I've been asked to write down how I make my back bands, so I decided to make this a seperate subject. Sorry, I don't have any pics. It's easier than it sounds.

1. General description

The spine of the BB is a heat formed plastic stiffener. The BB is attached to the combing with webbing. Ladder lock buckles provide for adjustment. Webbing loops are used in back for the bungee attachment. All webbing is attached to the stiffener with pop rivets. The front of the BB is padded and the BB is covered with fabric. No stitching is required, all fabric is glued. It looks like a Rapid Pulse BB, keep this in mind as you read this and all will be pretty much self explanatory.

2. Materials and special tools

* Stiffener - 1/8" ABS or UHMW plastic. You can use PVC but it's a bit heavy and it didn't form well using my heating methods.
* Foam padding - Neoprene or Minicell. 1/4", 3/8" etc. Whatever you have laying around.
* Fabric covering - I used Cordura because ... I had it laying around.
* Combing attachment - 1" nylon webbing.
* Loops for bungee - 3/4" nylon webbing.
* Buckles - 1" ladder lock's - 2 of 'em.
* Plastic reinforcements - same plastic as used for the stiffener.
* Fabric/foam cement - Weldwood Contact Cement. The volitile stuff.
* Another fabric cement - hot melt glue and gun. I used the white glue sticks.
* 1/8" aluminum pop rivets, aluminum backing washers and gun for attaching webbing to the stiffener.

3. Stiffener

My back bands are 13-1/2" X 6". You can make any size. BTW, a 6" high BB works just fine in my low rear decked Outer Island. Decide on the BB size you want and cut a piece-o-plastic that size. Cut off the corners at a 45 degree angle. Smooth out the corners and edges.

All webbing attachments are pop riveted to the stiffener. Decide where you want to locate the webbing for the bungee loops and the webbing loops for the buckles. I use 4 loops for the bungees. I mount all loops for the bungee's about 1" from the edge of the stiffener and the loops for the buckles about 1-1/2" from the edge. The reason for this is that the front fabric covering is wraped around to the back of the stiffener and glued to the outer inch of the rear covering.

Once the webbing locations have been decided, drill the holes for the pop rivets. One hole for each loop for the bungees and 2 holes for eack buckle loop.

4. Heat forming the stiffener

I heat form the stiffener into a bit of a "U" shape ... I leave the center section, where the loops for the bungees are located, flat ... and just bend up each end. You'll just have to use your own judgement as to how much to bend it ... I bend each end about 1-1/2". To heat form the plastic I just boil a big pot-o-water and stick just the end I'm bending in the water and bend it over my kitchen counter by trial and error. It's worth while to first try to bend some scrap plastic to see how long you will need to heat it and how easily it will bend. If you used PVC ... good luck ... my scraps bent like noodles!

5. Covering the back with fabric and installing the webbing

Cut a piece of fabric to fit the back of the stiffener, cut it oversize. Don't glue it on unless you want to. I don't and it's not necessary.

The webbing is attached to the stiffener with pop rivets. A plastic reinforcement should be used on top of each loop of webbing and backing washers should be used on each end of the rivet. The SEQUENCE is ... backing washer, stiffener, rear fabric covering, webbing loop, plastic reinforcement, backing washer.

Fabricate the plastic reinforcements. For the loops for the bungee's I make them 3/4" X 1/2" and for the buckle loops 1" X 3/4". Drill holes for the rivets.

Make the loops for the bungees. Using 3/4" webbing I make a 1" loop and burn a hole through the ends for the rivet to pass through.

Make the loops for the buckles. Using 1" webbing I make a 2-1/2" loop and burn a hole through the ends for the rivet to pass through. Make sure the buckle clears the BB by about 1/4" or so.

Take the fabric and poke holes for the rivets to pass through. Pop rivet the loops for the bungee's and buckles in place. Use the SEQUENCE above. Don't forget to put the buckle on the loop before you pop rivet it on!

Trim the cloth to the edge of the stiffener.

6. Padding

I cut and layer my padding such that I have a center section about 1" thick and the remainder about 1/2" to 3/4" thick. The thicker center section adds a little extra lumbar support. I glue the foam together and to the stiffener with the contact cement. Trim the foam flush with the stiffener and round over the edges with Dragon Skin or sandpaper.

7. Covering the front

Cut a piece of fabric to cover the front. Cut it oversize. You're gonna wrap the edge around to the back and glue it to the fabric on the back ... so ... cut it WAY oversize to make sure you're not left short. I glue the front fabric to the outer 1" of the rear fabric.

You can glue the fabric with the contact cement or the hot glue. I used contact cement except at the 45 degree edges, where I used hot melt glue because they're a bit of a pain to do. Be careful of the contact cement, it can soak through to the exterior surface if you lay it on too thick.

You'll have to stretch, glue and cut, strtech, glue and cut to attach the fabric. First glue the top edge, then stretch the fabric and glue the bottom edge, then stretch and glue each end. Next do the 45 degree miters. Try to keep the front of the BB wrinkle free. Small wrinkles will shrink out when the BB gets wet.

8. Combing attachment

Use a length of 1" webbing. Make it long enough to allow for sufficient adjustment. Burn a hole in one end to pass a bolt through to attach it to your combing. In that hole I mount a 1/4" metal eye because I use 1/4" mounting bolts. You can prolly get away without the eye if you use a 1" SS washer to prevent the webbing from slipping over the bolt head.

9. Install the BB in your boat and ...you're ... done!

Ken Blanton