Friday, February 02, 2007

A man's home is his castle...
and his workshop...
and his garage
(continued from yesterday): Unable to wait for warmer weather (it is 7F out just now...but I digress), I waited until Lady Linda was out of the house and, then, snuck my Peter Strand boat into the house. Actually, into the family room. Next, I began the process of trying to get into its tight cockpit. After breaking two shoe horns and expending two sticks of butter, I decided I would need to do some minor modifications. Ah, tool time.
First, however, I decided on a consultation. It was an opportunity to talk "shop". What the heck, I wasn't getting out on the water. A phone call, and Greg soon appears (he of the ability to build strip boats from scratch...but I digress). He tries to get in, no luck. We look, we shine a light inside, we analyze the structure and we ponder what to do. It appears that surgery will be required.
Peter had suggested that if I had this problem I could cut away the bottom of the rib under my calf muscles. That would be easy enough to do, but I couldn't bring myself to perform such radical surgery. Not, at least, until conservative therapy was first tried. Greg headed home, and I got out my Shureform.
I took a little off the under edge of the Masik, which is a pretty substantial piece, and tried to get in. I got in further, but not entirely. Any way, I repeated this a few times and then, while ensconced in the cockpit, I used my cell phone to give Greg the good word, I was in (I didn't, at the moment, share my fears that I would not be able to get out).
Today, I will sand with fine paper and apply some oil to the surface I have exposed. Then I will put on a DVD and sit in the kayak and hallucinate that I am one with the sea...until Lady Linda sends me and the boat back to the cold garage.
Paddle safe...
DS

8 comments:

derrick said...

Great! Well, not that wet-exits are out of the question you're roll better be 100% LOL!

Michael said...

I shaved a 1/4 inch off the top of the backrest to allow the cockpit rim to 'float'. When I get in, it depresses that much allowing my legs to get under the masik. That and one of those slippery carpets' kids slide on makes it easy in and out.

Silbs said...

Aha, Michael. Hadn't considered letting the back rim depress more and reducing the "angle of attack" to get my knees in. It is actually harder to egress, as my knee caps get caught on the Masik. It is 85% better now and, just maybe, the backrest trim will ice it. Thanks...Greg, did we think of that yesterday? :)

Unknown said...

Did Linda leave on another trip?

Hmmmm . . . I wonder if I could get my boat(s) into our house to do some work on them? I don't think so, and I don't want to take the risk--if you catch my drift.

Mazola oil and shower curtains--oh that's for other means of entertainment, never mind.

Alex said...

Doesn't your qajaq already have a floating coaming? Pete built mine with one and I thought that was what he was doing with all his qajaqs.

Glad to hear that you got in though!

Silbs said...

The hoop does "float", however the skin is so tight that it doesn't even sink to the back brace when I sit on it.

Greg Fojtik said...

We did consider lowering the back of the cockpit, but immediatly dispatched that idea for the reasons you mentioned.

My great concern, stepping through the door of your wonderful home, was how, when I came face to face with Lady Linda, how I was going to resist the urge to blurt out: "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!! I DIDN'T TELL HIM TO BUY ANOTHER KAYAK!! HE NEVER EVEN TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT!!

I resisted, took a deep breath, and graciously accepted the guilt by association.

Silbs said...

Oh man. We have braved the ice-cold waves of Lake Michigan together, and now I learn that Jennifer and Lady Linda are our biggest fears :>)