Hi there,
I’ve got myself a nordkapp hm and am planning a circumnavigation of ireland attempt this summer so trying to maximise storage.
Currently am using a bar bolted across as a footbar and I’m afraid it’s going to really become a pain after days of paddling.
Ideally I’d like to use a foam block but am thinking I want to use the space in behind it for storage of some items that won’t be needed often such as emergency repair kits or spare cooking gas bottles. I was thinking some sort of box with a foam sheeting on the foot side but not sure how best to go about making a custom box and how to make sure it won’t rot.
Im handy enough with making things but want things as simple as possible so as not to have things that could break on the trip.
This is what I do and feel it works very well and gives you several advantages. In the foot peg area, make a cardboard template of the inside shape of the hull. Transfer that template to a nice sheet of 1/2” plywood, at least B/C grade, and cut it out about 1/4” to 3/8” shy of the line. Seal it very well, especially the edges, with a good quality Solid Coat Stain like Farell-Calhoun. Find something to put a waterproof pad on the plywood. Then adjust your foot pegs so that it puts the pad where you want it and rest the pad on the foot pegs using the foot pegs as a back brace. You will have to measure from the back of the pad to the bulkhead to put a sealed stick to brace the bottom of the pad. That may be enough, but you may have to brace the top….Works
There is an article on modifying for rests for comfort in an old issue of California Kayaker Magazine. still available online at http://calkayakermag.com/CaliforniaKayakerMag-Spring2011.pdf - look for issue #5. It talks about making foot beds - entire boards across the front t rest your feet on. Problem is that hey often don;t allow access to empty area in front of them. @mjac 's suggestion is a way you could do this and have a more comfortable foot bed.
If your boat is composite, you could cut out the foot rest and then glass in a new one closer to where you sit that you would rest your feet directly on perhaps with some foam to make more comfortable). This would enlarge the front hatch volume.
I happen to prefer a foam foot rest, so if I was going to circumnavigate Ireland, and wanted to keep things simple while on the trip, I would remove the rails and bar you currently have, move the bulkhead as Peter suggested, and add some foam to the bulkhead where your feet press. That maximizes foot positions, maximizes storage, and minimizes parts.
I haven’t actually read that, I’ll be ordering it now though! There’s another one called dances with waves that is incredible too if you had a chance to read that
Small enough island, in total though the whole way around is about 1500km so 50km a day is 30 days. I’d say I’ll be more like 40-50 days. I’m not breaking any speed records so might as well take it slow and enjoy!