C-1 Foam Pedestal Installation Instructions: BLOCK 1 BLOCK 2

C-1 Foam Pedestal
Installation Instructions:
Your foam pedestal will arrive in
three separate stackable blocks.
It’s combined dimensions are:
18" long, 12” high, and 9” wide
with a starting seat height of 6“.
BLOCK 1
We will reference these
block numbers in the
instructions that follow.
BLOCK 2
BLOCK 3
1/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
The following instructions are provided as a general guide
with tips on how to get a good result. Your application may
require some creative thinking to make it work.
Start by placing your seat into your boat and assessing
things. The general idea is to notch and glue the seat in a
stackable fashion starting with Block 1.
BLOCK 1
In the example above, there is space between the deck and
Block 2. With this extra working room, it should be easy to
stack and glue these first two blocks into place.
Block 3, however, rises above the cockpit rim. It will require
some custom forming and careful gluing to install properly
or, alternately, it may not be needed.
2/19
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1. Cut Block 1 down to your desired seat height. Block 1
will have an initial height of six inches. If this is how high
you want to sit, skip this step. If you are unsure or want to
experiment with your seat height, leave it at 6”. It will be
easier and cleaner to cut the seat down later rather than
having to add additional foam if you cut it too short.
If, however, you know for sure that you want a seat lower
than 6”, cut it down to the desired height. A small compass
saw works well to fillet off the required amount from the
bottom of the entire block. It will be easier to mark and cut
off this extra undesired material before the seat is installed.
Save this “filleted” piece in case you decide to use it later.
Alternately, you may decide to custom fillet part of the top
from Block 1 curving up to meet where Block 2 joins leaving
the back at 6” thick. This requires special care and skill.
Finally, if you cut some height from Block 1, grind the
bottom smooth so it will adhere completely to the hull
when it comes time to glue it in.
3/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
2. Determine a center line for the inside of boat. While
optional, an accurate center line will help you position
Block 1 for gluing and help ensure that your weight rests
over the center of the hull. (Hint: mark the center of the
cockpit rim at the front and the back and drop a plumb bob
to establish the center line).
Center
Line
Alternately, measure from the seam to the pillar walls and
ensure the pillars are in the exact middle. Use the pillars to
establish center marks on the bottom of the hull.
4/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
3. Decide upon the forward position of your seat. For the
Storm Chaser C-1*, we recommend a seat length/position
that is 12” from the back of the cockpit rim. This allows for
a 10” seat depth and places the back of the seat at 2” from
the cockpit rim. The picture below shows a completed seat
install for the Storm Chaser*.
For other applications we recommend a minimum of 10”
spacing from the back of the cockpit rim. In this case, the
back of the seat will sit flush with the edge of the rim.
Hint: To establish your forward seat position, first drop a
plumb bob from the inside edge of the back of the cockpit
rim to the hull. Mark this position on your center line tape.
You can now measure from this point, along the center line
to the front of where the seat should rest. Mark this spot.
* These measurements are for the L-XL Storm Chaser. For the S-M Storm Chaser, use an 11”
seat position with the backstop 1” from the rim. The seat depth will be the same at 10”.
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
5/19
4. Determine where the stern upright engages the back of
Block 1, and cut a notch to receive the upright. First, be
sure the back pillar is lined up in the middle of the boat and
set Block 1 against the back pillar.
It is likely that the pillar will not fit flush against the seat but
will have some slope to it.
6/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
Very carefully measure and mark where to cut the notch in
Block 1. Double check your layout and measurements!!
• Be sure that the notch width is correctly positioned to
center Block 1 along the center line.
• Be sure that the notch is cut at the correct depth to place
Block 1 at the correct forward position as determined in
Step 3.
• The notch depth may need to be cut at an angle to
account for the pillar slope (see below):
BLOCK 1
Slope
7/19
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The notched seat will help hold the stern pillar in place.
If your work was correct, Block 1 should fit snug around the
back pillar…
8/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
it should be centered in the middle of the cockpit (along the
center line)…
and it should reach the correct forward position as
determined in Step 3.
9/19
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5. Mask off around Block 1. Be sure Block 1 remains
centered while taping it off.
Remove the center line tape underneath the seat.
10/19
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6. Glue Block 1 into place. Apply “Weldwood” contact
cement to the bottom of Block 1 and to the hull where the
seat has been masked off.
Once both surfaces are tacky (doesn’t stick to your fingers)
the parts are ready to be joined.
Position Block 1 well above and parallel to the hull surface.
