> Joe, that's a fantastic idea. Can you elaborate on the construction of the
> backup-plate? How do fasten the webbing to it? What material do you use
> (wood, plastic)? Thanks!

Ross,

You can use almost anything for the back-up plate as long as it has enough stiffness to distribute forces over a larger area ... plywood or plastic works well - cut a slot in it that the doubled webbing just fits into (the tighter the better), thread the webbing through, splay the two ends apart and epoxy them to the plate.

Another technique that I have used that works well is as follows:

1. When glassing the inside of the deck, add extra layers of glass to the areas that will receive the slots.

2. Cut the slots either now or after the deck and hull have been joined (again, the slots should be narrow enough that the doubled webbing fits snug.

3. Double the webbing over, line up the cut ends, and with a lighter melt the ends of the webbing until a nice large bead forms (take care when creating the bead that it remains square to the webbing)

4. Add a little silicone caulking to the webbing at the bead head, thread it through the slot in the deck and pull it up tight.

If done correctly, the bead effectively joins the two halves of the webbing and also serves as the back-up plate.

It should be noted however, due to the smaller size of the "back-up plate", this method requires the additional glass inside the deck at the slot locations.

Joe Greenley

Redfish Kayaks