Canoe seat webbing

I mentioned I'd broken the wicker seat on the canoe and had plans to refurbish it. Today I put those plans into action. You may be interested to see how I did it as it could be useful if you have to do the same or something similar.

Having taken the seat out of the canoe, I removed the old wicker 

 

and sanded down what would become the new underside.

I had already measured the seat very accurately and worked out I could get 7 nylon strips in one direction and 11 in the other, with a 1.5 mm gap between them. However, to be sure it would fit, I cut 7 short strips and laid them out along the shortest side. Btw, each strip measured 25 mm wide but this approach would also work with different widths.

Satisfied that they would all fit in I started fitting the webbing; starting at the outer edges first and moving inwards.

I have invested in a new stapler from B&Q and used this to attach the webbing, obviously working from the underside. For only £10 (less 10% Old Geezers discount), I'm really impressed with this piece of kit. It made the job so easy. In fact I can't think of anything else that would have done the job better.

Then, using the workbench adjustable stops to brace the seat against, I stretched the webbing over the opposite edge and stapled it again, to match the other side. Each time I cut the webbing, I melted the cut edge with a cigarette lighter to stop the ends fraying.

I completed the first run. I was pleased to see everything was straight and all the 1.5 mm gaps were equal.

I started on the longer side, interweaving the webbing as I went. This time I started in the middle and worked outwards to make sure it ended up symmetrical. 

I laid the short webbing strips along the edge again to make sure it all fitted before I started stapling.

Before I finished, I tapped each staple with a hammer to make sure they were all seated in properly.

After about an hour the seat was completed and I inspected my handwork...from underneath...

And from the topside...

I have to say, I was pretty chuffed with the result so I cracked open a bottle of Vimto in celebration.

Of course I could be accused of being biased so I took a second opinion from Lady Saga and she said it looked very professional. She liked the nice springy twang when she flicked it with her test finger (the one she uses to test for things like temperature, stickiness, sharpness, dustiness, etc etc.) 

All I have to do now is refit into the boat and give it a test flight.

.........................................................................................................

Update:

After re-fitting the seat, I took the canoe down the River Gipping to Claydon and slid it into the water. After the obligatory wobble as she found her way through the weeds at the edge of the river and I settled down, it turned out to be a very comfortable paddle. 

There was enough 'give' in the seat to make it feel like I was in contact with the boat without me sinking into the bilges and there was just enough 'adhesion' to stop me slipping around as I paddled. 

It is, of course, waterproof (which is a good thing under the circumstances) and there is a reasonable degree of breathability (if you get my drift). Also, as the nylon is rot-proof and tear-proof, it should last a long time. In fact, I don't think it can be bettered and, given the webbing had only cost me something in the region of £3.50, I think it will prove to be very good value for money. Job done!

Canoe Update

Just thought I'd mention, before I went to Cambridge, I took the canoe up the River Stour from Catterwade to Flatford and very nice it was too. I'll probably add some notes about this and other trips in later posts.

Anyway, a couple things I thought you might be interested in:

The canoe is an Old Town Pack made of the very durable Royalex material. It very tough and flexible but shows up scratches and scrapes. Also, like most other plastics, the sun can make it go dull so I've invested in a couple of spray bottles of 303 Aerospace Protectant. 

Sounds highly technical but what exactly is it I hear you say? Well, it's probably the best UV protectant you can find on the market developed in the US of A for the aerospace and aviation industries. It protects plastics, vinyls, rubber, leather and the like from UV rays but also brings them up to an as-new finish - just what you would want if you were an astronaut buzzing about in your space shuttle. Apparently it also works well on more mundane things like boats, cars, motorbikes, garden furniture, etc etc. It's not cheap (well, it wouldn't be) but works like nothing else I have ever found. Try it and see for yourself.

Anyway, a quick spray and buffing has brought the canoe up like new. 

I might try it on the Landy - it could help when I'm preparing to re-enter my parking space.

Now the bad news. After my trip up the Stour, while I was putting canoe on the Landy roof, it slipped to one side and, when I got home, I found the wicker seat had been damaged by the roof rack. 

