I have been working on designing a C1 insert. If this was available, would you be interested in purchasing one? And what price point would you be looking at? I am ordering parts to machine a prototype next week.
Here are some specs:
- Breaks down into sections no longer than 12 inches (yea that's right, you can fly with this bad boy and drop it in a rental boat)
- Less than 10lbs
- Fits any boat
- Bolts to factory holes for a foot rail on creek boat. For a play boat you might have to drill two holes... Haven't tried it yet.
- Dual strap system with quick release
- Fully adjustable anchor points and saddle position
Dave
C1 Insert Input
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C1 Insert Input
Last edited by Dave.E on Sat Oct 11, 2014 2:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: C1 Insert Market Research
I think this is very exciting! I'm not sure about price points, but I think this could be a fantastic step in the right direction for those wanting a good, quick conversion.
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Larry Horne
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Re: C1 Insert Input
You'll probably get some interest if you build it, test it, tweak it, test it again...etc. Then post some pics.
I would love to see what you come up with.
I've got one design that I sold through here. I offered to build one batch and sold 11. They were beautiful, functional, and expensive and it barely covered my materials costs.
I've been working on another cool design as well, but have no interest in making more than a few...just for my buds.
The design and creation process is super fun! Have a blast with it because THAT will be your reward.
I would love to see what you come up with.
I've got one design that I sold through here. I offered to build one batch and sold 11. They were beautiful, functional, and expensive and it barely covered my materials costs.
I've been working on another cool design as well, but have no interest in making more than a few...just for my buds.
The design and creation process is super fun! Have a blast with it because THAT will be your reward.
Larry
Re: C1 Insert Input
Thanks for the reply Larry! I did see the one that you made, and it was a thing of beauty.Larry Horne wrote:You'll probably get some interest if you build it, test it, tweak it, test it again...etc. Then post some pics.
I would love to see what you come up with.
I've got one design that I sold through here. I offered to build one batch and sold 11. They were beautiful, functional, and expensive and it barely covered my materials costs.
I've been working on another cool design as well, but have no interest in making more than a few...just for my buds.
The design and creation process is super fun! Have a blast with it because THAT will be your reward.
The thing that got me thinking to do this is that I have a trip planned to mexico in a couple of months. I want to be able to C1, so having an insert that I can break down and drop in any rental boat is my goal.
I'm hoping to make almost everything out of aluminum. I'm working as an engineer in a manufacturing facility and have a connection with a company that will do all the production machining for me. If I can keep everything to standard cuts with a few bends and tapped holes it shouldn't be very expensive. So far my CAD has it at 6lbs but really I need to build a prototype and test. I just need to find a couple hours to take over the machine shop at work
Hopefully next week!Dave
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Larry Horne
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Paddle Power
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Re: C1 Insert Input
Dave,
I like your specs. I think you have got some very good ideas or selling features.
break-down style for air travel
portability and flexible-fits any boat and fully adjustable
safety-quick release
keep the weight down, C1 paddlers will like that feature as well.
Remember, it's a small market.
I like your specs. I think you have got some very good ideas or selling features.
break-down style for air travel
portability and flexible-fits any boat and fully adjustable
safety-quick release
keep the weight down, C1 paddlers will like that feature as well.
Remember, it's a small market.
Brian
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the great gonzo
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Re: C1 Insert Input
Dave,
I thought about making something similar 5 years ago prior to my Nepal trip. The biggest challenge was not to make a compact break-down saddle console that part I figured out pretty quickly, the biggest problem was with me not knowing what boat I was going to be able to get a hold of to design a widely adjustable, yet still very solid mounting system that would fit a wide range of boats. I ended up giving up on that, installing the saddle into a cheap boat that I then ended up leaving there.
The biggest challenge when travelling, especially to places like Nepal, is that, unless you have lots of time at hand, it is hard to get your hands on the necessary tools like a vise, drill and such to shape any fitting pieces like aluminium straps that one might use to secured the console to the hull. So IMHO the value of a travel conversion kit hinges on all the components being sufficiently adjustable that it can be adapted to fit the most common boats out there while only using hand tools, i.e. screw drivers and such. And it has to be able to attach to the standard kayak outfitting attachment points, as most likely no outfitter that rents boats will let you drill holes in the boat.
If you use aluminium for the outfitting, make sure that it's all well padded, so that it does not damage the hull when you have any hard impacts.
But honestly, I think the market for a break down travel console is probably quite small, and the ajustability requirements will drive the cost up. Larry's composite conversion kit, which was also very adjustable, if I remember correctly, was a work of art, but also (and justifiedly so), quite pricey.
If you want to design something that just might sell in somewhat reasonable numbers due to the cost point and still fits a wide variety of boats, look at the old Dagger/Harmony plastic console as a starting point.
TGG!
I thought about making something similar 5 years ago prior to my Nepal trip. The biggest challenge was not to make a compact break-down saddle console that part I figured out pretty quickly, the biggest problem was with me not knowing what boat I was going to be able to get a hold of to design a widely adjustable, yet still very solid mounting system that would fit a wide range of boats. I ended up giving up on that, installing the saddle into a cheap boat that I then ended up leaving there.
The biggest challenge when travelling, especially to places like Nepal, is that, unless you have lots of time at hand, it is hard to get your hands on the necessary tools like a vise, drill and such to shape any fitting pieces like aluminium straps that one might use to secured the console to the hull. So IMHO the value of a travel conversion kit hinges on all the components being sufficiently adjustable that it can be adapted to fit the most common boats out there while only using hand tools, i.e. screw drivers and such. And it has to be able to attach to the standard kayak outfitting attachment points, as most likely no outfitter that rents boats will let you drill holes in the boat.
If you use aluminium for the outfitting, make sure that it's all well padded, so that it does not damage the hull when you have any hard impacts.
But honestly, I think the market for a break down travel console is probably quite small, and the ajustability requirements will drive the cost up. Larry's composite conversion kit, which was also very adjustable, if I remember correctly, was a work of art, but also (and justifiedly so), quite pricey.
If you want to design something that just might sell in somewhat reasonable numbers due to the cost point and still fits a wide variety of boats, look at the old Dagger/Harmony plastic console as a starting point.
TGG!
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing - Henry David Thoreau