I need your help in attaching some hip pads to a Dagger GTX. My hips touch the sides so there is no room there. I was thinking about putting some on the cockpit rim and attaching by using small SS screws, but was concerned that this could cause structural damage down the road. Any ideas appreciated. Also, if you have had experiance with specific hardware, include that info as well.
I used a heat gun to bend some 1/4" ABS and wrapped part of it wit foam then attached them to the boat using the old seat bolt holes. Seems to work pretty well on both my EZ and H3. I'll try to post a couple of pics if you think it would be worth it.
Tape an hippad look'a'like cardboard piece on top of the rim. Tape over the cardboard all over. make outline of the wanted hippad area with tape and wax that + the inside of the boats hip area with release agent.
Laminate one side at the time. start with precut pieces of fiber. Use thin glass and any normal resin inside starting from the top of sidewall.
Work the hard times with 150 g/ 200 g glass and use more than 1500 g of material. everywhere. some extra thickness can be made by using thicker laminate. one layer of carbon makes it look nice.
let dry, and release cut sides, finish and bolt on. Do not use Carbon kevlar becayuse the finish is really large steaming pile of dog doo with kevlar...
I think what Marko is describing is a laid up glass version of similar that would be thinner. You could try a thinner piece of plastic than what I used in those pictures - I recycled a bit of old Slasher hull for a couple of boats - but to go much thinner, you will probably need to go glass.
That is what i mean but I mean it thinner and larger. Hippads like that in pictires usually rip the hull in hard place. 'To minimise the stress use large attchment area and at least 3 bolts on a triangle.
Thank you for your replies. Since my hips are against the sides, there is not room for any attachments inside the boat. I need to attach something on the cockpit rim or other idea. I could figure out something if the spray skirt were not an issue. Like Marko said, I am also concerned about putting stress on the rim using screws to attach an angled peice of plastic.
If I understand what your looking for, as well as the concerns - Think about mini cell and weldbond. Shape the mini cell foam / block coming up under the rim if that works so that it even supports the rim and block your lower hips (careful on being able to get the feet out).
You can even glue part of the pads to the top of the rim (if tha makes sense just take care on how the skirt fits afterward - you can trim with waxed dental floss too). I think I saw some one who had a combo of the plastic and mini cell set up but can't remember who.
You might have to re-do them at a later date but if you make them big enough (covering a larger lenght of the cockpit rim like Marko noted) and since you hips are up against the rim already you should be good to go. My bastardized Viper has a set up like I think your looking for.... http://www.geocities.com/paulcline2002/viper.jpg
Both the plastic and glass work (I think Davey Hern's performace has the mad dog race pads (I think Mike has a pair too) and a number of the DC racers had them at the last Armada - they designed and fab them (very sweet minimalistic set ups).
My $.01
Hope this makes sense. Good luck!
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
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That "couch" won't give you hip padding exactly at your sides, though it can be extended forward, it does help. I found with stern squirts and other maneuvers that was pretty good and certainly very comfortable. However, that same outfitting is now in a Score and I did add hip pads almost identical to those I suggested above for even more control.
I was thinking about putting some on the cockpit rim and attaching by using small SS screws, but was concerned that this could cause structural damage down the road. Any ideas appreciated. 
Also, if you have had experiance with specific hardware, include that info as well.
