[kazak4x4]

I am not as creative as most folks here and don't have access to fancy tools, but I am still trying to make the setup as comfy as possible for my family.

After a long research and help from here and other places, I am finally putting everything together slowly. I thought I'd share with the rest in case other folks are doing the same thing. I had a lot of questions before I started spending the cash.

Boat: Maravia Typhoon 16" 2009
Frame: AAA diamond plated 87"
Dry Box: AAA 42x18x16
Seat bracket: AAA
Cooler: Galaxy 128qt

Still to get:
Captain Boxes: 2x 21"Lx10"Wx16"D
Water Jugs: Plastic Jerry cans
Storage: considering Everything bag for the stern

Any feedback is welcome.

Alex

 

[Osprey]

seriously nice!

 

[rwhyman]

Looks nice, but here is a problem I see. And you have it different in a couple of photos.
In some of the shots, the seat swings back. What happens if you have the stern area loaded high and you need to get something out of your dry box? You will have to partially unload too swing to seat back. I think it would be better, as in some of the photos, to have the seat swing forward. Then you can get stuff out of the dry box much easier. Just a thought.


PS. Looks like you'll be ready if the basement floods.

 

[brendodendo]

Looks real nice. I have a couple questions/comments.

1: What happens if the boat ends up vertical in a wave, or you have to use the seat for better leverage, or (as mentioned) you have lots of gear in the back? I would flip the seat forward for all these reasons. (edit... I now see a strap on front) You'll loose some room in the captains bay. I'd also ditch the folding seat. The back hinge will break just when you need the leverage. A layer of the silver bubble wrap for home water heaters is nice to glue under the flip bracket. Keeps it from scratching the drybox or cooler all to hell.

2: I noticed plastic "fatex" type strap buckles. In a bad situation, I would not trust these to hold essential gear. I know that this is your family setup, but NRS or DRE straps are the only way to go.

Must be your new baby, I see it has a room of its own. Does it get you up in the middle of the night?

Makes me want something bigger than my 13 ft super puma.

 

[kazak4x4]

Thanks for the feedback, very appreciated.

1. I knew I was going to catch heat for the seat bracket I want to give this setup a try, I never overload the stern area so I always seem to have just enough area to flip the dry box lid open vertically. If I am wrong, I can flip it back quite easily. I am getting two captain boxes for the "daily" dry needs and the big dry box will be used for mostly "camp" gear.

2. Action seat is what I already had from my old setup, so I used that for test purposes. I have popped the seat once already. I can't make up my mind between High and Low back seats yet. I keep jumping into my friends' boats all the time. I am leaning towards Low back for now.

3. I just put the rubber bushings on the bottom of the bracket to keep it from scratching the box, excellent point though. Thanks!

4. The small straps I got from strapworks. They are to hold the shelf for the ammo cans. I am still tossing that idea around, I might switch to U-bolts instead. I am afraid I won't have enough room for the regular strap buckles. Most of my straps are NRS though.

And yes, this is my new second wife (4 days old), good thing I live in Utah where polygamy is alright My wife allowed me to keep the boat in the basement for the winter...my argument was that it will keep me out of bars and in the basement through out the winter. She bought it!

Alex

 

[gbmaz]

Damn, makes me want to go boating!

It is bad when it is only November and am all ready jonesin' hard for the river......

One question on your setup. It looks like the oar stands are kind of far back. Will you have paddlers up front, or is that just a personal preference thing?

 

[kazak4x4]

This boat is of the exact same dimensions as my old Riken boat and that is how I learned to row and rowed for 4 years. So I think I just got used to it by now and tend to keep it the same way. If I do bigger rivers, I usually bring a couple of paddlers for the front.

 

[raymo]

Any feedback is welcome.

Very nice work. Small adjustments can be made as you use the boat on the river. I would put a football size object under the boat floor where the dry box sits to simulate a river boulder and check for upward bumping of dry box, than do the samething for cooler and make adjustments as needed to minimize annoying upward bumping in rapids. You do not want to destroy the bottom of your boat too soon.

 

[kazak4x4]

Hmm, that's a good idea, thanks! I will try that. I am very impressed with Maravia's floor, hope it delivers on the river as much as I think it might.

 

[oarframe]

Nice basement furniture! Where's the flat screen get mounted?

 

[bth]

are you all looking at a picture to see the seat, etc.? why cant i see the pic?

 

[HPMG]

Nice setup Kazak!!!!

I'm curious how the aluminum tread plate is attached to the double rails? It doesn't look like it's welded on.....

 

[kazak4x4]

It's welded underneath.

 

[bth]

now i can see it- dont know why i couldnt see the images at work.
what kind of drop bags are those with a solid-looking bottom on them?

 

[HPMG]

It's welded underneath.

Looks neat and tidy done that way, I like it.

 

[Chip]

I can't see any reason for the seat bracket to mount on the rearmost rail and flip back. Have you thought about mounting it on the front rail and reversing the seat?

 

[kazak4x4]

Chip, ya that's how everyone says it should be, but I always like to go the hard way and learn from my own mistakes. My reasoning for the rear rail are:

1. I don't have to take up space of the cockpit to open the dry box (I am going to have two captain dry boxes on sides in the captain bay)

2. I don't need to lift the seat to get into the big dry box, the seat comes up with the lid.

Once I am on the river and I don't like this setup, I will flip it back to the more "normal" way.



bth, this is a 44"x20" AAA drop bag, there are all kinds of sizes. I put the PolyMax board on the bottom and it makes it a very steady floor for the ammo cans.

 

[HPMG]

I've been looking for a reason to buy some PolyMax, drop bag bottom looks like a good place to start......it seems that once you get your hands on it though, it finds uses for itself!

Maybe PolyMax should start shelling out some royalties to Chip! Great find!

 

[shappattack]

Nice setup, but I actually have the flip seat bracket, although from Clavey, but it is the same. I have learned from my mistakes and the bracket is on the front bar. flipping the seat forward to access the box will not be a problem space wise, its not even a problem in my little super duper compared to your battle ship. But of course if you want the PITA of swapping in the field, I guess you can only lead a horse to water

On another note, be sure to put a foam pad in the bottom of your drop bag or else that plastic/can combo will probably wear a hole in it in nothing flat. I actually have glued a foam pad (just the cheap blue kind from Wallyworld) on the bottom of all my ammo cans for putting them in drop bags and also strapping to a frame, helps with them not sliding when strapped to a frame directly. Then you don't have a chunk of foam floating around that gets lost.

 

[kazak4x4]

shappattack thanks for your feedback. What happened with your bad experience? Did you have the strap on the front? I still don't see how it could come lose with a strap, but you are right about the horse....heh

So you are saying to put the pad between the PolyMax and the drop bag? That's a good idea and I will implement that. Thanks!

Alex