I made an interesting discovery today. Several weeks ago I needed a new sprayskirt for my surf boat, a Perception Sabre. I needed the sprayskirt "right now," so I didn't have the time to make one like I usually have done. Unfortunately, since the Sabre is such a, um, let's just call it a "classic" boat, the local shop did not have anything that would fit it. The best they could do was to give me a sprayskirt from a dusty old box of leftover Dancer skirts that they have been unable to sell. Well, the price was right, so I took one to try. The skirt was not a great fit, but was close enough to get by with. However it was continually popping off whenever I would put strain on it. The skirt is the type with a bungee that runs around a track in the perimeter which is knotted where it exited in the back. I tried to tighten the bungee as much as possible, but the skirt would still pop off. I was thinking of replacing the bungee with a larger diameter stronger one to try to make it work, but decided instead to add a second bungee instead, just to see what would happen. It worked like a charm! With the double bungees in the skirt I was able to achieve a secure water tight fit with less tension required then when I was trying to get the single bungee to work. In fact, this is the best, most water tight fit I have ever had on this boat! I have several theories as to why the double bungees work so well, but the bottom line is - it works! Those of you who are having trouble getting a secure water tight fit with your boats sprayskirt might want to give the double bungees a try. Scott So.Cal. *************************************************************************** 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 Dec 2, 2007, at 4:00 PM, Scott Hilliard wrote: > I was thinking of replacing the bungee with a larger diameter > stronger one to try to make it work, but decided instead to add a > second bungee instead, just to see what would happen. It worked > like a charm! With the double bungees in the skirt I was able to > achieve a secure water tight fit with less tension required then > when I was trying to get the single bungee to work. Interesting. I wonder if using say, 3 0r 4 strands of smaller diameter shock cord - perhaps 3/16" - would be a good way to go... Paul Montgomery paul_at_paddleandoar.com http://paddleandoar.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 12/2/2007 5:06:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, kiayker_at_sbcglobal.net writes: decided instead to add a second bungee instead, Hi! Did you run the extra bangee through the same area (seam?) the first one was? Or, how did you secure it to the skirt? Thanks! Pam in Washington **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001) *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Pamvetdr_at_aol.com wrote: > Did you run the extra bungee through the same area (seam?) the first one > was? Or, how did you secure it to the skirt? Thanks! Pam's query reminds me of a simple, low-profile method for securing sprayskirt bungee ends I stumbled on years ago. I did not think much of it at the time, but it has held up for about 6-8 years so far. After using it in a knotted version for a while to make sure I had the correct place for the closure, I cut the bungee about an inch long, flame-seared the ends, and then overlapped them an inch, securing them with two heavy-duty cable ties, reefed down using pliers on the pull tang and (I think) some soft-jawed vise grips on the body of the bungee/cable tie. This allows the secured ends to slip under the coaming edge, and leaves no tails sticking out to get in the way when running the skirt onto the coaming. I could not get the ends to shift, pulling on the bungee as hard as I could, so I assumed it would last, and it has, far beyond what I thought it would. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Another trick that helps sprayskirts stay on plastic boats is to take some fine sandpaper (maybe 120-150 grit) and roughen the underside of the cockpit coaming. If both the plastic and the sprayskirt have smooth surfaces, there may be a tendency for the skirt to slip off with added tension. Roughing the surface adds a little friction into the equation, which may be enough of a fix in some cases. Erik Sprenne S end of Lake Michigan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Hilliard" <kiayker_at_sbcglobal.net> Subject: [Paddlewise] Surf Sprayskirt Fix >I made an interesting discovery today. Several weeks ago I needed a new >sprayskirt for my surf boat, a Perception Sabre. > > The skirt was not a great fit, but was close enough to get by with. > However it was continually popping off whenever I would put strain on it. > > I was thinking of replacing the bungee with a larger diameter stronger one > to try to make it work, but decided instead to add a second bungee > instead, just to see what would happen. It worked like a charm! With the > double bungees in the skirt I was able to achieve a secure water tight fit > with less tension required then when I was trying to get the single bungee > to work. In fact, this is the best, most water tight fit I have ever had > on this boat! I have several theories as to why the double bungees work so > well, but the bottom line is - it works! Those of you who are having > trouble getting a secure water tight fit with your boats sprayskirt might > want to give the double bungees a try. *************************************************************************** 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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