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Codging 101 :)

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Howdy folks, Uncle Mur here. Hows it going.
Picked up a nice little Mohawk pac canoe.
I've been equipping it so that solo adventures are as safe and practical as can be. Its led me to some projects that I think may be of interest to some.
Best of all "cheap" and functional. Repurposing, utilising scrap bits (depends on how much of a hoarder you are), grabbing good buys from the surplus or second hand shops is always a good thing. Here is a nice example
 

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A nice set of spray skirts.
Parts List:
Camo tree stand blind cover, light nylon water resistant. Surplus 15$
Heavy duty orange poly deer sled, ( to help drag your buck out of the woods) Surplus 15$
3/4" light aluminum angle. Scrap Leftovers 0$
1/2" copper pipe foam insulation Leftovers 0$
dayglo orange with nightglow 3/16" paracord 50'
Surplus 3$
Gorilla grip weather and waterproof spray glue
Rivets
 

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Oh ... I forgot to list the old car floor mat and ...
the duct tape :)
You can of course use any "topsheet" you choose.
this deer sled thingy I most recommend tho, for several reasons. The material is super light and super tough and Hunter Orange. When glued to your topsheet you get a puncture and rip resistance to weight ratio that is most welcome, that is waterproof and will resist sagging. With the fastening system I've used they are reversible, camo nylon one side hunter orange poly sheet on the other.
 

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My little boat is lined down the hull so I've lashed the skirts down. You can of course adapt to snaps drilled in or making a cuff on the skirt that ties on but that poly sheet prefers a flatter profile, fitting at the top of the gunell edge its stiff enough to resist flapping in the breeze. Stiff enough to deflect the splash fitting flush with the top edge.
 

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Trim your pieces measured to your size and shape from the end of your deck or bow tip to a comfortable way back to midship or bow position your preferred choice. Use the spray glue to combine the sheets.
use your favorite flavor of duct tape to finish the edges. Cut 3"tabs from the aluminum angle (or substitute fastening) file or and rough edges.
drill 2 evenly spaced holes in one side ov the angle
Use drilled angle as templates for drilling the sheets and second angle by pinching the material between two pieces of the angle lined up. Spaced in uniform position down the length of the sheets. 3 or 4 each side pending your length.
 

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Mount the 3/4" angle tabs so that the angle lays down on the corner edge of the gunell wrapping down the side the boat. Setup a pair of tabs back to back makes a "T" shape with the sheet pinched between. Drill then rivet together making a cleate for your lash to grab.
 

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I cut my sheets to match the end of the factory decks. Then trimmed up a corner of the old floormat in a triangle shape that will sit on the deck and seamed to the front edge of the sheet with a simple lashing. The heavier rubber mat lays flat on the deck taking the brunt of any splashing. The idea of deflecting water away from the front seam of the deck and skirt. I've yet to test this design and may have to pin the nose of the mats down with velcro or something.
More field testing is called for ;)
 

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Finish the wide end of the skirts with the pipe insulation. Cut a piece to fit gunell to gunell, using the self adhesive on the foam, fit to edge of sheet and press in place. Forming a drip dam that will drain of the gunells
 

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Seating:
The little pac canoe I have is designed so that you sit on the bottom of the boat without a proper seat.
This would've been fine back in the day when comfort wasn't so high on the priority list, nowadays without "comfort", muscles cramp, bones ache, joints lockup and immobility sets in. Not a good scenario for soloing in the great outdoors.
Online searching showed me typical designs and materials ... 150$ for a foam block ... mmmm
So I put the codger's hat on again and started looking for useful bits and pieces. My initial thought was to fashion a center position kneeling saddle, as I prefer the kneeling position for paddling.
Rooting around the shop I found some pool noodles,
some foam floor tiles and an idea took shape.
The obvious answer was to just cut and stack layers of the foam floor tiles into an arsed shape saddle like the retail versions. I surmised that this would be a little hard on the cheeks and I'm not convinced that those floor tiles won't sponge up water. The noodles on the other hand definitely dont. Plus they are softer and have an airspace through the middle that added to my design plan. Unfortunately they seemed too soft to hold shape under my weight. I decided to carve the saddle profile I wanted out of the floor tiles.
Made a couple of layers for the "walls" of the shape.
taped the pieces together in a triangular shape. Then using the noodles as filler I cut pieces to size and fitted them in a standing position inside the tiles.
​​​​​​​I stood them up thinking the vertical air space would provide good drainage and an air cushion of sorts for me bum. The power of tape holding everything in place
 

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I decided to add a raised seat behind the thwart with the saddle out in front of it. Basically wedging the saddle under the thwart holding it in position and giving me the option of a different paddling position.
Kneeling in the boat I measured a good height to make my bent legs happy and a good position for the trim of the boat. I realized that the tape was going to be temporary at best so I needed to cover the pieces or tie them together to keep them in shape.
I found a leather chair back in the scrap bin at the fabric store for peanuts that was already sown in a big loop that fit just about custom on my saddle shape. And left enough material to fashion the seat top as well. Cut the pieces and using a sail makers curved needle pulling some of my b50 bowstring as thread I stitched the top on. Then punched some cord through all the pieces tying the bundle to the cover and giving them shape and stability. Now I know that I won't be chasing bits of foam down the river. The seatback was close but not perfect, it left a loose buldge of material at the rear that became a little pocket with a flap lid on the back of the saddle.
 

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The little boat didn't like my raised C.O.G. kneeling position. :(
I could literally pull the gunell underwater with a decent stroke. Perched on the rear high position i didn't want to try anything more than a brace lol.
 

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It provides a very comfortable position but not a very stable one. Looking like I'm doomed to be sitting on the floor with double blade in my hands.
Well I guess I'll have to figure out a lower seating position
 

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The little boat definitely prefers my butt on the bottom and 2 blade propulsion for sure.
I toyed with different ideas using the noodles and / or the foam tile but nothing impressed me. Got to thinking about what else I had on hand to play with.
Remembered the bleacherseat pad I use to take to the races. One of those foam pad affairs with set of pockets on a flap that would hang down in front of you on the bleacher. Then it struck me, the air cushion from Mom's wheel chair.
... a little back story is in order, my mother passed in 2011 after a long battle with arthritis and other complications. She had this fancy custom wheelchair and this special seat cushion ... lol, I can still hear her, " dont get rid of it, its expensive".
This thing will be a perfect seat, a rubber egg crate inflatable bladder in a breathable nylon / cordura cover. It's got some weight to it , maybe 4 - 5lbs so setting it on the bottom will be a good thing.
Well, a little zip, zap, zoop and Bingo!
 

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Lol, you know being designated as "medical equipment " it's definitely expensive, its definitely comfy and conforms to the bottom of the boat perfectly.
 

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The design is supposed to support in any position and drain so that you sit dry all the time.
 

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I tied a chunk of that same floor mat I used on the spray skirt noses to the underside of the air cushion.
giving a little protection from punctures and abrasion to the bladder and a little more well distributed weight
 

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Tied the air cushion to the bleacher seat.
Both had d-rings and loops to run the cord through.
 

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Sits perfectly. Stable and dang comfortable!
Down on the bottom but out of the bilge water ;)
 

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It folds over the thwart so that the pockets drape down the back. A small bungee underneath secures the seat to the boat
 

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