Raising the RIM on a yakversion

yarnellboat · Post by **yarnellboat** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:16 pm

Update..

I'm outfitting a Redline now, and, as with my Score, have to raise the rim for my thighs. Basic job with a heat gun, car jack, and wood, and a towel for fine tuning or small changes.

With the Redline heated up (hot day in the sun) and empty of outfitting, I noticed how easy it was to also lift the rear of the cockpit.

So, I went back to the Score and lifted the rear of that cockpit a good 2 or 3 inches, which of course helped lift the rim off my thighs too. The other benefit is how much more room there is for feet, making the idea of weet exits a little less scary.

Anyway, if you're pushing out the rim to accomodate your thighs, I strongly recommend lifting the back of the rim too!

I don't recall how low they were before, but the back of my rims are now about 9.5" off the hull floor, and at my thighs the rim is probably over 11" tall. I'm liking the extra space for my beefy legs and my feet!

Pat.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:55 pm

For every action there is a opiste reaction, keep an eye on the bottom of the boat, changin the top could effect the bottom. Rememeber when you change the lenght of the cross twarts on a open boat it will change the bottom of the boat. Just sayin.

yarnellboat · Post by **yarnellboat** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:14 pm

Good point.

On the Score, I could see a very slight bow in the sidewalls. On the Redline I could see two little dimples on the front deck. That's when I stopped. Not sure if it affected the bottom profiles. The Score's edges are pretty hard and stiff, so I doubt it. Redline I didn't do a detailed before & after, and it seems like a softer material, so we'll see.

My feeling is that it wasn't affecting the bottom. But I guess if the outfitting is jammed in too tight, it could round things out a bit. The bottom of the Redline does have some flex to it, so that's possible. I hope not.

But, without lifting the rims I can't use the boats anyway, so I got nothin' to loose.

Besides at the rate I'm (not) progressing with C-1 and the amount I'm (not) paddling, these boats might not see more than class II.

Pat.