Taureau Custom Outfitting Questions and Recommendations

[AJ]

Well, I recieved my new Taureau this week. My initial impressions:

1) Sweet looking design, can't wait to paddle it.

2) Funky looking finish due to the molding process (dull and shinny in spots all over the boat), rough looking top to bottom seem and funky looking combing trim. This is not to say the boat is not built well. It just isn't a piece of art from a fit and finish perspective like a Royalex boat with wood gunwales, but what the heck it's a creeker!

3) I like the cockpit! Very tight, like a tiger and sure isn't going to hlod much water, if I paddle it as an open boat.

I need to customize the outfitting to fit me and my preferences. I have a few questions:

1) I want to install ankle blocks. It appears that all of the foam in the boat is secured with contact cement? So I was planning on using contact cement for foam ankle blocks. I plan to lightly sand the boat, alcholol the surface and apply two coats of contact cement to both surfaces, letting them dry and stick them together. Is contact cement the best adhesive for this application?

2) Foot Braces do not go back far enough as I like to lay my foot flat in the boat. I do not see a way to move the brackets back. So I am thinking about removing them all together.

I was thinking about using Northwater foot cups. I have used them in the past in my Royalex boats and like them. They come on a flat vinyl material. I have layed them in my Royalex boats using vinya bond. I know I wouldn't want to use Vinya boand in the Taureau. Would contact cement work for adhering vinyl foot cups to the bottom of the boat? Would contact cement even work or would there be something better to use or a different idea all together?

3) I assume the back of the saddle is in the right place as it pertains to the trim of the boat. Anyone find this not to be the case? Should I do a water test?

4) In feeeling around the underneath of the bulkhead it appears that Esquif did not add foam to make the bulkhead contact the side of the boat as much as I would have liked. With that said, the bulkhead feels very secure, but I am wondering if I should fill those voids in with foam or if doesn't really matter?

5) Do you guys carry your spare paddle up front or in the back? I would think it will have to be a three piece paddle to fit in there? Will a standard width blade fit through the knee hole?

I have many ideas on this stuff, but thought I would ask others for their suggestions and experience.

Thanks,

[Eric Nyre]

Hey Al,

You already know my comments on outfitting, just wanted to add that if you bond in Northwater footcups you'll want to use a Methylacrylate adhesive. Stabond and the like won't hold up to the stress. Ankle blocks should be fine with contact cement.

I've got Plexus in stock, Esquif uses the 3M stuff in the Zephyr, both will stick so the footcups never work loose or come out.

Best route to decide outfitting - paddle it and change what you don't like.

[AJ]

Thanks Eric. am working on the boat today with Jeff. I will call you to discuss this info.

I have one follow up question for Taureau paddlers. How high have you been leaving your saddles?

No pool sessions today, so I might go through it in a little pool in boulder creek

Thanks,

[jottsee]

I picked up one of these and I can tell it needs a little work to make it mine. I would appreciate your insight on the outfitting Eric. I find that with the current set up that I have the boat trimmed a little too far to the stern. I tried adding some minicell that was lying around, but 1 inch made it so that I could not get down on the seat.

I do know that you can fit an Aquabound 3 piece breakdown beneath the bow easily.

jc

[Eli]

Another option for your footpegs would be to use contact cement like you described to extend the foam behind the saddle. This will allow you to place your footpegs as far back as you desire.
I would encourage you, if you do use the yakima footpegs, to add some scrap plastic, contact cemented like washers, behind the tracks, to avoid the possiblity of the metal dowel from slicing through the foam like a bread knife.
I haven't bothered to add foam beside the knee bulkheads, but it not a bad idea.
Have fun!

[OneoftheDavesyouknow]

I was thinking about using Northwater foot cups. I have used them in the past in my Royalex boats and like them. They come on a flat vinyl material. I have layed them in my Royalex boats using vinya bond. I know I wouldn't want to use Vinya boand in the Taureau. Would contact cement work for adhering vinyl foot cups to the bottom of the boat?