Oh dear I thought to myself. That doesn't look very nice but I mustn't cry over split milk. Find a solution. Rather than buying a replacement at great cost, I have decided to re-upholster (?) it myself with interwoven black nylon webbing. I've only had enough time to work out how to do it so I will report back on progress. Such fun!

Cambridge

This year, the EA and the Cam Conservators have agreed, for an additional 3% on top of the annual registration fee, boaters can now navigate the section of the Cam from Bottisham Lock to Jesus Lock. Last year it was a hefty 10%. This year, the 3% amounts to £26 for Skylark, a sum I thought worth paying (by comparison, the Kings Lynn mooring would cost me £27 per night!).

So I left home last Wednesday and headed into Ely for the night. On Thursday I headed further upstream to Popes Corner and turned into the Cam. The Cam from there is not much to write home about until you get through Bottisham Lock, it then improves significantly, becoming both narrower and more picturesque. The Cam Sailing Club is very traditional looking with its individual summer houses and main club house. 

From Baits Bite Lock the river becomes even nicer with large properties and attractive gardens alongside, more rowers (bad luck last week Cambridge), large parks and boat houses. For a short distance, you have to move over to the left hand side of the river - no reason given. I guess its a long standing thing that no one wants to change.

I moored near Jesus Lock for the two nights and spent time in town window shopping and sightseeing. My spot by the river was idyllic and to be honest, I don't think any other accommodation could be bought that offered such a fantastic view of the lock.

It's hard to do the city justice when trying to describe it. The combination of historic universities in stunning buildings, high quality shops, restaurants, museums, art galleries, and of course the river, is a world beater and makes Cambridge a 'must visit' place for anyone who hasn't done so yet. Making the trip by boat and mooring so close to the city centre just adds a certain 'something special' that you would not get by car or train.

I returned to Ely and took a quiet mooring next to the Bridge Boat Yard. When I looked out this morning to a cracking sunrise, I found one of the trees on the opposite bank had collapsed. I'm not sure when this happened but all I could see was the crumpled mass of wood on the bank. It was a shame to lose such a significant landscape feature.

My journey back down the river to the Little Ouse Moorings was uneventful but in the clear warm weather it was perfect. On days like today, it was a pleasure to travel slowly and to stop frequently. 

So...

Tell me this - why do lots of people start answering questions with the word 'So...'?
It's happening more and more nowadays. I even heard it in a shop the other day. I asked if they had a particular product and the girl said, 'So, if you go in to aisle 3 you'll find it there.' What's that all about?
And to make matters worse, she told me to 'Have a nice day.' Ahhhhh!
Am I becoming a GOM?

I've a canoe!

After a few days away (doing the usual cleaning, sweeping, polishing  and chilling), I decided to buy myself a Canadian canoe to extend my boating into the rivers and creeks that Skylark can't reach. In Suffolk we are blessed with lots of rivers such as the Stour, the Gipping and Orwell, the Deben and Waveney that are crying out to be explored.

I've had a kayak for many years but not used it much recently because it's a bit restricted for space and easy to tip over (not much fun). So, an open canoe has been bought and paid for. 

It's a secondhand Old Town Pack measuring 12' in length and weighing in at a paltry 15 kgs - easy to lift on and off the Landy roof. I fitted the two air bags to aid buoyancy in the event of a big splash and invested in a new buoyancy jacket (one that does not self-inflate when you hit the water). The paddle is borrowed from my kayak.

Even though I have spent an arm and a leg on registering Skylark with the EA, I have needed a licence for this boat too. In fact, I think boat registration should be like having a tv licence where you can have extra sets in your house/boat/caravan once you get a licence for home. Anyway, joining Canoe England comes with a licence so I've done that.

Now its time to pack a few things in a waterproof bag (eg, a towel, spare togs, grub and a drink) and head off into the wide blue yonder.

New leaded window or not

As I mentioned in my last post, I thought I would install a leaded window at the end of the kitchen cupboards to create a simple see-through barrier while maintaining the traditional look.

