----- Original Message ----- From: "PeterO" <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au> > metre sea. One concern was the sponson valves which were very poorly fitted, > leaky and could come away easily, maybe this was because it was a demo boat. > I decided to clamp the inflation tubes between the sponson and the side > bars. The valves tend to be fine, so it may be as you suspected . . . a problem with a demo boat. But in all cases with sponsons, it is worthwhile doing wat you did with the inflation tubes in some form. I generally just bend them over so that the tube crimps and then I shove the whole thing in behind a gunwale to hold it bent over. > between the seat and sea sock though. Found it hard to know where to put > stuff, food drink etc. Its OK on flat water where you can undo the sea sock, > but at sea? That is the curse of using a sea sock. I don't use one for that reason among others, i.e. getting at essentials inside the cockpit. > Assembly > The booklet instructions were clear, the lever system works very well. For > a while the boat seemed easy to assemble - UNTIL I GOT TO THE LAST NOTCH ON > THE LAST STERN CROSS RIB - It took me an hour and required extreme strength > to get the bar into position on the crossrib. So much so that I would say it > was hazardous to tendons and hands. As far as I could tell everything was > lined up. What is the trick/correct technique here? Or are these boats > variable in their ease of assembly? Assembly varies from individual boat to individual boat of the same model. Regarding that mating of the crossrib with the notch or tabs in the gunwale bar, many boats do not have a problem but some do. The technique to get around the almost impasse you had is the following: When wiggling the crossrib into position, make certain that the gunwale bars ride up on the top surface of the cross rib rather than fall down to the sides below where you need to make the connection. If you look at the crossrib you can see that the slope of the top of the crossrib is at a more shallow angle or pitch than is the side of the crossrib. So when it comes to getting the bar to fall into the notch on the crossrib, it is easier to manuever the bar into the notch from the top of the crossrib rather than from the side where you have to come up a sharp angle. Give this a try. Also, you can do some of the manuevering into position by pushing the bar from the outside of the skin. Again, many boats do not have the problem but some do. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 1365, Highland, NY 12528 Tel: 845-255-7742; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Sep 27 2003 - 09:32:49 PDT
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