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Spare Chart/Map Stowage

teleman73

teleman73

Paddler
Joined
Dec 4, 2014
Messages
17
Location
Roving the West
So this question is quite specific, but I'm hoping you all can give me some ideas. In the summertime I guide sea kayaking trips for youth. These trips are between 7-45 days paddling and while some are in places like the San Juans that are easily paddled on one Chart some trips cover considerably more ground (eg. Inside Passage and North Shore of Lake Superior) and require a lot of charts and maps. For these trips what we've done to store our spares is stack them unfolded and then roll them and put them into a 3 or 4 in PVC tube that has caps on the ends. What I've run into though is that the threaded caps for these tubes aren't waterproof because they're made to be used with thread tape so when they aren't they are splash resistant, but if you're paddling in rough water or rolling your maps and charts end up getting wet which is a huge pain. I was wondering what people have seen for ways to keep lots of charts stowed so they don't get wet (folded or rolled) or if people have an idea on a way we could alter our current system to make the tubes more waterproof. Here's a photo of what the tubes look like for reference.

Thanks For the Help
 
Maybe an idea:
if the caps screw down so that the tube almost touches the end of the cap, what about putting a circular rubber sheet (say from an inner tube, etc) that then acts as a gasket.
If the tube doesn't reach the cap end, what about cutting the cap so that that happens so that the gasket idea would work. Essentially making it act like an old time canning jar.
For the other end, I presume you have glued it.

[but for the joke - you really need one of any of these: http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=78410#p78410]
 
I would contact cement a tight fitting circle of eighth inch thick neoprene inside the cap, or maybe thicker mini cell, so that the seal is made when the male portion contacts the neoprene or minicell. You can buy welding rod holders which will also do the job, but they may run you more money.

I cut my charts up into 11 by 17 inch strips, laminate them under plastic and then roll them into the welding rod holders. That size of chart fits on the deck pretty well, and the plastic keeps the paper chart dry. Eventually the plastic delaminates, and you have to renew it.
 
another idea is to put in 4 recessed fittings at the opposing shear lines and make your own flat slightly tapered drybag out of heat sealable nylon from say Seattle Fabrics. Then web tie off at the 4 corners. spread the fittings for as long a bag as you wish. Would keep bag flush to the deck.

That way it'd be much more compact (less of a windcatcher) and other things like paddles, etc could also fit on top whereas they can't over the tube. Heck, choose an analogous colour to fit the aesthetic scheme even. Or add a strap or 2 and it'd become a backpack, too.

[you did say other ideas]
 
Two (2) good chart cases. Done.

Chart Case 1 - Sits on your fore deck with your current charts.

Chart Case 2 - Lies flat with your extra charts in the bottom of your hatch. Takes up very little room.




*****

I too am a guide, and have done several extended kayak trips. When I circumnavigated Moresby Island (the southern island archipelego of Haida Gwaii), it was 12 charts or something to cover the journey (scale ranging from 1:40,000, to 1:80,000). My current chart would be on my deck, with all the others stored safely in the hatch. We packed our boats to be self-sufficient for 30 days (we were a group of two, each with our own set of charts).


Pre-fold your charts:
I know my charts will be going into a chart case, so I think ahead and pre-fold my charts. I'll also cut off the big wide white border of nothingness around the edge (and even sometimes big swatches of empty ocean, transferring any pertinent information like Lat/Long to elsewhere on the chart)
- Get creative and visualize your journey when you fold your chart. You dont have to fold it following the rectangular shape the chart was printed in, fold it into a NEW rectangle which follows your acutal route!!! Crazy eh! ;p
 
Since ur all setup to use the Pvc pipe, a simple solution to create a waterproof chart tube would be to permanently glue on a pvc cap on one end- and then for the end u want to open, use a Fernco Quik Cap:

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Fernco-Qwik-Ca ... /100372305

The only drawback would be....to get a totally waterproof seal, u'd need to tighten the hose clamp screw with the screwdriver on ur Leatherman.

Good luck!
 
pawsplus said:
What about using plumber's tape around the threads?
Click to expand...
Not designed for repeated removals and reattachments. Inserting a layer of rubber into the cap to use as a gasket seems to me about the best fix. Marine supply should have solid sheet neoprene in thicknesses up to a quarter inch. If that is not thick enough, use minicell.
 
renegade32 said:
Dave- the threads are tapered on clean out plugs and fittings. The plug will tighten long before it makes contact with any gasket.
Click to expand...
I wondered about that. You would have to stick a disc of wood or similar in there to fill the void, then attach a thickness of gasket material. And the threads would be a little sloppy, perhaps.

What a hassle!
 
Folded charts in a flat dry bag inside the stern compartment would be an alternative, IMO.
I have absolutely no time for rolled charts as they have 'a life of their own' after being rolled for a while.
Once they get damp, they may get more 'tame' ??
 
Thanks for all the ideas, if the gasket idea would work I think that that would be great, but like others I have concerns about getting pipe threads to fit snugly against the gasket without still being loose since they're a tapered thread. renegade32 I like that idea a lot and it might be our easiest solution that would be effective. I would love to fold the charts flat in a drybag, but unfortunately organizations get set in their ways of doing things and are hesitant to make big changes so I doubt I could convince them to totally change the system. I can dream though.
 
Hey, since ur stickin with the pvc tube, an even better idea would be......using a "test plug". They fit inside the tube like a cork, and they have a huge wingnut that u tighten by hand. That expands the rubber test plug and makes a waterproof seal.
No tools needed- just be sure to tether it cuz it won't float!

You'll probly need to go to a real plumbing supply (not HD) to get it. They're used for testing plumbing work during inspections.

If I recall, someone marketed a groover (personal waste management system) that used them also.

Good luck!!
 
Sheesh. Renegade's test plug suggestion I should have recalled because I used that item on some 3 inch PVC drain pipe as a chart tube closure, years ago. Worked well, but like he says, heavy and a real sinker.
 
I use the largest of this type of vinyl case

http://www.geomart.com/products/nautical/cases.htm

It takes a large number of charts, each folded once. I then fold the case itself once and lay it on the bottom of my front hatch. Takes up a negligible amount of room (and certainly barely more than the charts themselves). The zip is not robust but I do not mind as the hatch itself is dry.

I managed to take all the charts I needed for separate circumnavigations of Graham and Moresby Islands (Haida Gwaii) - the limiting factor for a longer paddle would have been food, not space for charts.

I do not like stuff on my back deck so a large tube would be a no-no. And loss through unobserved wash-off of all my charts in a tube would be disastrous - I want those charts safely tucked away in a hatch.
 
teleman73 said:
file.php

Thanks For the Help
Click to expand...

Great pic dusty - where was it taken?
 
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