C-Forum

I need to come up w/ a way to lock my glass boat to a tree while I ride shuttle. I use a bike lock & run it through the metal bars on the deck of my plastic boat, but my Woodie doesn't have those or even grab loops. I'm thinking I should glass something in in the cockpit. Maybe a few layers of Kevlar seam tape? What would be the most effective thing to use?

Drill a hole, lock trough the hull (maybe not below waterline.. although that would apparently be very effective!) and use a plug when paddling ;D

Well, seriously, some people attach grab loops through pipes glued into the hull - drilling or cutting two well aligned holes through the bow/stern (whichever you like less ;D) and glue/weld in a plastic or aluminum pipe. PVC pipe for Royalex & vinyl cement, aluminum pipe would work well for your glass boat. You could get a carbon/kevlar pipe if you want to get all fancy (or use a paddle shaft piece you once cut off.. every single sticker should have some flying around the house for such uses!).

That could now be epoxied/glassed in very nice. If it fits your bike lock, even better! Nobody will be able to get THAT out without doing serious damage to your boat.

You could of course just glass (kevlar!) in a short piece of 2" pipe to the bottom somewhere, so you can get that big bad mother of a chain in. If you want to have that in your boat while paddling, that is ;D. Remember to use some sort of wood flour or other thickening agent to fill in tight corners before trying to wrap any fibre/textile around a tight bend.. it will likely come loose otherwise.

Do you know your way around fibres and resins? I could give more
advice if needed.

Hope that gives you an idea, I guess the Kevlar loop IN the boat will be the way to go if you don't want to drill ;D

Cheers,

Jan

My squirt boat came with a metal ring glassed upright into the back of the boat, just behind the backrest. It is held in by a few layers of glass.
That thing is the absolute business! Easy to padlock it to things and next to impossible to get out.

I'd look for a stainless steel d-ring and glass it into the inside of the boat with a few layers of glass, kevlar, and epoxy.

http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/22610-sta ... arine.html

Good thought about glassing a d-ring behind the seat. That'll make it even harder for someone to break that point and make off with your nice woodie.

KNeal