Outfitting Kayaks | You're Doing it Wrong | Kayak Outfitting

[@AlexBarham]

Need to buy materials? Everything you need is here: www.amazon.com/shop/alexbarham?listId=3LBYUE3YLIM4G

[@wyattriegel5052]

Will these NorthShore Kayak Thigh Gripper Hooks mount right into a new Pyranha? I've been trying to get my hands on some of their in house hookers but if these work just as well it might be the way to go.

[@AlexBarham]

Really curious myself but haven't been in the mood to drop the $50, or burn the pyranha boys by putting those fully on blast. Obviously they would do the same thing with modification, but not sure if they are a drop in.

[@kane7346]

Hey man. I bought a perception 3d kayak for my first boat. My issue is that it has a IR backbone and the area where my thighs go is tight and idk how to make it more comfortable. When sitting in the boat my legs point inward and not straight. How can I adjust this to make it more comfortable?

[@mikethezipper]

Alex - man thank you for all that you do for the community. I know how much work it takes to make and edit these videos, and it shows. Excellent quality work, and your perspective and experience are invaluable to those of us seeking to get better at something we love. Thanks man!

[@AlexBarham]

Thank you very much!

[@robertmcleod965]

As a narrow-hipped paddler, I actually use stacks of corrugated plastic (the type that is used for signs) that I stick together with outdoor carpet tape, and then velcro on the outside of the stack. It is both lighter than foam and far stiffer, so it results in superior transfer of force from the hips to the boat. If you cut it so the corrugations are vertical, it's self-draining as well.

[@AlexBarham]

Solid tip! Good thinking!

[@kevinhill.8]

Genius! 💡

[@ThatOldGuyYouKnow]

Thank you for doing these videos. As you say, they have been done before, but never as comprehensive or honest. I love these videos. Please keep making more. (Also, can't wait for the 9r2L review)

[@AlexBarham]

Thanks man! Much appreciated. That review will be out before too long.

[@petersteinberg8338]

That tip about moving the hip pads forward changed my life. Thanks

[@AlexBarham]

Awesome! Glad it helped!

[@keystonedaytrip238]

You sir, know your shit ! I , on the other hand know nothing about WW kayaking :) I’m a bit old & beat up but I find myself drawn to this ! Something different than rec. yaking I do now . New Subscriber - I’m gonna binge watch your videos

[@AlexBarham]

Lol thanks Sean! Have at it! Just take things one step at a time and you'll be fine

[@TheGdevheiman]

Best general outfitting video I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing!! I use hacksaw blades without the actual saw for cutting foam. Give it a try if you haven’t! It will give you that perfect bandsaw cut you are looking for.

[@AlexBarham]

Good idea! I suppose I could also just bust out the jigsaw at that point.

[@BladePressure]

Alex, I got like five great tips from this I am going to use. Good job. Thanks for the content.

[@AlexBarham]

You're very welcome! Good luck

[@milllworks]

Great content, thanks. Would be very interested in a video showing the methodology you use to find the balance sweet spot seat position for any given boat. Cheers.

[@AlexBarham]

Yeahhh me too. I wish there was a magic pill to answer that question. Unfortunately it would be a few minutes of me saying shimmy this way then that way. Net net: if the boat is sluggish to turn and generally a wet log scoot back incrimentally until the bow starts to wander. Then go back 1-2 increments. If it is still a wet log you're too heavy for it. Apply in reverse if the boat acts like an unruly stallion

[@milllworks]

Alex Barham Thanks, Alex. That’ll work.

[@AlexBarham]

Phew!

[@myoriginalmusic6739]

I playboat mainly in the surf just found ur channel cool

[@AlexBarham]

Right on! I used to do that in the summers when I worked on an island. Miss it!

[@pop4725]

You make some great points and make a lot of sense, this is a solid video thank you

[@AlexBarham]

Thanks a lot Pop!

[@omidindeed]

Such a great video! Thank you so much for the helpful content!

[@AlexBarham]

Thanks Omid!

[@AnonymousOtters]

OLFA thick blade utility knives can be had at Lowes for cheap and are awesome for cutting thick foam

[@AlexBarham]

Best bet for sure! Useful for pretty much anything.

[@thomaskayak5536]

My hip pads are literally foam from the inside of my old helmet gaffa taped together gaffa taped to where there once were hip pads. Love owning a blisstick!

[@AlexBarham]

Lol! You should be able to make any number of hip pads from other boats work as long as they have the straps to wrap around the seat.

[@benoitbourque344]

Picked a titan dragon for a fraction of the cost new, it came with 0 outfitting kits or tools. When I sit in it my left tigh is squished under the tigh brace and the right one is super hard to fit under the brace at all. My feets and legs are 100% flat with shoes and I wonder if I am too big for the boat. I am 5"10 210 pounds so I don't think I am really. Do you think I will need to trim the plastic braces or is this normal? I am a noob yes.

