Re: [Paddlewise] Foam Cover Material - none needed

Thanks for your perspective. I've often wondered why paddlers needed to
cover over their handiwork. Sounds like it is because it may have been
poor handiwork :-)  I'll follow your suggestions for Yvonne's
Huntsman's outfitting.

I'm just in the process of tidying up my Norkapp's outfitting too. In my

case, I ran an inner keel full length to strengthen and stiffen the
hull, and to provide bolt-in potential for the outside plastic keel. As
such, I had to surgically section my foam seat, do the glass work, then
glue the foam piece back in (less the female image of the inner keel
profile). It looks ugly, and I'd like to cover it. I need a material
that retains some friction, yet doesn't restrict fast exits for seal
landings, as i plan to come up the sides with it too. I'm leaning toward

Jack's suggestion of thin neoprene (or what we call cellular chloroprene

sheets, with a knitted nylon fabric laminate in Qajakophone).

Had anyone had _poor_ success with doing this. Jack said his neoprene
has held for 7 years.

PS That Gabriel eh? 6 boats between him and Janet, in just two years
since he took up sea kayaking. The extrapolations are mind-numbing. He
will need truck loads of foam over the next few decades :-)

DL

Erik/Jane Sprenne wrote:

> Doug wrote:
> > > > Also, does anyone know of a good material to cover foam
> with, for creating a better looking finish after cutting and
> shaping foam? I'm doing up my wife's (Yvonne's) kayak, and
> speaker cloth looks rather water-retentive. < < <
>
> to which Rex replied:
> > > Go to Ken Rasmussen's web site at www.kayakfit.com and look
> at the photos to see how he uses the 1/16" Dual Density Self
> Adhesive Foam sheets. < <
>
> If one is careful with the shaping of the foam , no glued-on
> covering is necessary.
>
> I added foam thigh braces to my sea kayak and hip pads to my WW
> kayak using grey minicell foam (3" thick, bought from a paddling
> shop) and after careful layout, shaping with a 4" low angle
> grinder/80 grit medium, and hand sanding with progressively finer
> sandpaper, *used a propane torch to melt the surface fuzz of the
> minicell*.  A low flame and a quick once-over is all that is
> needed to melt the surface of the minicell into a
> water-impervious outer layer.
>
> If one needs to add a surface layer for more traction, then IMO,
> the foam is not shaped properly.  Besides, gluing any kind of
> cover only adds extra weight, doesn't add anything *functional*
> to the boat, and provides one more thing to come undone when
> least expected.  See Gabriel's site for a picture of my thigh
> braces - 7th from the left at the top of
> http://www.studiofurniture.com/diary/kayak/outfit/outfit.html#a
>
> my $0.02
> Erik Sprenne



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