Wenonah Voyager Outfitting

Advice
#1

I’ve recently bought and repaired the gunwales on a Wenonah Voyager and I am looking to do some outfitting.



I was wondering if there are some Voyager owners with some suggestions. I am looking to use this boat to cover a lot of big water in the future and perhaps use it in a watertribe challenge.



Questions I have are;

  1. How have you padded your voyager for extended comfort?
  2. Have you added extra floatation, if so how?
  3. Do you have a cover, if so how installed, is it purchased or self-made? (It can be a handful in the wind)
  4. How did you install painters?
  5. Do you have a drinking system and how was it installed?
  6. Any other suggestions would be appreciated?



    Thanks
#2

My Voyager has :

– Last Updated: Aug-26-07 4:17 PM EST –

A seat lowered 2" for stability because I'm tall.
Knee braces made of minicell so I don't flop around in rough water.
A minicell seat pad for comfort (Tractor seat)
A Minicell foot brace angled to fit a human foot comfortably that also adds flotation.
A Cooke Custom Cover (snap on)
Grab loops on both ends I can't believe Wenonah doesn't add. On the first one I did an end pour of epoxy and bored through the hull and it. The other end has a piece of PVC between the sides.
And some sacrificial epoxy on the bows for when it bumps something abrasive.

#3

Outfitting by BMO
Here are some pics of a Voyager I used to own.



All of the outfitting was done by Kris Wolpert at Blue Mountain Outfitters.



http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/206215652ZtYanH

#4

grab loops -
one this subject, is it vital to have some washer or epxoy, as mentioned above, to displace to the pulling force of the loop being grabbed? I just drilled mine(royalex) and tied a knot in the webbing I used for the handle. In hind’s sight, I wish I had used at least a large stainless steel washer or something…



St

#5

Great pics Topher…
I picked up a Prism in the same kevlar make-up…I wanted to take advantage of the seat frame and your pics of the Voyager are just the idea I needed. I saw the knee pads in Ed’s boat and will do the same.

#6

I just use my grab loops for tying
the boat to the car or tying it up on the lake. They come in handy for moving it with the cover on.

#7

…Food & Beverage Dept…!
nice stuff in-between the rails Topher.

#8

Thanks
Thanks for the info, I should have asked one more question. Does anyone use some type of yoke to carry the boat?



Topher, the bags look good. I have a couple of questions, why the bags instead of cover and with the bags how do you carry a load?

#9

Portage yoke

– Last Updated: Aug-27-07 8:08 PM EST –

I use a Chosen Valley tubular aluminum yoke that attaches to the rails of the sliding seat of my Voyager. When paddling the yoke rides just fine in the stern - pads up and bungeed to the carry handle. It's very comfortable on a portage, quick to put on or take off the seat mount once the cam lock is adjusted correctly. A minor thing is the Voyager seems to ride a few inches higher than it really needs to be on my shoulders though when portaging. One other outfitting idea that no one has brought up yet is a paddle holder if you switch paddles frequently when paddling. My Voyager has a partially slit (about 1/8" kerf thickness) block of minicell foam glued to the side of the hull in the bow - slit facing sternward. It is located just the right length forward on the hull to stuff my paddle blade into the slit and have the grip rest on the front thwart handy to grab. Paddle stays in place securely.