Self Adhesive Press Studs

[Bothwell Voyageur]

Every year I think that maybe I should look at making a spray deck for my Wildfire and each year the thought of drilling all those holes for the press studs stops me from from getting it done. However I just found these-

Is this a Eureka moment or has someone tried them and failed? From past experience VHB adhesive sticks like snot to a blanket so they should work fine on a smooth canoe hull.

 

[Canotrouge]

I think I would go with velcro instead of snaps, I'm not a big fan of snaps....
But these look like they would work.

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

velcro doesn't hold in the wet very well, as wearers of Teva sandals find out when they swim. Dan Cooke uses snaps on his spray decks so I was just going to copy his/Cliff Jacobson's design.

 

[Canotrouge]

Good point on the Teva.... That said I have velcro on my dry suit and it hold really well as well as on a pair of diving boots and no problems for years...

I've sen only one or two pray decks with snaps, and they were a pain in use, no adjustment possible when the fabric sag when wet or get really tight under the sun! Every one up here uses mainly the North Water system of loops and cord.

But please post pictures and comment on the results!!

 

[madmike]

I did snaps on my tandem. I do not like hitting them with my fingers.

 

[Alan Gage]

Looks interesting. Put on your guinea pig outfit, order up a bunch, and let us know how they work!

Alan

 

[Guest]

I did snaps on my tandem. I do not like hitting them with my fingers.

I’m Ok with snaps. Rasping my knuckles is less of an issue for a couple reasons. I use partial covers, fore and aft, with an open “cockpit” area. That helps in several ways; I do not have exposed male snaps in my paddle stroke range, and I am much more prone to installing the partial covers, or at least the bow cover portion, in any and all conditions, so what is left exposed is the smoother end of the female stud set in the cover material.

I’m not a fan of Velcro, even the industrial strength hook and loop stuff. I seem to accumulate crud in the hooks when used as boat outfitting.

Other Velcro gear applications are equally unsatisfactory. I detest having Velcro on both the cuff closures and pocket flaps in raingear or jackets. Dammit I’ve snagged my wrist in my pocket. Again. Hate that.

I have not used a Northwater-style cover with hooks and line (or bungee). That would be easier to put on/take off as a repetitive tripping task, but I am uneasy with hooks protruding through the lower sides of a hull. Snaps can be positioned just below the outwale protrusion, where I am less likely to damage them.

Looks interesting. Put on your guinea pig outfit, order up a bunch, and let us know how they work!

If they worked and stayed stuck that would open new outfitting possibilities.

Thinking of Sadie in rain, or in waves overwashing the bow, or even just seeking shaded sun protection – some partial cover might provide protection as well as jump in/out accessibility and still accommodate an attentive canine’s stand- up view.

All of our sundry critters have some preferred/protective abode. That seems do-able as a custom canine partial cover. Maybe tee bars like a 70’s Firebird.

More rapids?! WTF is “He Who Brings the Food and Shares His Hammock” thinking, Better duck under cover.

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

I think the shouldered tumblehome on the DY designs should help with the knuckle issue but I know what you mean.

CJs design calls for strips of elastic sewn across the deck to account for "tight deck syndrome. Or maybe I could put straps and buckles

The only Northwater deck I have used had to be laced through cord, it was pain in the butt. I didn't like the heavy vinyl fabric either but that is another issue.

Once I finish the stuff I am being paid to sew I will look at making something or at least order some snaps to test how they hold.

I had a couple of days this summer when it was raining so hard that I could hardly keep up with the bailer. A cover would at least keep some of that out!

 

[Canotrouge]

The Northwater spray deck all come with the cord you lace through cord loops, they are a pain, they are heavy, they are expensive, I didn't say that I like them, I just said that is what most if not all paddlers that use spray deck use!! I have my idea of a spay deck that I might try to build one day, but again, I'm not sure if I have real use for it.