C-Forum

Anyone got any pics of factory Prelude outfitting, also do they roll better with thy straps or bulkhead. Opinions appreciated.

Thanks D-Caption

Ah, so you bought that Prelude huh? I'll be lookin' for you on the river so I can bug you to swap with me for a few rapids.

I am in the process of getting it. Btw how does clear creek compare to Towns in Ala, since you have now done them both. I would like to paddle Tellico and the Ocoee this summer with warmer water and weather. Trying to move up a notch or two. Hope this Prelude is not too much boat for me.

More than glad to let ya try it out.

D-Caption

I have never seen another prelude but bulkeads - but I haven't seen too many preludes out here ). But I think you will have a hard time getting your straps attached to the PE since no glue seems to stick on it?

All preludes used full length saddles, adjustable thighooks, & sidewalls shown in it's pics

click here

as shown in the pic, thigh straps are best fitted bolting to the rear thwart and feeding the straps through a piece of pipe through the saddle placed under where your crotch sits.

They're much easier to roll with straps in as well, but the boat really needs the bulkhead and sidewalls, they're enough of a handful when wet as is, let alone with even more space for water.

D-Caption wrote:I am in the process of getting it. Btw how does clear creek compare to Towns in Ala, since you have now done them both. I would like to paddle Tellico and the Ocoee this summer with warmer water and weather. Trying to move up a notch or two. Hope this Prelude is not too much boat for me.

More than glad to let ya try it out.

D-Caption

Actually, I somehow have not been able to get on Town yet. Stars just haven't aligned for me. I did Sauty this wknd and that was a big step up from Clear. I don't have enough runs under my belt to make a better comparison but I'd maybe liken our Clear Creek run to Chairlift on LRC (though the rapids on Clear are more open). Middle Tellico might be close, but there are more blind drops on that run and it can be a little tighter. This will be my summer for the Ocoee as well!

If you want straps and not a bulkhead - it can be done. J "not elvis" set one up with a "plate". There should be pix in my gallery link below.

let me know when you guys want to do the ocoee. i'd like to join in.

This guy seemed to have good luck with polybonder:

http://playak.com/index.php?option=com_ ... 6&id=21659

I would be curious to know if this setup has held up.

The straps in my lude are bolted to the gunnel right at my hips and then run down through a hole cut in the saddle. Tight setup (almost too tight). If I could get my bulkhead to hold me in tight, I think I would ditch the straps.

What material is the plate that J "not Elvis" used? Is it an ABS sheet? Or ??? It seems like something you want to be able to glue to the PE of the boat with something like g/flex.

The Esquif Prelude has a Beluga-style bulkhead which I find provides better fit than bulkhead that Pyranha used. With my feet against the foot pegs, I'm really tight in the boat and don't see or feel any need for thigh straps. With the older bulkhead, I'd probably install thigh straps.

getting an empty hull?

if so... just make a bulkhead

http://kayakoutfitting.com/tips/wwcanoe/index.html

milkman wrote:What material is the plate that J "not Elvis" used? Is it an ABS sheet? Or ??? ...

Polyethylene - it's bolted in near the gunwale. It's thick enough to resist uplift. I used a PE plate in a remix - no bolts necessary, just the stiffness of the material...

oc1paddlr wrote:let me know when you guys want to do the ocoee. i'd like to join in.

Have a group planning on leaving B'ham early Sunday. Should be there close to noon EST. You are welcome to join us!

-Ray

Factory outfitting...
Ihave added ankle blocks and rather than hog foam out of the thigh hooks so i could fit in the boat, i just cut them off the saddle and re-glued them to a position that fitted me...



Chris