Bit of an older post, but I was curious if you finally decided to go for the footcups and, if so, how did they work out?

I recently picked up a Taureau and am considering the same modification of the footpegs. Any tips would be appreciated!

[Louie]

I don't think I'd take the footpeg out. About the seat I had to cut three inch off the part of the seat that your lower back goes again. Without doin that the boat was trimmed perfectly level I want some stern heavy trim. after cuttin the back of the seat I ended up raisin the seat 3/4" by puttin a block of foam on the seat and I had to reline the knee cutout to get a tight fit. Don't guess there is anything wrong with ankel block but again I don't think you want to lose the foot pegs

[AJ]

Not sure about Louie's setup, but I am finding that my boat was about right from the back of the seat perpective. It could be differences in the production placement of our saddles, as my boat has the coaming? My boat appears to be a little bow light. If anything, I do not want to be to far back. I want to be forward and aggressive when paddling it, if not, it feels at times like the water will catch my chine and it wants to throw me over.

I left in the foot pegs, but cut off the bottom 1/3 so my feet can lay flat under them. I put in ankle blocks with contact cement. I lowered my saddle to about 7.5". I added 1/4" foam to the the side of the boat where my knees touch. I then sanded the outside of the knee holes until my knees touch the side of the boat/foam. This was very important for me to feel stable in the boat. I still feel like my knees are moving and plan to add foam on the inside of the holes to push my knees tighter to the outside.

My seat and bulk head foam was very soft and easy to cut/tear. I ended up spraying mine with plastic coat spray paint. It soaked in and really toughened it up against tears and cuts. I really like that stuff for protecting foam.

I had to add contact cement to the bulk head/boat to keep it from moving around. When the boat was warm and out of the water it felt tight, when it was in cold water it must shrink, making it wiggle from side to side.

I also have the skirt option and really like it. The boat is fun and playful, but I tend to go over more in it because I am trying things or azt times not paddling aggresively. I have got a roll, but it is hard to roll to me.

Most of my paddling friends are not to sure about it, when I let them paddle it. To paddle it well, I think the outfitting fit is very important as it is in any other boat. I fitted mine to long pant hydroskin. When I wear shorts I feel sloppy in it. My dry suit is about right, the same thickness as my hydroskin pants.

One thing I do not like about the boat is that seam. I have had a cut thumb knuckle on my lower paddle hand all summer from that darn thing.

Good luck and enjoy.

[sbroam]

...
My seat and bulk head foam was very soft and easy to cut/tear. I ended up spraying mine with plastic coat spray paint. It soaked in and really toughened it up against tears and cuts. I really like that stuff for protecting foam.
...

Is that a "Tool Dip" brand spray? I have a can that I haven't used on anything yet, hadn't thought to use it on foam like that. Hmmm.

[AJ]

Yes it is! very cool stuff and really toughens up the mini cell foam from cuts. Test it out and tell me what you think.

http://www.hambulance.com/servlet/the-5 ... sh-/Detail


I use black.

[pmp]

ya know I was surprised to read how hard you were working to make the outfitting just right, so you wouldn't slide around in it. That is not an issue if you paddle with your toes on footpegs. The footpegs allow you to hold yourself in, and get out really fast.
Re: seam try keeping it smooth with a little sandpaper , I find it's the burrs that hurt, course it's always cold when we're creeking so we're wearing mitts anyway.
-I put my spare paddle crossways behind the seat. I have a rear hatch to make this easier to do, the paddle slides through a notch in the rear bulkhead...I didn't say it was easy:-)
paul

[sbroam]

Yes it is! very cool stuff and really toughens up the mini cell foam from cuts. Test it out and tell me what you think.

http://www.hambulance.com/servlet/the-5 ... sh-/Detail


I use black.

I have some outfitting to tweak soon - I will! Great idea!