Carving my first foam block
Tonight I took another step in my boating adventure. I broke out the foam, hand saw, and shaping tool (sort of like a mini cheese grater) and began carving my first foam block for inside the bow of my boat. Since I got my kayak last November, I’ve been paddling with just the stock outfitting. Haven’t been able to find the right fit, though. No matter how I adjusted the seat, hip pads, or back band, I couldn’t get snug enough in the boat.
I’ll admit I’ve been kind of intimidated by the whole carving-your-own-foam-block thing. The people I know who’ve done it seemed like “serious” boaters who must really know what their doing to build out their own outfitting. Guess I’ve crossed the line…
I sat for two hours in the driveway tonight sawing and shaving down my foam block. I wedged it in the nose of my boat, tugged it out, carved it down some more, then re-wedged it in the boat again and again. I’m trying to get just the right shape for my feet and the way I want the boat to fit around my legs. Near 11 p.m., I realized I hadn’t eaten dinner. I was too focused on my footblock. Decided it was time to call it a night and finish the project tomorrow.
