Have the cardboard template done for the minicell footbrace I want to install and am ready to order the minicell. Unsure whether to order 2" or 3" thickness. Or 4"?? Am not removing my Sea-dog foot braces; the mincell will be braced against it.
Thanks.
I would advise against mounting your Minicel block on the existing foot braces, as it really should be supported by the bulkhead. If you have a lot of space to fill between the block and the bulkhead, pick up a sheet of pink or blue foam insulating board at your local home center. It’s inexpensive, lightweight, easy to work with and great for filling excess space. another advantage is that it allows you to adjust the footrest position by adding or removing layers of foam. A 2" Minicel block on top should suffice. I like to add 15-degree wedges of Minicel foam that allow my feet to angle forward and splay outward somewhat, as this is a more natural foot position than a flat bulkhead.
I agree with bnystrom. Insulating board does a good and cheap job of filling up space between the bulkhead and minicell.
Third on the above, you need something solid behind the minicell block not air. I have the same as bnystrom to fill up the space in one of my boats, cheapo and extremely lightweight insulating board from a local big box contractor store. A two inch nicer chunk of shaped minicell as the top layer that my feet rest on.
One thing not mentioned above, at three inches if the foam block fits really well it can be a bear to get it out. I have a three inch foam block in another boat, and found out early on that I needed to put a velcro strap around it so I can get it out. At two inches you can usually get up under it effectively to wiggle it out.
The pink/blue insulating board - can’t quite envision how it’s installed. Like the infamous “gray thing”? Or cut in the same shape as the minicell footbrace?
There’s not a lot of space between the foot braces. Not sure about the bulkhead wall and the braces as they’d have to be moved back to compensate for the thickness of the minicell block.
What’s the downside of the foot pegs supporting the block?
@Celia. If you’re removing your foam block, then I take it you didn’t remove the foot braces?
Thank you for the help.
This is getting way too complicated. Any block- whether minicell or insulating crap - is cut to the full shape of the interior of the kayak - hence the earlier discussion about losing things like under deck bags if you do it the way that I and most others I have seen would do it. When I fill a depth of several inches from the bulkhead to where my feet are it takes more than one of the cutouts since most are one to two inches thick. So using insulating stuff for some of the portion towards the bulkhead is cheaper and weighs less.
Foot pegs alone can support a piece of material that is solid and won’t break if you put pressure on them in the middle - like wood. Much shakier bet for minicell foam. Attaching them securely is another matter, since I fill the entire inside shape this is not an issue I have. I seem to recall that some people have installed a wood piece in there.
I did not remove the footpegs in the Vela, they are just in front of the last block. I never had rails or foot pegs in the Explorer to start with so it is just the foam. It doesn’t matter which you do as long as the block is cut to fit relatively tightly against the interior of the hull.
Almost off topic:
I am a DIY kind of guy, but at a very low skill level - an evil combination. So when @Rookie says
“Have the cardboard template done for the minicell footbrace I want to install”,
I would like to know how he does that first step. Then maybe I can ask about the ensuing steps.
Any good videos etc. and other feedback?
I do like the minicell (etc.) footbrace idea.
@rsevenic said:
Almost off topic:
I am a DIY kind of guy, but at a very low skill level - an evil combination. So when @Rookie says
“Have the cardboard template done for the minicell footbrace I want to install”,
I would like to know how he does that first step. Then maybe I can ask about the ensuing steps.
Any good videos etc. and other feedback?I do like the minicell (etc.) footbrace idea.
A length of coated wire that holds the shape it’s bent into. Wrapped it around the outside of my kayak near the foot brace area (using tape to hold it down in spots), made sure it comported to the V shape of the hull and the hard chines, then taped the two ends together and slipped it off the boat. Traced the outline of the wire template on a cardboard box about to be recycled and cut away. Just had to do some minor trimming for fit. Found the idea here in some older posts.
BTW, am a she - went to Home Depot and told one of the guys what I wanted to do. He didn’t blink an eye, led me to the wire department and selected the product he thought would be best. And it was.
Yup, shape the foam to that of the hull interior where it will go. I contorted myself and stuck paper in there, drew an outline at the joints between bulkhead and hull, then transferred that to a piece of cardboard. It was, shall we say, not an exact fit, but it doesn’t need to be.
The wire idea is MUCH better.
Thanks @Rookie! I may give that a try over winter when I’m not skiing. I’ll also use bnystrom’s 15 degree idea.