QCC mod done, thanks Greyak

Greyak, you’re 100 percent on this one, it is so far beyond the OEM skeg control I wonder why QCC doesnt jump on this…now thanks to you I can dial in the exact amount of skeg I want.

My only problem is the free floating cable hits the bulkhead, maybe i went to far back in placement, doesnt seem to affect function though, I put a crimpy thing on the end to prevent fraying and to keep the sharp wires from eventually wearing on the bulkhead…any ideas on this?

Also while drilling put in a 1/2 hole behind the cockpit on the rear deck, then put in a rubber grommet then fed the tube from a hydration bladder up and through…had taken the bladder tube to Lowes to get an exact fitting grommet…went into the rear storage compartment and glued down some tie points to hold bungies which will hold the bladder on the hull…now to find a clip to hold the bite valve onto the PFD…fun fun fun.

Next is carving foam and removing the foot pegs but maybe the Rapid Runner Bilg system will go in next…

Bite Valve Clip
Camelbak sells one that snaps right around the tube, and has a little metal clothespin style clip to allow you to clip it on to a webbing strap on your pfd. If you have to wet exit, the clip will pull right off, preventing you from being connected to the boat.I ran a small zip tie on mine around the tube to keep the clip from riding up or down the tubing due to torso rotation. Sounds like your mods are tailoring your Q-Ship to your needs.

Awesome!
Glad it worked out. Figured it would all make sense ones you got started.



Now it’s time to sit back, enjoy your successful install, and pity those who suffer with the sloppy and slippy cleat and leaky rear compartment! L



QCC would never do this as a standard control because A: too few even order the skeg to justify adding parts to inventory, and B: The SealLine system is dead. I agree it’s way more effective - but just sort of a lucky mix that works well with their odd spring loaded skeg. 2 years on mine with zero maintenance and still smooth, and secure.



With SealLine system gone, they really need to go back to a cable skeg, hopefully with a decent foil blade still.



Once you get rid of the pegs and foam out you’ll be able to pity the rudder owners too. At that point, you’ll begin to find yourself in a different boat - quite unlike most QCC’s



If the little cable tail you left is too long maybe you could put a little loop in it (if long enough for that)? It 's really only needed for ease of assembly/disassembly so a bend or even kink there wouldn’t be a big issue as long as it’s not on the part in the box and on the wheel.



I’ve been thinking about doing the grommet for the hydration tube for a long time now. I’ll get to it eventually. Also have to figure out something for the new skin boat. May just ignore my own advice and run it up through the skirt (akuilisaq actually) on that one as it’s more of a roll or die boat anyway! L Shouldn’t be a lot of wet exits. On the other hand, I could melt a hole in the skin and GOOP in a grommet pretty easily too.

One more tip
Store the boat with the skeg down. Less tension on spring and cable.

excellent tip
on the storage with skeg down. also thanks to the other poster for the tip on the camelbak clip…i’ve got a feathercraft whisper en route, 3 weeks maybe, but i dont plan on melting a hole in it (hopefully).

thanks again for all the help.

Robert

Hydration
I put in the thru hull Hydration thing using the grommets recommended by Greyak from Westmarine. Worked great. I am using a Platypus bite valve. The tube comes thru the hull right behind the coaming on my left side. I run the tube along under the edge of the coaming and the bite valve is big enough to kind of snap into the coaming. It also works to run the tube along the coaming space and put it under the front deck bungees. It is amazing how well it stays put in that slot.

Oops
Tube comes up thru deck, not hull. That’s the 2nd time I’ve made that mistake.

I missed Greyaks grommet recomendation
I just used the el cheapo rubber one from Lowes…what is cool is that when the tube is dry the fit is very very tight, a little water and it slides up and down effortlessly. I put mine on the left side too…havent tried it but surely it will make a big differnce removing hydration from the equation of a nice paddle.

Octopus has something…
similar. The drinking tube port is sealable, which is a nice feature.



http://www.octopuskayaks.com/closedHull.htm#OHB



you’ll have to scroll down to get to it

trilobite02, maxben1
trilobite, went shopping and got the Camelbak clip for the tube!

maxben1, tried to do business with octopus kayaks but all i wanted was the thru-hull port, the owner was not willing to sell just the thru-hull port and insisted on selling the whole deal which i didnt need, his e-mail reply was quite interested telling me things like you cant buy one egg at walmart, so i wrote him off as a cook.

With the el-cheapo rubber grommet from Lowes/Home Depot installed it is waterproof as long as a hydration tube is in place…all for less than 25 cents !

trilobite, forgoet to mention that while shopping for the clip I found a Camelbak tube director, anyone use one of these before? it seems very much like the freeze protector Camelbakc sells but it has a wire imbedded that holds the hydration tube where you put it…

Forgot to Mention
I also have one of these, and it works famously. If you fiddle with it before the start of a race, you can position it just so; a slight dip of the head is all it takes to hydrate. You lose zero time fiddling with a floppy tube. Feels kind of like wearing a hands free cell phone headset though…



Good luck with all the mods; enjoy that Q-Tip.