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This
is an image of the two kneetubes mounted in my hull. The larger pipe
is 4" diameter PVC pipe. The smaller is, uh, smaller. I have
drilled 1/2" holes throughout the smaller tube to shave off some
weight. Both tubes were mounted using heavy-duty silicone and allowed
to cure overnight. Tip of the week: mount with the boat inverted. |
Here
are the tubes with some stuff. Note the floor pad I siliconed in using
an old sleeping bag pad. If I'd had some neoprene or better closed-cell
foam around I would have used that instead. The pad is comfy for bare
feet in the summer, and warm for cold feel in winter waters. |
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Here
is some of the various junk I keep in the tubes. The center tube can
hold a paddle-float, a light jacket, a bottle of water. The Naglene
bottle shown is my "emergency bottle". The water-proof bottle
sports a sassy closed-cell foat jacket that keeps in snug in the bak
of the kneetube. A cord clipped to the front of the tube keeps in
accesible. In the bottle I keep flares, a smoke grenade, an emergency
energy bar, a signal mirror and probably some other things I am forgetting
about. |
Here
is my boat in front of the Minnesota Boat Club, which is where I keep
this particular boat. I am the sole kayaker in the rowing club located
along the Mississippi river in St. Paul, Minnesota. Some other hull
modifications that this Current Designs GTS sports are 1/4" shock-cord
(factory supplies 1/8"). I have a double strip of cord running
through two mounts in front of the front hatch cover. This allows
me to stow a paddle during an assisted rescue. Aft, I have a length
of cord with a plastic hook running over the read hatch cover. This
allows me to keep my spare paddle blade-forward and secure. |
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O.K.,
this isn't an outfitting image. This is my hull a few years back.
Stripped off the gel-coat and punctured the hull a few times. Not
a pretty picture. |
But
hey, this sure is a pretty picture! This is post-repair. I am working
on an online tutorial that explain how to make these repairs to your
very own boat. Stay tuned... |
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In addition
to repairing the hull, I added a keel-strip. I discovered that I kept
losing bits of gel-coat either due to my incopetant repair or perhaps
the keel being vunerable to a lot of abuse what with launches and
landing. The keel strip is simple fiberglass seam-tape attached with
polyester resin. It's been on for a few months now and is holding
up well. |
Another
shot of the keel strip. Just 'cause I had the camera and need to fill
this space. |
I hope you
enjoyed this page. Feel free to send comments. Also feel free to see
some of my art work at http://www.patrickmaun.com.
See you online
or on the water.
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