Larry wrote on: Tue, 1 Jun 1999 12:30:26 -0500 >Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into your deck management. I >appreciate the ideas. Couple of questions arise. >You wrote: >>(I also have a knee-tube with top mounted 4" hatch for valuables-it holds >>two liters by >volume). >Is the top mounted 4" hatch outside of the cockpit, on your foredeck? Is >the knee tube a sealed unit or can you also access it from within your >cockpit? What kind of hatch cover do you use? Do you find the knee tube to >be obstructive at all for reentries? Ocean cockpit or keyhole? Larry, et al, It is a flush mount dingy hatch available from supply outlets for sailors. Make sure you get one with a quality o-ring seal. It has two triangular finger-holes on the top plate, but you can't get it tight or conversely, undone very easily with cold fingers. I've fabricated a small "handle" that fits in the two holes with a cross-brace on top, so extra leverage can be exerted either way. The "tool" is on a bungie tether and fits in the net bag. The hatch is custom molded to recess on the foredeck and a large knee tube underneath looks like an upside-down turtle shell. Access is from the top only. Keys, cell phone, etc, all fit in easily. You need enough depth to clear objects through the hatch, without impinging too much space inside the cockpit. The "knee tube" is far superior to normal thigh braces for long-term rough-water paddling, where bracing with your legs is instantaneous and not a strain on inner thigh muscles. I'll often spend the entire day in 5 foot rough seas with no problem. The cockpit is the old small Nordkapp version. My whole philosophy is to not come out of the boat, but reentries are admittedly disadvantaged - its a choice. >>I just leave the tube dangling behind the kayak in the cold sea, so that on >>hot days, a couple >of sips give me nice cool water...ahhhh >Nice cool water sounds good to me. "Nice" and "water" we get easily here in >South Louisiana but "cool" ain't handy. How does dangling your tube cool >the water? >Larry Koenig The rehydration system, as stated in my earlier post, fits in the net bag on the rear deck. Rather than run a tube clipped to my jacket or threaded up through my skirt, by leaving the tube dangling, it is easily reached with one hand. The tube is sufficiently long enough to hold a good few sips of water. By trailing the tube in the water, the 50 degree ocean water temp. cools down the water that flows into the tube portion after the last few sips, from the bag portion on the rear deck that has warmed up from the sunshine. Hope that makes sense, and yes, I am a wuss as I like my water cool - well, not when swimming in it. BTW, my surf helmet sits atop the net bag on the rear deck and unfastens with a fastex buckle I can reach from behind. BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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