Adding a bulkhead to a TSUNAMI 135?

I love WS, but there’s a few questionable things about the TSUNAMI line of kayaks, and with the 135 length in particular…



Why is there a dayhatch but no bulkhead?!?!? I’d like to add a proper bulkhead to section the dayhatch from the rear hatch (like there should be). Does anyone know if the PAMLICO bulkhead kit would serve this purpopse in a TSUNAMI 135?



Here’s the Kit:



http://www.austinkayak.com/products/309/Wilderness-Systems-Pamlico-Kayak-Bulkhead.html



Comon’ WS, please start putting the dayhatch bulkhead in the TSUNAMI line. How about going with a backband for the 135 size too?



Much thanks for any enlightenment…



quebra

Dayhatches are just stupid.
Whether they have bulkheads or not a difference does not make.



Talk about stirring the pot, a witches brew.

Bulkhead
You would have to make your own template and cut the foam yourself. The Pamlico 135 bulkhead kit would not work. Bulkhead kits are very specific for the boats they’re made. There may be some more advice here somewhere for making a template but I’ve used solder to get the inside shape, then transferred to cardboard, then transferred to foam to cut.



I think putting a bulkhead there might be kind of pointless anyway. If you use 2" foam, you wouldn’t have much space there to put anything. At least with no bulkhead you have room for a dry bag behind the seat that you can actually reach while in the boat.



The Tsunami 135 is still basically a rec boat so most folks like the higher seat back. You could easily take the seat back out and install a backband. Not too difficult and there are many after market kits available.

rec boat
Agreed - I’m used to having the day hatch separated with a bulkhead, but in a short rec boat that extra wall would take up too much valuable room. Besides the added cost for that bulkhead, that boat was never aimed at serious kayakers - hence the tall comfy backrest…

The Harmony backband
is an easy swap for the seat back. There are even directions on the WS website, in video form. I put one in the 135 I bought as a gift before giving it. I paid $40 for the backband at the shop I bought the kayak from. They are also available at numerous web locations.



IMO, an extra bulkhead would limit capacity a lot, as well as size of what you can put in the hatch. If you want stuff to stay up front, there’s a lot of easier ways to make that happen without a bulkhead permanently restricting capacity and adding weight to the boat.

Allrite…
O.k., so nix the bulkhead, and I just ordered an IR Reggie backband to replace the seat (I’ve never had a better backband than an IR).



Danke!



quebra

define “serious” kayakers?
I hope I’m not one… I have too much fun to be serious :slight_smile:



my son paddles a Tsunami 135 and I a 140, we did a 6-day 115-mile trip last summer including 6 portages. The addition of a day-hatch bulkhead would be a waste of space and a hindrance for tripping IMO; much better to just put a strip of foam on the inside of the hull there to keep stuff from sliding back.

Not a Rec boat
None of the boats in the Tsunami line are rec boats. They are all capable day touring or touring boats.



But the addition of a bulkhead for that day hatch would be a waste of space.



You could secure some bungee cord netting in there like the cargo net in a car trunk to create some separation, without taking up the many inches of space a bulkhead would.

Good idea.
I’ve been thinking that maybe some D-rings affixed inside of the hatch would give you tie-down points for whatever you put in there.

Rec Boats?!

– Last Updated: Jul-26-10 6:03 PM EST –

Hey, I resent that comment! :p

I've owned two WS Tsunami's and they are in no way Rec Boats.. I love the Phase 3 seat! Granted it makes it a little hard to get back in the boat when doing a "Cowboy" entry, but my aching back doesn't allow for a back band, at least not if I want to be pain free and comfortable.

I've been wanting to install a second bulkhead in my 145 for some time, but when I actually tried it I found that correctly shaping and installing it was a major PITA!
I don't care about the lost cargo space as I only use the boat for day trips.

I like the suggestion of gluing a strip of foam across the bottom to help keep things in place.. I'll have to try that. :)

Not a rec boat
Jon Turk and Eric Boomer used Tsunami 135s to circumnavigate Ellesmere Island.

That takes them out of the recreation boat category.