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NorthWater Outfitting

This summer, I finally got my Mad River Explorer outfitted the way I want it for up-, down-, and flatwater tripping.

I used a Northwater adjustable foam saddle and two sets of their longitudinal anchoring strips. http://www.northwater.com/home.html)

Northwater is a Vancouver, BC company that won't ship to the US, but there are a number of US companies that sell their stuff. I ordered from Rutabaga in Madison, WI. http://www.rutabaga.com/). They stock a lot more Northwater equipment than they have in their catalog.

Equipment list:
- Adjustable Saddle 40C0-75e
- Padded Thigh Straps 40C0-05c
- 4 D-ring Anchors 40C0-25b
- 1 pr 13" Anchoring Strips 40C0-20c
- 1 pr 26" Anchoring Strips 40C0-75f
Read More
  • Summer boatshop.

    Summer boatshop.

  • Start by finding saddle position.

    Start by finding saddle position.

  • Level the thwarts,

    Level the thwarts,

  • mark the centerline, and snap lines for the masking tape.

    mark the centerline, and snap lines for the masking tape.

  • Mask for the anchoring strips.

    Mask for the anchoring strips.

  • The aft anchoring strips are glued in, and I'm measuring the saddle to see how deep the Vee has to be to match the Explorer's floor.

    The aft anchoring strips are glued in, and I'm measuring the saddle to see how deep the Vee has to be to match the Explorer's floor.

  • The Vee's laid out and

    The Vee's laid out and

  • cut. The Japanese cabinet saw is perfect for the purpose.

    cut. The Japanese cabinet saw is perfect for the purpose.

  • Laying out and masking for the D-ring pads for the thigh straps. The blue foam knee pads are loose.

    Laying out and masking for the D-ring pads for the thigh straps. The blue foam knee pads are loose.

  • Done, more or less. The forward anchoring strips should have been the long 26"ers, but Rutabaga sent me the short ones, and there wasn't time for another UPS cycle. Notice how nicely the (small) blue barrel fits aft of the saddle.

    Done, more or less. The forward anchoring strips should have been the long 26"ers, but Rutabaga sent me the short ones, and there wasn't time for another UPS cycle. Notice how nicely the (small) blue barrel fits aft of the saddle.

  • Notice, too, that when the thigh straps are removed and gear lashed down the centerline, I have completely clear paths along the chines for moving around while poling. The center thwart is long gone, and there's four feet of clear space between the fore and aft thwarts. I'm too old for Rock-hopping. The boat gets a clamp-on thwart for portaging. Getting the center thwart out of the way also makes the boat fairly comfortable to bivouac under. A pair of spackle tubs and a tarp, and you're cozy.

    Notice, too, that when the thigh straps are removed and gear lashed down the centerline, I have completely clear paths along the chines for moving around while poling. The center thwart is long gone, and there's four feet of clear space between the fore and aft thwarts. I'm too old for Rock-hopping. The boat gets a clamp-on thwart for portaging. Getting the center thwart out of the way also makes the boat fairly comfortable to bivouac under. A pair of spackle tubs and a tarp, and you're cozy.

  • Spare two-piece poles can get secured down along the anchoring strips.

    Spare two-piece poles can get secured down along the anchoring strips.

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    Done, more or less. The forward anchoring strips should have been the long 26"ers, but Rutabaga sent me the short ones, and there wasn't time for another UPS cycle. Notice how nicely the (small) blue barrel fits aft of the saddle.
    Notice, too, that when the thigh straps are removed and gear lashed down the centerline, I have completely clear paths along the chines for moving around while poling. The center thwart is long gone, and there's four feet of clear space between the fore and aft thwarts. I'm too old for Rock-hopping. The boat gets a clamp-on thwart for portaging. Getting the center thwart out of the way also makes the boat fairly comfortable to bivouac under. A pair of spackle tubs and a tarp, and you're cozy.
    Spare two-piece poles can get secured down along the anchoring strips.