I enjoy outfitting my canoe. So I thought I'd share.

1st is just contact cementing in some closed cell foam for your seat. You can use a small propane torch to add a finished edge to where it's been cut to shape. Of course be careful about the cement fumes and flames, and practice on some of the pieces you cut off first, it melts fast.

In the pic you can see how the edge might turn out. Plus it shows some broom handle clips I added under my seat to hold my paddles while I portage.

Next pic is my bowline. I used an old broken graphite ski pole and epoxied it into my bow above the floatbox. Lower would have been better but I didn't want to mess with the integrity of the floatbox. Some graphite powder colored the epoxy black and some silica powder stiffen the mix to stay without running.

While the endcap is off slip in a lenght of velco to hold our line. Leave the soft fuzzy side so it will be against the rope, otherwise the hook side will snag the rope as it's pulled out.

Yes I have a QJ sticker, just isn't on yet.

Close up of a broom handle clip and fishing rod. I add a velcro strap cause the rods can drop out if I'm not so gentle setting my boat down.

Finally it's just a GPS, rod holder, and map case. The rope through the rod holder is to keep it from getting lost while the boats upside down on a carry. Good spot for a carabiner to hold a nalagene bottle. Map case can be flipped to view back side as I travel.

I attach my tackle to my footbrace with my lip gripper, hemostats, etc.

You can glue in D-rings too. Hope you guys enjoy and share your ideas too. I'd like to see them. I don't claim any original ideas, but thought it would be a fun post.

You can see I had knee pads, but removed them. Foot entrapment trouble, too tight for safety. Now I cross one leg under the other, wedge both knees under my gunnels, while one foot extends to touch the footbrace. Feels pretty solid that way.

B_H I got a chance to use covers on a far north trip. We didn't do any carries. But I can say they help keep you warm too. The skirt can be lowered or raised as the wind picks up and dies. We ran some nice drops. I was in over my head while kneeling in the bow on one. Just came back up and kept paddling.

CCS's website pics of Cliff and the covers looks like the Steel River. The boats in your pics would be perfect for that. Nice CI CII, small stream connecting the lakes. Blue walleye, the color kind of came off on your hands. That's my size 10 1/2 ruler.

S_D Maybe someone will add some ways they "pimp" their rental boats.

JJS,
I like your "mods". The broom clips are an idea I thought about, but since I'm a rental guy, it will have to wait until I'm a buyer
I use a similar rod set-up, but use golf club "tubes" instead of the foam.
I like things "neat" when I'm traveling.
Has anyone given a thought too epoxying one of those flat refrigerator type magnets to a sidewall as a lure holder when your trolling and switching baits until you get a "keeper" :question

Thnaks for the link, JJS. 

I think I'll pick up a couple of those clips.  They sound faster and easier than velcro strips or BDBs. 

That butt pad looks pretty nifty for a solo (or loaner) as well.

More ways for me to do my part to rescue the economy...

Quote:
 Does this count as 'pimping' your rental boat?...
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I see the Skipper and Mary Ann...where's Gilligan??

Jim where did you find your rod holder, and who is the maker? Looks decent and little weight....any thing you dont like about it?

Thanks for the info and the link!

Paddlin_Bill wrote on Apr 7^th, 2009 at 4:42am:



If the layup / curing was done properly, there should be no strands to twist up on a drill bit. If you do get this "dry glass," it is a structural defect and the factory should replace the canoe (if you didn't void the warranty by drilling through it). You should be able to get right through it without any trouble.

At least, that's my take. I'm not experienced with kevlar, but I worked in a composites factory making wind turbine blades for a little over two years. Repairing dry glass and cosmetic defects for final inspection was my part of the process.

Anyone ever done something similar to a Royalex canoe?

Akula-
There will be dry fiber.  Kevlar is impervious to resin, it "surface" bonds with it, the fiber itself does not get saturated. This is the main reason why kevlar canoes are lighter, they require significantly less resin.  Repairing kevlar is more difficult than glass, if you sand through the thin layer of resin the fibers will fray and your attempt at smooth becomes fuzzy.