: When starting out on my first, and only (so far), boatbuilding project I
: allowed Larry to talk me into using his 5 oz cloth. I experienced no undue
: difficulty in wetting it out, but then, I had nothing to compare it to.
: When having trouble getting the schmoo to make the cloth 'disappear', I
: massaged the area with my (gloved) fingertips to sorta knead it in. Worked
: like a champ, and the boats look great.

: I was considering using 6 oz cloth on my next project to see what kind of
: difference there would be, but as a result of Sam's postings I believe
: I'll stick with 5 oz.

: Leslie and I tested our "samples", by the way, by bashing our boats
: violently against boulders in the Rogue River near Shady Cove, Oregon. We
: passed with flying colors, and flying white water, too. Never again. I was
: thinking of Robert Pruden when we pulled out and aborted the trip...

: Cheers,
: Kurt Maurer

So it wasn't a total loss for me to go over those rapids. There's always a lesson to learn at some one else's expense. It hurts way less that way. Hey, when Ken Sutherland gets here I'll be launching the JA Rapid Phoenix (formerly known as "The Rebuild"). I just got the hatch straps attached and lined teh seat and backrest with closed cell foam. There are two layers of foam on both pieces, the first being a full layup, the second piece halved to allow for reduced pressure on the tailbone and spine. I'll post pics of the effort later on during the winter, unless someone wants to see it sooner.

Robert N Pruden