I've got an old Eddyline Calypso with a cracked fiberglass seat bottom. Since there was no easy access to the underside of the seat, I tried fixing it by grinding down a two-inch wide and maybe 1/8th inch deep groove on the top, then laying down layers of glass and epoxy, almost like drywall seams, to fix it from the top, feathering it out to maybe 3 inches wide; and then flipping the boat upside down over on a pair of sawhorses and attempting to lay a couple layers of glass and epoxy to the underside of the seat (a nasty, difficult job, especially while trying to breath through a hose to avoid inhaling epoxy fumes). It held up for a while, but as I feared it eventually cracked again. So now I figure that to fix it right, I need to remove the seat. The problem is that the seat bottom, seat sides and coaming are all one piece, so the only way to take it out would be to separate the coaming from the cockpit (or saw through the sides, then patch them back together again--which seems like it could end up just trading one problem for another). My question is, how the heck does one go about doing that? From what I can see, the coaming appears to be glassed to the boat from within the cockpit (and FWIW it _doesn't_ seem to be glassed or even sealed around the exterior juction between the coaming and cockpit hole). Do you just take a razor knife or something and start cutting away at the interior joint? Makes me a little nervous to contemplate. I suppose the other option is to just curtail my usual do-it-myself attitude and take it to a repair shop... Evan Dallas Woodinville, WA *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
--- Evan Dallas <evand_at_pensionresourcegroup.com> wrote: > I've got an old Eddyline Calypso with a cracked fiberglass seat bottom. > Since there was no easy access to the underside of the seat, My thought... Cut away the seat, on the sides. Leave the coaming in place. Throw away cracked seat. Build a much nicer seat out of minicell. Geoff ===== Argh.... Yahoo mail sucks.... *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 30 Mar 2004 at 11:34, Evan Dallas wrote: > epoxy to the underside of the seat (a nasty, difficult job, especially > while trying to breath through a hose to avoid inhaling epoxy fumes). One trick I tried that seemed to work - use a vacuum cleaner (better - a shop vac) to suck air out of the inside of the kayak as close to the work as possible. Fresh air will find its way in around you. > problem for another). My question is, how the heck does one go about > doing that? I agree with Geoff - cut the seat off slose to the coaming and make a new seat out of minicell. Simpler and no chemicals - just lots of minicell foam dust to vacuuum up. Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On 30 Mar 2004 at 16:45, Michael Daly wrote: > I agree with Geoff - cut the seat off slose to the coaming On reflection, cut it off leaving enough to attach a backband strap. You can reinforce the stub with a bit of glass/epoxy. Mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
My 2 cents: I had this issue with the Gulfstream. When they redesigned it in 2000 they did the same thing with making the seat and coaming one piece. When I called and talked with Current Designs they highly recommended that I NOT cut the seat out as it was a structural member in the boat. I worked really hard to find a 1999 to buy so I didn't have to do that. in reflecting on what I could have done I figured what I think I'd do is to use Mike's idea but one step further. Cut the seat away where the it starts to curve then glass down like cheek straps to the bottom of the boat to leave glass pillars to support the coaming. Use them to fasten the back band and make a foam seat that conforms to the shape left. > I agree with Geoff - cut the seat off slose to the coaming On reflection, cut it off leaving enough to attach a backband strap. You can reinforce the stub with a bit of glass/epoxy. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I temporarily removed the seat in a Falcon 16. I cut the pillars halfway and when I replaced the seat, I made sure it was attached to the hull using glue and foam. I used two sheets of ABS plastic to sandwich the cut and used SS pop rivets to secure it. I also glued foam between the pillars and hull for extra stability. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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