G
Guest
Guest
I was not happy with the limited float bag and gear tie down points in the Hyperform Optima (Opie), wanted to add some D-rings to the bottom of the hull, but the keelson support precluded my usual hull-centered Northwater Double D.
Well, I could install four of them, at $8 apiece, but $32 worth of manufactured D rings ain’t happening. I’ll go old school DIY. Really old school would be frayed rope loops embedded in resin, but I can go a bit more functional for increased clip ease.
Four accessory D-rings, four pieces of 1 inch wide webbing, some glass tape and peel ply cut to size will do the trick. Even moreso, friend Willie had given me a couple of pieces of 1 inch webbing embroidered with the defunct Springriver Corp text, once the go-to place for paddling gear in the metro area. Another historic artifact.
To stay consistent with the old school style I put a 1 inch section of sliced soda straw around the flat bottom f the D-ring. Tres seventies.
Tape boxed, with the 1 inch webbing laid atop a coat of resin, spanned on each side of the webbing by a length of 2 inch fiberglass tape, more epoxy atop, peel ply and weighted down.
Once the peel ply was removed I discovered a couple of things. The old Springriver Corp essentially disappeared in the epoxy. And the split soda straw on the base of the D-ring was a good idea; I got a little over exuberant with the epoxy and might have glued bottom of the D’s in place without that protective plastic sleeve.
BTW, the Klepper used that soda straw technique, and those 40 year old plastic soda straws were still intact
That came out well.
All they need is a simple top coat of epoxy to fill the weave on the webbing and peel ply residue. And I managed to eff that up.
I didn’t want to risk the D-rings flopping over and getting stuck atop the fresh resin, so I oh so gently laid a small square of wax paper over the webbing once the epoxy top coat was in place. I didn’t press the wax paper down, but just let it gently lay in place. Eight little squares of wax paper in total, all of which seemed to magically suck down onto the fresh epoxy as if magnetic.
And when I removed the eight little squares of wax paper the next morning beneath each one was a razor sharp epoxy crinkle edge or two. Eight little patches of razor sharp crinkle I could shave with.
Crappppppp, sand them down and recoat, this time with more forethought, tying the D-rings upright. Much better.
I probably should have positioned that cage line with the anchors further apart for more of an equilateral triangle, but that’ll do. Should be handy if I want to tie in or cage gear under the decks as well.
I’ll say it again, that Lettmann Design Hyperform Optima is far and away the best of the 70’s decked tandems to soloize as a tripping/sailing hull.
Optima #1
http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...scussions/diy/655-hyperform-tandem-conversion
Optima #2
http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...s-sailing-tripper-rebuild-with-dougd-and-joel
Well, I could install four of them, at $8 apiece, but $32 worth of manufactured D rings ain’t happening. I’ll go old school DIY. Really old school would be frayed rope loops embedded in resin, but I can go a bit more functional for increased clip ease.
Four accessory D-rings, four pieces of 1 inch wide webbing, some glass tape and peel ply cut to size will do the trick. Even moreso, friend Willie had given me a couple of pieces of 1 inch webbing embroidered with the defunct Springriver Corp text, once the go-to place for paddling gear in the metro area. Another historic artifact.
To stay consistent with the old school style I put a 1 inch section of sliced soda straw around the flat bottom f the D-ring. Tres seventies.
Tape boxed, with the 1 inch webbing laid atop a coat of resin, spanned on each side of the webbing by a length of 2 inch fiberglass tape, more epoxy atop, peel ply and weighted down.
Once the peel ply was removed I discovered a couple of things. The old Springriver Corp essentially disappeared in the epoxy. And the split soda straw on the base of the D-ring was a good idea; I got a little over exuberant with the epoxy and might have glued bottom of the D’s in place without that protective plastic sleeve.
BTW, the Klepper used that soda straw technique, and those 40 year old plastic soda straws were still intact
That came out well.
All they need is a simple top coat of epoxy to fill the weave on the webbing and peel ply residue. And I managed to eff that up.
I didn’t want to risk the D-rings flopping over and getting stuck atop the fresh resin, so I oh so gently laid a small square of wax paper over the webbing once the epoxy top coat was in place. I didn’t press the wax paper down, but just let it gently lay in place. Eight little squares of wax paper in total, all of which seemed to magically suck down onto the fresh epoxy as if magnetic.
And when I removed the eight little squares of wax paper the next morning beneath each one was a razor sharp epoxy crinkle edge or two. Eight little patches of razor sharp crinkle I could shave with.
Crappppppp, sand them down and recoat, this time with more forethought, tying the D-rings upright. Much better.
I probably should have positioned that cage line with the anchors further apart for more of an equilateral triangle, but that’ll do. Should be handy if I want to tie in or cage gear under the decks as well.
I’ll say it again, that Lettmann Design Hyperform Optima is far and away the best of the 70’s decked tandems to soloize as a tripping/sailing hull.
Optima #1
http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...scussions/diy/655-hyperform-tandem-conversion
Optima #2
http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...s-sailing-tripper-rebuild-with-dougd-and-joel
