> I need to put a few extra bungees across deck and would like to run them
> through the sheer clamps and knot them on the inside in an Inuit-esque
> fashion. Any tips for doing this in such a way as to minimize leakage. I
> am thinking about putting a rubber or neoprene washer in between knot and
> sheer clamp and also perhaps putting some silicone in the area.

> Thanks Dave Walker

It can't leak into the boat if you don't drill all the way through the sheer clamp, so why not drill two holes in a wide `V' pattern that intersect somewhere near the middle of the sheer clamp. You can poke a thin wire into one hole and it should come up through the other. Use this to pull your bungee cord through, and then knot the end on deck, where you can see it (and fix it) should it start to untie.

You may want to dribble a bit of epoxy into those holes to seal the wood against moisture before you pull that bungee in.

Squirting the hole full of silicone sealant as you pull in the bungee should keep later moisture from getting in.

If you want: another option is to not put the bungee directly into these holes. Instead, put in a length of 4 mm nylon kevlar or spectra climbing rope. This is real tough and strong stuff. You just tie the ends to create a small, soft, but very strong loop that you can easily thread bungee through, or use for a tie down spot, or to attach a net or bag to. If you spread the load over 4 of these you can easily use them as hoisting points should you want to store the boat overhead in your garage. Some people worry about the boat sagging if you hoist it by the bow and stern lines. These lift spots would be closer to the center and should relieve any worries about `sag`.

Hope this helps.

Paul G. Jacobson