Do not contact the hull surface! Push the notch around the
upper portion of the stern pillar until it fits snug. Now, very
slowly and carefully, work/push Block 1 down onto the hull
into the exact masked position. Contact cement bonds
instantly to itself so you have one chance to get this right.
Once in place push down on the top of Block 1 to be sure it
has bonded across the entire surface.
The first block of the seat has now been securely “stacked”
into place.
11/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
7. Cut a notch in Block 2 to accept the upper portion of the
stern pillar and to fit the top of Block 1.
• Be sure the notch in Block 2 maintains the correct depth
and slope such that it lines up with and continues the notch
in Block 1.
• Be sure that the notches in Block 1 and Block 2 line up in
such a way that the sides and back of the seat remain flush
and square when stacked.
Hint: Depending on your application, it may be easier to cut
the notch in Block 2 before gluing Block 1 into place.
8. Mask in front of Block 2. This will serve as a reference
point for where to bond Block 2 to Block 1 and will keep
excess glue off the seat.
12/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
9. Glue Block 2 into place. Apply contact cement to the
bottom of Block 2 and to the top of Block 1 where the
surfaces will bond. Wait until the surfaces are tacky.
Being very careful not to bond the surfaces, slide Block 2
against the underside of the deck and around the top of the
pillar above Block 1.
Once in place above Block 1, very carefully push Block 2
down onto the top of Block 1 into the correct position. Be
sure Block 2 has bonded across the entire surface.
BLOCK 1
The second block of the seat has now been “stacked” into
place.
13/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
10. Install Block 3 (or the final piece). At this point there
will likely be only a small gap remaining between Block 2
and the underside of the deck. The idea is to fit a piece of
foam snug between this gap to form a complete structural
connection between the hull and the deck and to keep the
seat from wiggling. This final piece should also serve to
cosmetically trim out the seat.
One method is to fillet a uniform flat piece from Block 3 that
exactly fills the gap. You will also need to cut a notch in it to
fit around the pillar.
Once you have your piece ready, go ahead and stuff it into
its final position between Block 2 and the underside of the
deck without gluing.
Now, apply contact cement into the seam between Block 2
and Block 3 and onto each surface. Turn a small square
dowel on edge (or use another method) to keep the crack
open while it dries. Once tacky just close the seam and it
should bond.
If you like, reach under the deck and similarly apply contact
cement and further secure this last piece into place.
The final piece has now been “stacked” into place and the
seat is almost complete.
14/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
Here, in our example, Block 3 was not used, instead, a
piece of 1/2” foam was cut into the appropriate shape,
notched, inserted, and then glued into place:
Final Glue
Seam
BLOCK 1
Note on Step 10:
In some applications (e.g. a very low seat in a deep boat),
Block 3 may not reach the underside of the deck. If this is
the case, it can be notched, stacked and easily glued into
place just like Block 2 before it. Follow Steps 7 thru 9.
You will then have to improvise with additional foam for
the final piece (Step 10). The filleted portion you may
have left over from Step 1 might be useful here.
15/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
11. Grind the seat for a custom fit.
Your foam pedestal requires one last step to create an
ergonomically comfortable seat. The blocks are initially
cut and shipped to you to require very minor modification
to fit comfortably. However, to grind them evenly into a
final shape, they must be completely glued together.
Red Devil Dragon Skin works best for shaping minicell
foam. However, 40 grit or lower coated sand paper will
also work.
Carve the seat into a shape that comfortably fits your body
while properly maintaining the correct forward distribution
of your weight (i.e. don’t carve too far into the back of the
seat otherwise you may be “stern” heavy in the boat).
16/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
Try curving the back of the seat ~ ½” in the middle and
taper to zero at the sides
½”
Remove material from Block 2 (and a little from Block 3) to
make the seat deeper, flatter and the back of the seat
steeper.
BLOCK 3
BLOCK 2
BLOCK 1
17/19
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Shape the front of the seat into a smooth curve:
12. If desired, add 1/4" neoprene foot pads to the hull
beside the back of the seat on both sides.
The finished seat:
18/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved
Another completed seat…
Here, Block 3 was elaborately customized to fill the gap
between Block 2 and the deck, notched to fit around the
stern pillar, and designed to trim out around the back of
the cockpit rim. The blocks were then shaped into a
smooth, continuous, comfortable seat using Dragon Skin.
BLOCK 3
BLOCK 2
BLOCK 1
19/19
© 2015 – River Elf LLC. All Rights Reserved