HOPEFULLY THIS IS MORE READABLE!
> This is in reaction to some recent posts, but also meandering beyond:
> A) A few deck fitting ideas: 1) Recessed Type
> -premise- shallow,drainable, & strong
> Before glassing, drill 3/4" hole @ fitting location. Chamfer edges.
> From below, take a typical padeye fitting (or brass,whatever - to padeye
> shape) and push up from BELOW. Take any flat scap with notch cut in
> the ends for the padeye ends & glue from below. (I've left out glass
> sequencing for brevity). You now have low or flush profile fitting,
> only deck thickness deep for drainage. If tied off (wire,roving) below
> scrap from mounting hole to mounting hole, it would be as strong as you
> wish to make the backup. 2)Goofy - but opens up many possibilities
> Funny idea, but why not just put two holes next to each other and thread
> thru deck? Back it up with a pc of scrap w/ a groove from hole to hole.
> Holes slant toward ea. other. After rigging but before you hit the water,
> fill up the grooves with silicone. Sorta like sewing lines
> in the deck!
> An extension is to use clear plastic tubing below the glass on the deck
> and glassed over. A couple of extra pcs of glass over for strength and
> voila. Or 3/8" copper pipe angle cut or 3/8" brass box sections
> like from a good model store.
>3)Webbing:
> Some of the webbing ideas so far maybe could be stronger and more
> minimal so:
> After stripping (before glassing), make a 1" long by 1/8" slot
> BETWEEN 2 strips through the deck at the fitting location. Either leave as is
> or make this into a groove (for concealment if kayak unrigged for extended
> periods). Glass outside only. Take 5"(inches) of 1/2" webbing, fold in half,
> thread thru slot leaving a 3/8"diam loop. Flip over,spread out webbing ends,
> glue to underside of deck and then glass interior. You gotta like this guy
> - even not recessed it's minimal and very strong! Match webbing color to
> rigging color - the fitting is invisible from 2' away. Total extra weight
> - prob 5 nanograms! Or if you weigh the wood you cut out and balance with the
> webbing you put in it ends up weighing nothing! (joke)
> (A variation is to cut a wedge shaped plug from below, wrap wedge with
> webbing, jam plug back in hole and glass from below.)
> Another thought - if the slot is chamfered, why not use a 1/2" x
> 5" sheet of metal (copper, brass or whatever) formed to the chamfer profile
> - lots of possibilities here.
> e.g. what about sacrificial hardwood, drilled for lines, beds in chamfer
> mounted w/ t-nuts from below? - I know - nutty!!
> Digression
> It occur(ed)s to me that a combination of the stitch concept with the
> webbing approach can apply to two other areas of considerable discussion
> and concern: B) Flush Hatch Musings:
> - use typical flush hatch construction process:
> strip deck, cut hatch, make flange in deck.
> 1) Just "sew" it on using A2 approach. Back up all holes so no
> compartment leakage. Aesthetically pleasing and stronger than hzll! Water
> in hole issue maybe.
> 2)Install alternate webbing loops in deck and in hatch (A3 method) all
> around the hatch from deck to hatch to deck etc., and just stitch it
> in place with a bungee or rope. This would be 10X more secure than any
> method I've seen yet. Pretty and minimal too.
> 3) Chamfer a groove between hatch and deck. Alternate loops of a hard
> material (your choice). Run a pin through to lock in place. This approach
> could also be used upside down (internally) for a totally
> concealed locking system.
> 4) I guess the previous idea is just a variation of a removable pin piano
> hinge. This could also be used. Mount flanges as you prefer, vertically
> or horizontally so that the hinge axis is either above deck/hatch split,
> in deck/hatch spit, or below (long pins). Use metal hinge but prob best
> are heavy duty plastic as used on large scale radio controlled model
> airplane control surfaces. The simplest would probably be the hinge axis
> in the hatch/deck seam.
> A major aspect of B123 are that the are structural.
> 5)Wierd but worth considering:
> After hatch cut out, run cove edge around hatch edge and aroung deck edge.
> Take a pc of 1/16" wire and attach to end of 1/4" rope (as long
> as the perimeter of the hatch). Place hatch in place and put a 1/4"
> notch somewhere along the seam line. Thread in the rope by pulling on
> the wire, and pull the wire all around the seam. To remove , pull the
> wire back thru the notch. Downside - you must use vented bulkheads (easy)
> - hull flexture could compromise - 0ne continuous rope is
> probably too much, but the idea is such a hoot. Try using bungee rope
> pulled taut, when you let go, it swells up to bind. Or 1/4" surgical
> tubing as it probably thins out more and seals better.
> 6)Wierdo continued further:
> Take a small bicycle wheel inner tube(I assume 1" diam. x-sect).
> Place on uncut deck. Draw any shape hatch profile whose perimeter
> matches that of the ctrline circumference of the tube. Flip deck.
> On underside glue 1" thick ethafoam ( or minicell or polyurethane etc.) to 2" wider all around than the hatch profile. Flip deck back. Cut out hatch - cutting ethafoam at the same time. Apply flange to u/s of deck ethafoam. Route out 1" cove in hatch ethafoam (if too weak, sandwich it like deck). Route 1" cove in deck ethafoam. File 1/4" notch in seam line anywhere for valve. Deflate tube, mount it around hatch, put = hatch in place w/ valve thru notch. Blow up tube! If lung pressure is 3psi or more it may be enough to be quite secure. Or use water pump backwards (air). Maybe slight cove offsets to give more sealing pressure(?). This one is well nigh invisible too. 7)Another: -assumes hatch w/ flange Under flange, attach 2" wide strip of 1" ethafoam all around and flush with the opening. Sand or rasp this ethafoam edge back 45 deg. ( could have used 45 deg. to start). Take hatch, put in place, run a pencil from below all around the flange marking its location on the hatch. Take off hatch and glue on your favourite ( slightly larger than hatch) airbag to the bottom of the hatch except beyond the pencil lines. Poke up valve somewhere thru hatch (use pretty fitting or minimal). Put hatch in place, blow up airbag - its stuck - and you won't sink either! As an aside, here is a simple, quick, brainless way to get a perfect hatch seal that accounts for major inaccuracies: -assumes hatch, flange but no seal yet installed Lightly hot glue 6 or so 2" strips on hatch sticking radially out across perimeter so when you place it on deck it aligns perfectly flush. Remove hatch and put a layer of saran wrap (or other silicone release) on the mating surface of the hatch (not deck). Run a generous bead of silicone sealant around the deck flange. Mush on hatch and gently(!) clamp in place to its previous perfect location. Clean up excess (wet finger or other tool). Go paddle your beater. Next day, pop off the hatch. You simply won't believe the fit!
> Now this has taken 3x longer than I expected and some of these ideas logically extend to end loops. But I'm at work and gotta go! As previously stated these are untested ideas only- I've yet to start anything. See ya.