THE
Quick T
1 Reduce cockpit volume: A new bulkhead My stock front bulkhead was seven inches
ahead of where I needed it, resulting in less dry storage space in my front hatch and more wasted space in my cockpit. Moving the front bulkhead as close as possible to my feet reduces the amount of water I have to pump out after a rescue. It also gives me a place to rest my feet, mount a foot-operated bilge pump or a foot switch for an electric pump. Most supplies are available at any marine supply store. In Toronto try Noah’s Marine (
www.noahsmarine.com) or Tender Craft Boat Shop (
www.tendercraftboats.com).
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED • About 10 feet of four-inch fibreglass tape. • Fibreglass resin • High-density adhesive filler
• Cleaning solvent (acetone) • Sheet of one-eighth-inch marine plywood • 80-grit sandpaper
• Disposable brushes, gloves, mixing containers, Popsicle sticks, paper towels, cardboard, scissors, markers, hacksaw blade, knife and scraper
Photo 1
Begin by getting your boat up on a set of cradles at waist level and arranging your tools. Trace a line on the hull to mark the location of the old bulkhead. Then get to work removing your old bulkhead. My plastic bulkheads are sealed in with silicone, so I made a hole to insert a hacksaw blade and cut out the centre of the bulkhead. There’s nothing like the demolition phase to commit you to seeing the job through. I used a scraper and pliers to hack the bulkhead rim off of the hull.
5 Easy projects to get trip-ready by Tim Shuff and Scott MacGregor Fix
This is the year my kayak turns 10. I bought her when she was three years old at a demo sale and I’ve since put on thousands of kilome- tres. If she were a car, it would be time to trade her in, but she’s not a car—her only moving part is a rudder—and I’m aging faster than she is. Afew repairs, upgrades and routine maintenance were all it took to make her better than new. Below are five safety-oriented upgrades and projects that I chose to
celebrate my kayak’s diamond anniversary and prepare for my next West Coast expedition. Read on to find out how to build a new bulk- head, install an electric pump, add storage bags to your cockpit, make your kayak shine in the dark, and keep the sun from eating away at your dream machine.
Photo 1 36 Summer 2004
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