" and 3" thicknesses. This will give us materials for hip/thigh/knee padding, seats, backrests, bulkheads/bulkhead pads, masiks, bilge pump holders and anything else that we can dream up. NOTE: I'm low on 3" foam, so if anyone wants to do a bulkhead footrest or carved seat, please let me know ASAP so I can get more foam. I need to know by the end of next week.

ALL participcants are strongly encouraged to bring safety glasses (or eyeglasses if you wear them). An organic vapor respirator is MANDATORY for those doing foam work, for protection from glue fumes. We'll do our best to keep the fumes to a minimum, but they're unavoidable when working in the vicinity of contact cement and cleaning solvents.

People interested doing "foam art" will also need to bring contact cement (Weldwood Gel is recommended), a Stanley 21-115 Surform tool (the small red or yellow one), a pint or more of lacquer thinner (for cleaning surfaces) and a roll of paper towels. All of these items are available inexpensively at your local home center and have uses beyond working on kayaks, so they're worth owning anyway (a respirator makes cleaning the shower much more pleasant). If you wish to share tools, by all means arrange to do so. I'll bring some tools and supplies, but feel free to bring anything that you think will be useful. If you have questions, please ask.

BTW, DO NOT be tempted to buy water-based contact cement. While it may be more environmentally friendly, it doesn't work for our purposes.

I plan to bring a band saw again for cutting foam.

Deck mounted tow rigs -

Last time, thanks to the able assistance of Dee Hall and Rick Crangle, Leslie Beale got a new deck-mounted tow rig. Dee has indicated that she may be available at some point during the weekend if there are others who want to deck tows on their boats.

Other -

We can also do things like installing back bands, pad eyes for deck rigging and so forth. If there's something specific you want to do that I haven't mentioned, feel free to ask.

If anyone has problems sourcing any of the supplies they need, let me know and I'll do my best to find them for you. All materials will be available at whatever they cost me. If you need specific pricing, just ask for a quote.

I find that sawhorses or other stands make working on boats much more enjoyable. I have a few that I can bring, but nowhere near enough to go around, so if you got 'em, bring 'em. Carpet scraps for resting a boat on the floor are another alternative.

The emphasis of this workshop is on outfitting rather than repairs. If you have a minor repair that needs to be done, by all means ask about it.

See you there!

Brian

PS - for additional ideas, see my Webshots albums at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/brian_nystrom

[Brian Nystrom]

Richard Najarian - Sat and Sun, 1 boat

Dee Hall*

Jim Brayden*

Jeff Casey - Sat and Sun, 2 boats

Deb Dempesy - Sat and Sun (O), 1 boat (?)

David Lewis

Sean Noonan - 1 boat

Karen Gladstone - 1 boat

Leslie Beale - 1 boat, Sunday

Kevin O'Malley - 1 boat, Sunday

Liz Neumeier - 1 boat

Keith Attenborough* - 2 boats

Scott Camlin* Sat and Sun

Mike Kulick - Sat PM and Sun, 1 boat*

Michelle Kulick - Sat PM and Sun, 1 boat

Mark Stephens - Sat, 1 boat

Paula Riegel

Gerry S* - Sat & Sun

Shane Smith - Sat, 1 boat

Rick Crangle* - Sat and Sun, 1 boat

Bethany Erikson (?)

Jill Aaron - Sat, 2 boats

Mary Bennett (O)

Patty Phelan - 1 boat

Mike Crouse - Sat and Sun,

Kim Flint - Sat and Sun,

Suzanne Pritchett - Sat, 1 boat

Marjorie Woodwell - Sat* (O)and Sun, 1 boat

Sean Noonan - Sun, 1 boat

Colin MacLay - Sun, 1 boat

NOTES:

*will assist

(O) observer

(?) tentative

[Guest guest]

Add:

Deb Dempesy

Thanks!

[djlewis]

Count me in. I'll contribute two sawhourses.

By the way, is it both days, or pick one? Or perhaps it depends on the demand.

Will/could there be a gel-coat repair component? My hull is still fairly banged up from the summer and fall. I wouldn't mind some cosmetic gel-coat work too, to fix up the worst of the non-threatening but ugly scratches on the hull and deck.

--David.

[B]

If you have come up with a way to provide a better way to secure the knees on a Romany I would be interested in seeing some pictures. Would a masik work?

B

[stnoonan]

Hi Brian,

I think I would like to come again. The last meeting got my creative juices up. One question, I would like to replace the cleat for my drop skeg and am wondering what hardware + sealant to secure it with. Stainless with silicone? Some other combo?

Thanks for running this again.

Sean

[Brian Nystrom]

A masik won't work in the Romany's keyhole cockpit, unless you're willing to give up the keyhole. It would be possible to make rigid brace (fiberglass, wood, aluminum) that attached to the existing thigh braces, then pad it to suit. An alternative would be to install more aggressive knee/thigh hooks to the existing thigh braces.

[Brian Nystrom]

>Hi Brian,

>

>I think I would like to come again. The last meeting got my

>creative juices up.

Glad to hear it!

> One question, I would like to replace

>the cleat for my drop skeg and am wondering what hardware +

>sealant to secure it with. Stainless with silicone?

That should be fine.

>Thanks for running this again.

My pleasure.

[Brian Nystrom]

>Count me in. I'll contribute two sawhourses.

Done.

>By the way, is it both days, or pick one? Or perhaps it

>depends on the demand.

Either, or. Unless there is a huge outpouring of participants, there should be no problem for you to do both days if you like.