[@AlexBarham]

@@benoitbourque344 I would try heating and flexing the thigh hooks before you trim them.

[@AnonymousOtters]

Ski boot tight... yup I get where you are coming from there. One issue I continue to have with my Ripper is that it has pressure points, which lead to dead legs. I can't get good distribution of pressure. Any tips? I have pressure points at the front of the seat edge and at the back-inside edge of the thigh hooks. Totally took out hip pad shims, doesn't make a difference. Putting in more seat shims helps, but also starts to put more pressure on the thigh hooks which is detrimental

[@AlexBarham]

Sounds like you need to flatten the angle of your legs. Try putting a small foam pad into just the bucket of your seat to flatten it out a bit.

[@AnonymousOtters]

@@AlexBarham Thanks, I put two under, one that was cut short so it only sat in the deep part of the bucket. Did the trick! I thought it would raise my thighs farther into the rest and hurt more, but quite the opposite. Thanks again.

[@AlexBarham]

Awesome! Cheers!

[@joesee8079]

Good morning , Alex at least it is here. What type of glue should you use for the mini cell foam for the og foot foam to the pyranha bulk head. A friend s boats foam was never really installed right and the foam is just sitting in there unattached with the peel and stick glue completely gone. Is that a mini cell foam to HDPE plastic connection? Kind of wondering what all the different outfitting glue scenarios are. I know mini cell to mini cell is spray adhesive but not sure on the rest. Hopefully hitting the water today in Colorado. TIA

[@AlexBarham]

Your two options are basically spray glue for general applications and then Weldwood contact cement when that isn't enough to do the trick.

[@joesee8079]

@@AlexBarham Thanks !!

[@hughloraine9660]

I am 180 lbs, 6 ft, size 10 feet. Any comments on moving the Pyranha thigh braces to achieve a better fit. I have a 9R large, and it has tons of room so no issue. But my ozone(medium) and Jed (large) -> it seems I barely squeeze into them.

[@AlexBarham]

I never take mine out of stock. Personally I would suggest you start by pulling the seat pads out or adjusting your foot position. If you are barely touching the block with your toes then odds are nothing is going to feel right.

[@802PRE]

Great videos man, I can't find the video you reference for trim. I picked up a flying squirrel at beaverfest 2015 and was instructed to slam the seat forward so i've always been wondering if I have the trim right. Can you drop a link?

[@AlexBarham]

Sure thing! kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5fTZoVshL2gptU

[@ryanpotochnik1374]

Lol that Allen wrench will be fine living in the foam it would take years of non stop being in water...

[@AlexBarham]

Go ahead, but I have seen them rusted on delivery and made this mistake numerous times in the past. Good luck!

[@199hamill]

I've never been able to do it without my legs going uncomfortably dead after about a minute in the boat. I've gotten to the point I can't walk at the get out. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

[@AlexBarham]

If your whole leg is asleep you're pinching the blood vessels under your thigh on the front of the seat. Pad out just the bottom of the seat to restore the blood flow and you'll be much more comfortable.

[@199hamill]

@@AlexBarham thanks I'll try that. My new code is coming next week 👍

[@jasonnolte9763]

Hey I picked up a beater mamba for cheap hull is like a half inch from underside of seatpan and frame help!

[@AlexBarham]

Just do this preemptively kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWiblJyZqcikatU

[@jasonnolte9763]

Nice was gonna do that last night after watching the video but I got the idea to make spacers at work on the waterjet I'm going to try that today.

[@AlexBarham]

@@jasonnolte9763 Curious how that went. What material did you choose? Needs to have flex.

[@jasonnolte9763]

@@AlexBarham I have .25 sheet of soft plastic at work not sure the specs or type but it has good flex and strength. It worked perfectly got the boat lined out perfectly.

[@AlexBarham]

Ahh! Should be perfect

[@mynameisneb]

Woo 100th like here, and you have 0 dislikes

[@AlexBarham]

It's a fluke I assure you lol

[@AlexBarham]

Thanks man!

[@peterspence6556]

What adhesive works well for security Velcro directly to foam shims? Super 77, or something else?

[@ThatOldGuyYouKnow]

Araldite probably works

[@AlexBarham]

The spray glue will work fine. In some cases the adhesive on the velcro is good enough, but not often.

[@mfryer100]

“This is super 77”. Hold up can of Hi-Strength 90. :)

[@AlexBarham]

Lol totally forgot I bought the only can of whatever they had in the backwoods hardware store.

[@mfryer100]

90 is even better than 77.