[Paddlewise] blowing foam

I hate cutting, sanding, grinding, or any other kind of shaping of minicell
foam. I don't really know why I hate it, but I always manage to butcher many
innocent blocks of foam before getting frustrated and settling for a poorly
fitting boat. I'm big enough that I can get away with it, since I always fit
pretty tightly into my boats without needing additional foam. But comfort
does tend to suffer.

But now I've got a whole new system that results in a perfectly fitting,
custom molded foam support every time. The only tools that are needed are a
scale, some popsicle sticks, some plastic food bags, and the always handy
latex gloves. The foam used is two-part expanding resin foam, which "blows"
out to large volumes and becomes very rigid and durable (though slightly
brittle) in about five minutes after mixing. The process is extremely
simple... mix the foam in the desired quantity, pour into plastic bag, sit
inside boat, and drape plastic bag around the desired body part. In minutes,
the foam expands to create a perfect snug fit between your boat and your
chosen body part. At this point, the next step is to attach the foam to the
boat using a fastening material such as duct tape, glue, or liquid nails. It
also possible to optionally put a layer of cushioning neoprene on the outer
surface of the foam for extreme comfort.

I blew some foam thigh braces into my Arctic Tern just before a Lummi Island
sea kayak trip a couple of weekends ago. These braces support both the top
and bottom of my knee/thigh, but do not restrict egress in any way. And the
under-thigh support is *wonderful*, because it greatly reduces lower body
fatigue on long trips. I found it possible to relax my legs for long periods
at a time without removing them from the braces, and the instant ability to
edge was always there if I needed it. Under-thigh support makes edging *so*
much easier.

Learning how to use the proper proportions of foam and getting the timing a
placement just right are a little tricky, and much hilarity can ensue, but
the final product is well worth the effort. I've now blown foam into two
whitewater boats and the sea kayak of another friend, with the total time
for each dropping down to about 20 minutes. And most of that time is spent
sitting in the boat letting the foam expand around you. I've found that
beer, books, and music help pass the boredom. I find this MUCH more
appealing than spending several hours carving and shaping minicell foam into
unrecognizable and largely useless lumps.

Cheers,
kevin
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Kevin Whilden
Your Planet Earth
kevin_at_yourplanetearth.org
http://www.yourplanetearth.org
voice: (206) 788-0281
fax: (206) 788-028
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