Open Boat Airbag Lacing

[sbroam]

I'm outfitting an OC-1 with wood gunwales and it's almost time to put in the lacing for the air bags. Last time I did this, I did something similar to how Mohawk (and others?) does it with with vinyl rails - I secured plastic wire guides (instead of aluminum) with the gunwale screws, with the "loop" under the gunwale. That was OK, but I wasn't entirely happy with that - the guides were a little weak. Even the metal ones are showing wear in my vinyl gunwaled Viper.

The boat was originally outfitted by Mad River and they drilled holes in the gunwales, put short cord loops in the holes, then laced between the loops. I'm not enamored of this idea - those are additional holes in the gunwales weakening them and offering another entry point for moisture.

Another popular option is to punch holes in the hull just below the rails. I heard a good argument once for doing that, but forthe life of me I can't remember what it was , just that it was a good one ! Maybe because of the strength? You aren't stressing points on the gunwales? However, it's going to be hard punch holes in a perfectly good hull... Do you get significatn water through the holes?

I could screw those eyelets that come in kits to the gunwales, but I'm not in love with that idea - all of those hard plastic arches are that many more points to snag on or break off.

Opinions? Discussion? I'm leaning towards option 3, holes in the hull...

Thanks -

Scott

[allan]

If water is coming in through the lacing holes, it's probably also coming over the top... and the hull is a really strong piece of plastic.

I'd drill.

but then again, i'm no outfitting expert... but i've certainly seen it done with great success.


cheers,
-allan

[yarnellboat]

I've screwed the little clamps into the bottom of wood gunwales, which I prefer, and I've drilled through the hull and run some cord as attachments. No problems with either. Of all the ways I get water in my boats, it coming through those drill holes certainly is isn't a major factor!

P.

[Scott C]

Drill it!! If you use a drill about 1/16th bigger than the cord you don't have to worry about water or strength. If you drill the gunwale you will sacrifice some strength but not enough to worry about. The only advantages to drilling the plastic are that it is easy, neat and serviceable. The only additional advice I can jive on this is to keep the spacing reasonably close (4"-6") and run a piece of strap down the middle to keep everything where it belongs. The advantage to the loops is that you can cross lace it (like shoes) and this provides a very tight cage that is super hard to get your bag sucked out of. My opinion.

Scott

[billcanoes]

The argument I've heard is no added wieght for eyelets. Mohawk and Millbrook drills the holes in the gunwale, Possibly also blue hole??? . Mad River, Dagger, and Mohawk also drill holes for a grab loop through the hull. Possibly also blue hole??? I also hear that the hull was a better place to drill because of heat and expansion, but I've recently start taking my airbags out altogether- to avoid mildew as well as over expansion, and i had a blow out while driving once.

Bill

[Mike W.]

I bought my Probe fully outfitted from Mohawk. They drilled through the hull. When I went to longer bags I just drilled a few more holes to extelnd the lacing. I never had a problem. Measure & center punch if you want it pretty .

I think the problem with getting water in the boat is not the little holes for lacing. It's the big hole in the top .

[sbroam]

Thanks for all of your input - that's what I love about this forum, real input and not all the cr@p like BoaterTalk has!

I decided to go with how the boat was originally - I drilled the gunwales and put knotted loops of cord in the holes. I drilled vertically about 1/8" from the hull and 6" apart. The loops are made from about 6" of accessory cord and pass up through the holes with a stopper knot under the gunwale. The hole was tight enough (5/32?) that I needed to thread the loops in with a length of wire. Before pulling the loops, I put some teak oil in each hole.

I ran the lacing between the loops in a diamond pattern (cross laced ala shoes). Feels pretty solid and looks nice.

[sbroam]

Sitting around the house on a Sunday morning with a sick youngin', I put together a web page with pictures/words documenting the restoration of the ME :

http://bookwoman.net/scott/paddling/ME_Restoration/

[kaz]

Just for the record, Millbrook Boats does NOT drill through the gunwales for lacing.
JKaz

[ezwater]

The spacing of hull holes can vary depending on where the laces will fall on the bags. Use wider spacing over the narrow end of the bag, and somewhat closer spacing over the wide end of the bag. Not a big deal, but allows you to cut the number of holes by a couple.

Also, when you get to the "big" end of the bag, you can drill the last two or three holes on each side just a little lower so that the laces follow the down-curve of the bag. Admittedly another small point.

Where are you tying the nose loop of the bag? Probably should be as far up in the nose of the ME as feasible.

One discussant on paddling.net claims to have his bags tied down and in so hard that water can't get under the bags. He says that if the boat gets loaded with water, he can swivel his hips to tip it sideways, and quite a bit of water will run out over the gunnel. I would appreciate comments from others on whether this has worked for them.