Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 08:49:30 -0400
From: Chris Kohut <chriskayak@earthlink.net>
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Subject: Re: [baidarka] Deck lashings
Permit me to suggest one thing that might be helpful. I was hesitant to throw
pearly-white deck lines and rope deck-bungies (with an oak tentioner) on a new
baiarka so I dyed them in a strong ( I do mean strong , stronger than anything
you or 30 people would want to drink), pot of tea first. They came out with more
of hue that resembled sinew.
Chris
Rich Frey wrote:
> Regarding deck lines for my greenland style kayak, I was first going to use
> natural cord with some bone antler sliders, but couldn't find the suitable
> cording in time for my trip. I decided to use bungee cord on the horizontal
> lines in front of and behind the cockpit and on the stern. I'm very glad I
> did; they held water bottles, the paddles and two fishing rods very snug,
> even when being portaged. [The bow line I had installed as I sewed up the
> boat is of cotton cord. It was hard to slide the paddle under and tended to
> be loose, so not very useful.]
>
> I then used the thin rope I lashed the boat to the car with (tied to the
> stern cross lines) and strung them to the rear deck cross lines, thus
> creating longitudinal lines. Under these, I tucked and lashed my sleeping
> bag, pad and a backpack. The tension of the bungee cord kept everything from
> moving or shifting. While I would have preferred to have everything under
> the deck, this arrangement worked well. Because the holes are high on the
> gunnels, I don't see a problem with leaking (and I don't paddle much in high
> waves) I also used a heavyweight bungee cord and a slightly smaller hole, so
> the cord acts as a plug.
>
> The bow and stern lines can't be changed easily, but the ones closest to the
> cockpit are accessible, so I may use natural cord most of the time (for
> authenticity) and bungee for tripping (practicality). I believe the natives
> who constructed these watercraft were opportunists and would use whatever
> worked best, given the task.
>
> Rich
>
> You wrote:
>
> >I have always drilled right through the fabric into the gunwales and run
> >the lashings through there. But with cotton fabric, the hole in the
> >fabric becomes a place where water can get into the boat and also a
> >place where rot can start. Also, as the skin moves around, these holes
> >enlarge, so Bill Low's suggestion seems an improvement.
> >
> >It seems to me that most commercial kayaks have excessive deck lashing
> >going on. Apparently, lots of ropes make kayak look more nautical and
> >complex and therefore make it easier to justify a price tag in excess of
> >$2000. I am more inclined toward minimalism myself, although on camping
> >trips, I have been guilty of lashing stuff to the deck.
> >
> >The British designers like Goodman and Hutchinson believe that you
> >should have a line that runs the whole perimeter of the boat. This
> >functions as a safety line when you exit your boat and gives you
> >something to hang on to. I don't subscribe to this philosophy myself,
> >but then, the beauty of building your own boat is that you can have it
> >your way.
> >
> >Wolfgang
> >
> >
> >William H. Low wrote:
> >>
> >> I've tried several techniques with varying degrees of success. I now just
> >> sew loops through the skin and attach bungie cords or what ever to the
> >> loops. I have done this on a number of boats with no failure of any kind.
> >>
> >> Bill Low
> >>
> >> ----------
> >> > From: William J. Russell <russel79@idt.net>
> >> > To: Baidarka Mail List <baidarka@lists.intelenet.net>
> >> > Subject: [baidarka] Deck lashings
> >> > Date: Thursday, July 09, 1998 12:59 PM
> >> >
> >> > HELP....I've almost completed my second Baidarka and I need some good
> >> > tips for attaching deck rigging...on the first boat I made small
> >> > hardwood loops that I screwed to the top of the gunwales and then
> >> > threaded the lines through these loops...this worked OK but I'd like to
> >> > find a different method....I'm toying with the idea of "pegging" rope
> >> > loops at the points I want the deck rigging attached to the deck...I've
> >> > seen one or two other boats with ropes pegged into the side of the
> >> > gunwales and this seemed to work OK....anyone have any other method they
> >> > use that might work for me???? any assistance in this regard would be
> >> > greatly appreciated.....Russell
> >
> >