Re: [Paddlewise] Women assembling/disassembling folding kayaks!!!

Karen H. wrote:
> 
> Believe me, I'm not failing to try different things. If it requires some
> special technique, the video and written instructions are not making it
> clear to me.

Let me break this to you gently.  I have not seen the videos in quite
awhile but the one that was first used was with a doctored skin.  It was
quite loose and so things did look easy.  Plus the boat was being made
by the Feathercraft owner/designer and so it _is_ exceedingly easy for
him.

But do not dismay.  Let's go to your problem in putting the crossribs
in.

> Quoting from Feathercraft instructions, on Installing Large Crossribs:
> 
> "Position large crossrib to lay on top of gunwale tubes. Slide forward
> towards pins on gunwale tubes. Rotate crossrib into position. Place
> crossrib between gunwale pins nearest you by pushing gunwale bar up and
> over end of crosspiece and snapping into position."

Are you able to this step, i.e. get the crossrib so that its edges are
resting between the two pin/spacers on the gunwale tubes?  It is
important that you are in this position.  I slide the crossrib on the
gunwales until it comes into contact with those pin/spacers and then I
rotate the rib downward so it is square between them.
> 
> It is that last bit... "pushing gunwale bar up and over end of
> crosspiece" that gives me the difficulty. It entails pushing with hands
> or fingers against the pressure created by the tight fit of the skin,
> and that is my weakness. I do not have the strength in my hands to do
> this. That crossrib has not yet just "snapped" into position for me! My
> husband has had to perform this one step for me every time, and it
> doesn't quite "snap" for him either.

This up and over can be difficult if the skin is tight.  That is why it
should be wetted so that the cordura stretches and gives you some more
playing room.  That pushing the gunwale bar up can be hard but have you
tried reversing the situation?  Whenever I find it difficult, I just
roll the boat on its side so that the crossrib is resting on the bar and
I can then pull the bar into a spot where I can snap the cross piece _on
to_ the gunwale bar.  It again is one of the Six Principles--the
Mountain to Mohamed Principle (i.e. moving the big piece to the small
piece rather than the other way around).  Your have more leverage
grabbing and pushing the crossrib on to the gunwale bar than the
reverse.  Moreover most people have more strength pressing down with
their whole body than upwards with just their fingers.

> 
> The difficulty in removing the frame from the skin was, as Ralph picked
> out immediately, due to the length of time the boat was assembled.

You were actually lucky.  Feathercrafts have very close tolerances in
their male/female tube connections and should not be left assembled for
more than 3 or 4 months.  You left it for 10 months.  You must have
lubricated it real well when you last assembled to accomplish that.  I
have seen frames seize up on Feathercrafts when left assembled long. 
Feathercraft now does advise not leaving the boats assembled for more
than 3 or 4 months.  Those close tight tolerances make for strong
connections but the downside is that they can stick over time.

I have an article in the next newsletter on storing folding kayaks
assembled particularly the Feathercrafts which do have that problem
mentioned above.  Other makes fair better and can be left together for
years and years (your only problem might be having forgotten how to
disassemble!); but even with them there are some dos and donts.  As for
dealing with a stuck frame, I have done several articles in the past of
steps to take to get a stuck one apart short of cutting a piece.  

> 
> But, perhaps now the boat has been assembled so long it will be easier
> to maneuver the crossribs. I will report to the list how it went when I
> get back from Baja (leaving tomorrow).

Espero que todo te vaya bien en tu viaje. 

> BTW, once the thing is all packed in its bag, it's hard to believe
> there's a boat in there!  ;-)

Yes, it always amazes people when a boat emerges from that not so large
bag.

best,

ralph
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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