>Will/could there be a gel-coat repair component? My hull is

>still fairly banged up from the summer and fall. I wouldn't

>mind some cosmetic gel-coat work too, to fix up the worst of

>the non-threatening but ugly scratches on the hull and deck.

I'd like to do a fiberglass/gelcoat repair workshop, but not in conjunction with this one. Contact cement and lacquer thinner fumes are bad enough, but the styrene fumes from gelcoat and polyester resin are especially noxious. Combining the two seems like a pretty bad idea to me. There's also the issue of curing time, which can be several hours, depending on the temperature and the amount of hardener used.

What I may end up doing eventually is preparing a demo, where I have a boat or test panel with damage in various stages of repair. That would allow me to demonstate the steps consecutively. I'll have a lot of time on my hands after the first of the year, so perhaps I can do something before the spring.

Anyone have a busted-up boat to donate to the cause?

[Brian Nystrom]

You're in!

[glad]

I have a series of boat repairs that I'd love some guidance on:

Broken bubbles in the gelcoat of my cockpit coaming have eroded into some sharp and nasty crevices.

>>>>I have epoxy for this.

I need to replace gel coat and/or fiberglass just posterior to my skeg opening on the hull from draggin the boat over sand.

>>>Whatta ya think? bring gel coat, does anyone have extra white gel coat or should I just buy it in small quantity?

I've been meaning to replace the scrawney (sp?) skeg line since I got the boat (6 years ago).

>>>>>I'll just pick up some line at REI, anything special to know about this type of line?

Do we just do what we need to for our particular boats or is there a specific curriculum for repairs?

Thanks,

Karen

[Brian Nystrom]

>Broken bubbles in the gelcoat of my cockpit coaming have

>eroded into some sharp and nasty crevices.

>

>>>>>I have epoxy for this.

Epoxy work is OK for the workshop.

>I need to replace gel coat and/or fiberglass just posterior

>to my skeg opening on the hull from draggin the boat over

>sand.

>

>>>>Whatta ya think? bring gel coat, does anyone have extra white gel coat or should I just buy it in small quantity?

Actually, I'd prefer not to do gelcoat repairs at this outfitting workshop, as the fumes would be too much in combination with what we already have to deal with. I would like to do a separate workshop on the subject of fiberglass & gelcoat repair at a later date.

If you want to try it on your own (it's not difficult), what you want is called "finish gelcoat". Unlike "laminating gelcoat", finish gelcoat will cure completely in the presence of air. West Marine sells repair kits with finish gelcoat and tints:

http://www.westmarine.com/images/full/1934454_f.jpg

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/store...productId=59276

...or you can buy just the gelcoat separately in a pint can.

http://www.westmarine.com/images/full/wmwaxgelcoat_f.jpg

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/store...roductId=125479

For doing this work, you'll also need an organic vapor respirator, latex or nitrile gloves, 220, 400 and 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper w/sanding block and some polishing compound for restoring the gloss.

>I've been meaning to replace the scrawney (sp?) skeg line

>since I got the boat (6 years ago).

>

>>>>>>I'll just pick up some line at REI, anything special to know about this type of line?

I've got several hundred feet of black deck line. I also have black bungee cord. My prices for club members are better than the stores.

>Do we just do what we need to for our particular boats or is

>there a specific curriculum for repairs?

This is a workshop, rather than a class. Bring your stuff and fix it or modify it as you like.

[Guest guest]

count me in --les

[Brian Nystrom]

[kattenbo]

Brian;

I'd like to be there -- both to do some work on my Romanys and to be a pair of extra (unskilled) hands.

Keith

[CLapite]

I have just bought a boat, and I have not paddled much, so I have no preconceived notions about what outfitting would be useful. Can I determine this at the workshop, or would it be best to spend some time in advance determining exactly what I need? Thanks

[Brian Nystrom]

[Brian Nystrom]

There should be a lot to see and there will definitely be an abudance of opinions to consider and the workshop. You can always start out with some basics (hip & thigh pads, deck rigging, etc.), then modify them later as you get a better feel for what works best for you. One of the nice things about most outfitting is that it's not permanent and can be easily modified at any time.

If you decide that you just want to observe, that's fine, too.

I just need a name so I can add you to the list.

[Guest guest]

Add me to the workshop, both days. I'll help as needed.

Terrific oppotunity.

Scott

[mskulick]

Brian, I'll try to be there both days, with all the stuff I

had with me last time. Maybe I can get Michele to come as

well. See you at the Holiday Party?

Mike.

[Guest guest]

Brian,

I'd like to mount my pump top front deck between my legs. I understand that there are some kits for this. any suggestions anyone?

Deb

[Brian Nystrom]

I'll be making up some pump holders in advance of the workshop. They seemed to be the most popular item at the first one.

[markstephens]

Hi Brian. Just sent in my membership package for 2004, so hoping I can participate in the next outfitting workshop. (Talked with you about this on Paddling.net last month.) I'd like to customize my cockpit - pump holder, better thigh and/or knee bracing, maybe rig something to hold paddle float and sponge in place, talk about options for better back support. I'm available either day, so if it comes down to needing to schedule people for one day or the other I'm flexible. EDIT - Oops! Forgot about my daughter's birthday party on Sunday, so I can only come on Saturday.

Thanks for doing this!

Best,

Mark Stephens

Surge, Teal over White

[Brian Nystrom]

By all means, come to the workshop, Mark. I'll put you on the list.

[paulariegel]

Hi Brian,

Please count me in if there is still space. Would like to make holder for pump to get it off deck. Thanks for putting the workshop again.