what glue ?

I have made the decision that the epic supplied hip pads are a bit of a liability in the rough, one came off today and after that i had to take it a bit easy. The question is what glue should i use to attach foam directly to the boat?

I'm no expert but I find silastic the best. Preferably roof and gutter type (it's water resistant). The thinner the layer the better. When you apply it clean it of with a rag ASAP. Once it dries you need to remove it with a plastic spatula ( doesn't scratch). If you need padding for comfort this works well. If you simply want to stop slipping in your seat you can smear a thin layer of silastic on your seat. This works well and doesn't add thickness. If you are really keen you could mask the area with electrical tape first then a thin layer of silastic. As with all glues THE THINNER THE LAYER THE BETTER.
Contact adhesive also works but is messy and dries hard. In theory you would need to scuff the surface to make it stick. To remove it you can heat it with a hair drier and this reactivates the glue. You can then wipe it off. Don't cook your ski though.

robrien wrote:

I have made the decision that the epic supplied hip pads are a bit of a liability in the rough, one came off today and after that i had to take it a bit easy. The question is what glue should i use to attach foam directly to the boat?

Would have thought by now that Epic would make the smaller seat version of the Sport in China and give customers a choice of weather to get the big seat with the hip pads or the tighter fitting v10 seat

I've had good luck with a product called "E-6000." It is silicone-based craft glue that is waterproof and flexible. Although it forms a very tight bond, it can usually be removed if one can peel apart the glued items. This would be an advantage if you might ever want to change the padding. It would be fairly easy to peel a pad off the cockpit, then pick off the gummy threads of E-6000 that remain on the boat... a bit tedious, but not too bad.

However, it bonds tightly enough for paddle blades, etc., and would be difficult to remove without first softening with a heat gun... not sure that would work or not. There is now a UV-resistant version... might be worth ordering.

One guy I have paddled with added foam to the hip and thigh area of his paddling shorts.

Perhaps not the best look out of the water!

One guy I have paddled with added foam to the hip and thigh area of his paddling shorts.

Perhaps not the best look out of the water!