A Hard Travel Cover for the Freedom. | SouthernPaddler.com

A Hard Travel Cover for the Freedom.

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
A hard travel cover for the Freedom.
A while back I made one from nylon and the wind tore it up , so after putting on my thinking cap , I figured out a way to beat the system. I have been accused of thinking out side the box .....No, I will not mention his name , It's for Matt's protection......... My answer to the problem is called Left Over FIBERGLASS.

Cover the cockpit with plastic and then some glass. I ran a string from the front to the back over the open area in the cockpit to help hold the glass up and keep it from sagging

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Then run some string around under the pins to pull it into the sides. This makes it fit under the top rail of the cockpit , against the sides and then out along the top of the kayak. Forming a C which a bungee cord can be used on later.

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"C" Clamps can be used to hold it snug after the pins are removed. .

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The string did not pull the back in because I wanted it to fit flush with the top of the coaming , this way it will slide over it when the cover is put on the boat. One of my tie down straps goes over that when it is on the vehicle.

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Remove the clothes pins and epoxy the cover. I added a 2nd sheet of glass for more strength.

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When it is set , remove it , trim the waste off and you have a cover , I will use some bungee cord around it for safety's sake. Right now it is getting some more epoxy because of the sanding I gave the edges.

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A snug fitting , custom made , travel cover out of left over material for the Freedom. Water proof and almost bomb proof , this one I will not worry about blowing off when traveling from Florida to Canada for some paddling.
The Freedom has been camping an paddling on the Rivers and Lakes here in Florida , even out in the Gulf of Mexico and providing a lot good times. A little later this year she will be in the Canadian wilderness.:D

Chuck.
* NOTE...... Since this cover fits so tight I have a few things in mind , simple ones for some ventilation or to let it breath while on the boat , to do to it. After all this is work in progress , not done , almost but not quietly . :roll:
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
One of the ideas was to paint it since it is nothing but fiberglass and epoxy in place of using varnish. This will keep a lot of the suns rays out of the boat and protect the fiberglass and epoxy.

I used the Krylon Fusion which adheres to fiberglass.

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For ventilation I drilled 4 ..... 1/16th holes at the front of it where the water will run off but let the cover breath with the changes of temperature. What water , if any , that would get in the boat will be an infinitesimal amount if any since it is on the higher area where the water will not puddle before running off the cover.

I plan on doing a test run with the boat and that cover on it in a few weeks when these &#%&%@^% Love bugs die off.
Actually it is a test for some hot weather camping for the little camper I got to make sure I have it summer time camping ready. I sure want a boat with me so why not kill two birds with one paddle. Since I don't camp where there is no water.
This way I will have the best of both worlds and test out the cover while making sure everything is ready for the Canada run later this year since both of them are going with me. Only about 3,800 or more miles round trip in 45 days of camping and paddling.
Did I say that retired life is really hard on a person but somehow we manage to survive and have some fun even when we do not get in a hurry (After all the turtle won that race , remember) . :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chuck.
 

catfish

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2007
996
3
jesup, ga.
Sparky I ain, t got to that point yet (retirement) , looking forward to it.

Got a few more yrs. :(

You sure better have plenty of film bought up when you go to canada. If you don,t take plenty of pics gona be alot of mad geezers when you come back. :x :lol: :lol:
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
On the boat ( The Freedom ) the center of the cover wants to dip a little when pushed down on it by me.

I was thinking of running some epoxy fillets at an angle to stop it but since I have some fiberglass tape , that will be added to the center area on each side to stop that flexing, with the epoxy fillet and wood flour. Got plenty so why not use it.. From back of the front crease in a < formation.

Was thinking of adding some wood strips but the curve in it makes that idea not to sound or feasible.

As I said this is a work in progress and I will get it right. :D

Chuck.