I took the panel to the boat this morning and found it will fit without too much jigging about but, when I offered it up to see what it would look like I immediately found I didn't like it. While it would do what I imagined, it would cut into the open plan layout too much and that was not good. Good job I had only taken the panel on approval with no money passing hands. I returned it later in the day to Mick and Gena with thanks.

I was surprised my imagination had let me down on this occasion but was pleased to find out I didn't like it now rather than after I'd fitted it. Building and fitting out a boat is a bit like painting a watercolour; before you start and as you progress you need to see in your minds eye what the final picture should look like but then you must know when to stop. I have seen so many boats where the owners have just kept on adding bits and pieces, inside and out, until their boat looks more like a jumble sale than a simple, down-to-earth work or art. I'm not saying Skylark will ever be a work of art but I certainly don't want her to look like a jumble sale!

So, with a couple of hours to kill, I started up the engine and pootled up the Little Ouse in a warm hazy sunshine.

St Ives on the Ouse

After five nights away it's good to get home again - especially to a bunch of emails, letters (the brown variety) and a spot of hoovering.

Anyway, to things more pleasurable - boating!

I took Skylark up the Ouse to St Ives. The river was very quiet, just me and the birds really. The weather started a bit cold and dull but brightened up as the week went on, ending up cold and sunny.

The work to improve the upstream gates of St Ives lock were delayed due to high currents so this work was still going on when I arrived and was expected to take another four weeks so, if you are planning a trip up or down this stretch, check first.

I was allowed to moor overnight on the downstream landing stage which sounded like a good idea, the town being just a short distance away, but there was a torrent of water coming through the adjoining sluice and, while it was nothing like sailing across the southern oceans, the combination of this and a strong side wind made it a tad more choppy than usual. The picture above doesn't do the situation justice - you must take my word for it! Anyway, I set my ropes and fenders as best as I could to allow some movement but not so much as to create regular clashes with the floating pontoon and, after a disturbed night, I went into town to the nice little farmer's market and then left. It's always fun turning in the river when there's a strong current and a side wind. It tested my boat handling skills and, as I was the only person to see it (thankfully), I gave myself a modest 7/10 - could do better.

Returning to Brownshill Staunch in the sun was lovely but the wind had increased further by the time I got there. I found the lock against me and the brisk wind was pushing me onto the landing stage. I took the quick decision to land and wait until the wind dropped, which it would do eventually, to allow me to move again. As it happened, a boat entered the lock from the Ely direction after about 15 minutes and the kind man agreed to assist me. So, with him at the bow, I reversed off the jetty and, as I moved backwards, he pushed my bow off the steel and woodwork. I then waited in the river for him to come through and then took his place in the lock. 8/10 - it just goes to show how helpful boating folk are.  

Much the same thing happened at Westview marina where I took on water and pumped out. This time there was no-one to help so I weighed up the risk of putting the boat into forward gear, turning the tiller away from the jetty and walking alongside until it was clear. It seemed the only good option at the time so I put the plan into action. Once clear of the jetty, I stepped on board to take full control. 3/10 - don't do that again.

Incidentally, while I was on the jetty, I happened to see one of the seals in the river. Well, I saw his head bobbing about for a couple of seconds and then disappear. This is apparently more than some people had seen including the EA Lock Keeper. 8/10 - pity you didn't have your camera ready.

Returning to Ely for an overnight stop, I traveled through the Old West River and saw more Kingfishers than anywhere else. This is a nice stretch of river especially now when there's no one else about and there is no weed clogging up the water.

Next morning I woke to a small covering of frost. Not much of it about but enough to remind me that we are not yet very far into spring. However, the sun was bright and things soon warmed up. I left early to take advantage of the best part of the day, getting back to the Little Ouse as the next wave of clouds appeared.

Just before I finish with an arty photo, I'll just mention I bumped into Mike and Gena on the waterfront and we had a chat over a coffee. I asked if they still had the nice leaded glass panel I had seen at their house for sale as I had an idea for a further improvement to Skylark's interior. They said yes so I picked it up on the drive home. More about that in a later post.

Now for the arty photo... the view from my rear hatch (if you pardon the expression). 

Mmmmm...congratulations, you have found the edit facility on your computer at last.  2/10.