Message-Id: <ab8f430700021004285d@[132.177.128.6]>
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 09:13:08 -0500
To: baidarka@imagelan.com
From: prl@hopper.unh.edu (paul labrie)
Subject: knots re-visited and a late announcement
Hi,
In Kirk's reposting of my lashing technique, it dawned on me that I
had ommitted several things. 1) when I tie the first part of the knot,
after pulling the ends tight, I held one of the string ends in my left
hand, and applied the spring clamp with my right hand. If you're wondering
how I was holding the other end taut...yes, occasionally I used my teeth !
(worked well and it somehow lent an air of authenticity to the job -- break
out the PoliGrip!!! -- remember, you only need to apply light tension at
this point). Another way is to take a few wraps around your right hand,
hold tension, and apply the spring clamp with your thumb and two
forefingers (take enough wraps so that your hand is sufficiently close to
the lashing) 2) after the knot had been cinched, I used a Bic lighter to
melt the loose ends and (quickly) took a cloth and pressed the molten end
against the lashing (I was using braided nylon line, which was way heavier
than I really needed). Unless I did this, I found that the nylon cord had a
way of eventually undoing the knot, even though it was under tension. As
soon as I had a "cup's worth" of lashings, I applied a thinned epoxy
coating to them (a "cup" being the equivalent of one squirt's worth of
epoxy from my WEST system dispensers)
As I mentioned to Kirk, this technique was one that I had hacked
out on my own (worked for me) but I would REALLY LIKE to hear how others
handled lashing their baidarkas!
The late announcement is that this weekend, for those of you in the
New England area, is the Maine Boatbuilders' Show. This is an EXCELLENT
show -- no dealers, no metal-flaked ski boats, etc., just builders and
small craft (kayaks, canoes, skiffs, lobsterboats, catamarans, etc.). The
show is held in a set of funky old buildings on the waterfront in Portland
ME. The place is typically jammed (lots of families, including dogs, which
are allowed) (take 295 north from rt95. Look for the Commercial Street exit
and start asking -- $5 admission -- no, I'm not connected to this in any
way).
Best way to sum up the Maine Boatbuilders' Show is to say that this
is the one show I can think of where you might see a baidarka... I'm going
this afternoon!
- paul -
paul r. labrie paul.r.labrie@unh.edu
university of new hampshire ---------------------
telecom center voice 603.862.3684
durham, nh 03824 fax 603.862.4545