Those of you with Scorpius XMs know what I mean. The Scorpius XM has a rectangular hydration system carve-out at the front of the foam seat underneath your knees.
How have you secured a hydration system into that rectangle?
...and don't tell me duct tape!
Which hydration system?
...and don't tell me a nalgene bottle!
Submitted by YankeeHookele on Fri, 06/29/2012 - 5:35pm
Ive seen holes drilled and bungees run through so that a pack may be held in. They used plastic washers so that the bungee didnt dig into the foam seat. I personally use velcro. Ive lined the tray with it and then put velcro on my water pack or bottle.
#1 Fri, 06/29/2012 - 6:12pm
The don't flip method works pretty well
#2 Sat, 06/30/2012 - 1:20pm
Most people I see use the bladder from a Camelbak Flashflo waistpack. They either just drop it in the cutout or like others, have velcro or duct tape it in there. Other hydration systems I've seen are the Platypus Hoser bladder, other Camelbak bladders/bottles, Kole Gear waistpack and bike squeeze bottles.
Whenever I install shock cord on any of my foam seats, I insert some sort of tubing in the foam for the cord to run through freely. This keeps the shock cord from cutting the hole bigger when pulling on the cord to put something under it and easier to replace the cord when it wears out. I've used clear vinyl tubing but now use black 1/4 inch drip tubing found in the sprinkler section of Home Depot.
#3 Sat, 06/30/2012 - 10:10pm
Well, the "don't flip" philosophy may be a way of going through life, but it subconsciously keeps you from pushing the envelope...and on this coast we have something called "confused chop" which lays the groundwork for suprises. It seems to me the best figure skaters must be prepared to fall and OC-1 paddlers must be prepared to huli. I've paddled with OC-6s teams who viewd "huli" as the world's scariest word. Invariably those boats didn't go very fast.
I think you have all given me enough information to begin formulating a plan. I will cautiously drill through the seat and insert tubing. I'm looking at the new 3M Scotch "All-weather fasteners" which are a sort of super velcro. I just don't know how it'll work on foam and am guessing it won't. It may have been designed for hard surfaces The trouble with too strong velcro may be if the velcro doesn't give, the foam it is fastened to will. I'll have to look at marine adhesives.
#4 Sun, 07/01/2012 - 5:27am
I've never used any of the adhesive backed velcro on foam, but have seen others use them. DAP Weldwood Original Contact Cement is usually what I use to attach velcro to foam. Make sure the seat is totally dry when attaching the adhesive backed velcro or contact cement.
Put a large piece of the "fuzzy" side on the foam and cut smaller size pieces of the "hooks" side on the bladders or bottles. Should still be enough to both hold in place and give when pulling off. I've also started cutting the corners round on some of the velcro to help stop any peeling when the adhesive at the corners start to give.
#5 Sun, 07/01/2012 - 7:22am
I use a slightly less sticky velcro on my bottle or water pack so i don't pull the velcro off the seat. I also used large strips in the tray and smaller pieces on my water pack. Not sure if this helps but my velcro stays attached and my water pack doesn't fall out.
#6 Sun, 07/01/2012 - 9:26am
This might not need to be said. But when you're attaching your hydration system to your boat, if you're then attaching the drinking tube to yourself (with a lanyard, or a clip, or those wire systems) remember if you huli, you're attached to your boat with your neck. I'm not saying you'll decapitate yourself, or even necessarily cause injury. Some part of the set-up will likely give way. Just something to keep in mind about how solidly you attach the hydration system - to the boat and to you.
Not that it's ever happened to me... But I would imagine, you know, if I ever did.... that it would add to the confusion of a huli because now you've got a bunch of stuff hanging off you in the water.
don M
Canada
#7 Sun, 07/01/2012 - 10:24am
if you take Nathan L's suggestion (dont huli), then the bladder sits perfectly in a seat cutout, plus if you're doing a race with a support boat, it makes it really easy to swap out bladders and you just tie a shoe string to the end and put it around your neck. I've got a cutout behind the seating position in the seat of my Pueo and its worked fine that way for the past six months. Its a bit of a pain when you're carrying your canoe to and from the water, but for me personally, its nice not having a camelback rubbing your body while you paddle. I also wouldnt like having the bladder attached to the canoe, and the drink tube attached to my neck for obvious reasons.........
Trevor G
Sydney.
#8 Sun, 07/01/2012 - 2:55pm
I've lost the mouthpiece on my drinking tube twice on two different races as I have one of those plastic clips that is suppose to let the tube slip out the side. Instead of slipping out, the tube slid all the way to the mouthpiece when I hulied each time and ended up being pulled out when I went under. Sucks as all the fluid in the bladder just flowed out when I forgot to check on the tube when I got back on.
Turns out I had the clip facing the wrong way so that's why the tube stayed in and pulled the mouthpiece off. I've since turned it so that the open end is facing out to the left and the last time it just slipped out as it suppose to. I sometimes just have the tube running along side my waist from behind me where the bladder sits and just let the mouthpiece sit between my legs. If I need to use it, I just reach for it to put it in my mouth and let it pop right back in front of me when I'm done drinking. I added a tube extender to do this.
#9 Sun, 07/01/2012 - 8:12pm
I don't know if I like the idea of a shoestring around my neck. seems too much like a potential garrote. At the very least make it 1/8" bungee so it has give and you can get out of it.
An alternative is a nylon velcro neckstrap. Get 30 inches of 1" nylon webbing from a climbing shop or EMS or Mountain gear. Put three 2 1/2" lengths of velcro on the ends...two hook strips on either side of one end and one eye (fuzzy) strip on one side of the other end. Drape the strap around your neck and push the hook and eye strips together leaving the remaining hook strip forward. Wrap your drinking tupe with fuzzy velcro about 3" below the mouth piece. Press the tube onto the neckstrap. I also tape a Platypus lapel spring clip (Camelbak's new style clips are junk for hikers) below the velcro on the tube and clip it to the neckstrap. If you huli a tug on the tube and the lapel clip and velcro separate. Don't ever attach yourself to anything on the water permanently. You need to breath, your boat and hydration don't.
Velcro and bungee are your friends.
I you don't want to make the strap you can buy them. http://jjcanoe.com/prod_DS.html
#10 Mon, 07/02/2012 - 6:15am