I've tried various methods for making foot-bumps on my Dom47. The
hot-water gimmick is just too slow and messy. I needed a quicker method without
ruining the boat. More is not better so the final result is barely perceptable
in the last picture. But, it netted me an extra half inch of space which makes
all the difference.
Note: Should you attempt the following steps...you assume all responsibility for permanently damaging your boat! This is not a factory recommended procedure and will void any warranty you may have
Equipment Needed:
24 lbs of plaster of Paris, 2 plastic grocery bags, 3 - 14" sections of wood
lathe, mixing vessel large enough for 8 lbs of plaster, stirring stick (lathe),
heat gun. My local craft store sells the plaster in 8 lb jars. You may need a
chisel, hammer, dry wall rasp and course sandpaper (read through the steps
below for an explanation).
Directions:
Prepping your boat
....The Dom has a basic wedge shaped bow. If the foot-well on your boat is
larger than the ankle area you may have difficulty removing the plaster cast.
To begin, I moved my ratcheting bulkhead as far forward as possible. You may
have to cut an inch or two off your foam foot blocks which can be glued back on
later. Leave the center pillar in place. If you have heel cut-outs in the
pillar, tape thin cardboard over the hole on both sides. Now, stand the boat
up on its bow and secure in place.
Making the casts
...Get your water, plaster, lathe-popsicle sticks, mixing vessel, and stirring
stick assembled near the boat. Mix up at least an 8 lb. batch of plaster to a
pancake batter consistency. Carefully pour it into a plastic grocery bag. Hint,
if you roll the top of the bag down at least half-way, you'll keep from
slopping up the top part of the bag. Working quickly, get as many wrinkles out
of the bag as possible, unroll the bag and carefully set it into the boat. Make
sure it is all the way down on the foot block and insert one of lathes into the
center of the plaster. You can also use the lathe to "work" the plaster into the
corners. Be carefull not to puncture the bag. Firmly tap on the outside of the
boat in the foot area to vibrate the liquid plaster into place. Let the plaster
set for the minimum time listed on the label. Repeat for the other side. This
picture shows the final results. Carefully pull the casts out of the boat and
remove as much of the bag as possible
especially in the area of the foot bumps. This is why you get as many wrinkles
out as you can in the beginning.
Set the casts on the floor or on your boat and approximate their position in
the boat as much as possible. Place your feet over the casts as anatomically
correct as you can and mark the area you want to expand. I drilled shallow holes
to act
as "key-ways" for the plaster you're about to add but scoring the surface may suffice.
Shaping your casts
...This next step is messy...you orthopod types will be good at this. Mix up
about
a pound of plaster to a thick consistency. Moisten the top of the cast with a
wet sponge. Get a handful of mixed plaster and apply it to the cast in the area
you want to enlarge. Keeping your hand wet, work the plaster to the desired
shape. Add more plaster as needed. You may have to add a little water to your
plaster mixture as you go. If it hardens too much you may have to mix more.
Keep your hand wet and work fast, you should have few problems. This results
in a very smooth form and is easier than shaping hardened plaster with chisels,
rasps, and sandpaper. But you may have to shape it some after everything
hardens. This picture shows the finished right cast as it would be in the boat. Be sure to round over the toe ends so there's no sharp edge to possible tear the soft plastic and give a better appearance to your boat.
Here the two casts are reversed to give you an indication of how much (little)
plaster was added. The toe end is about the same thickness as the cockpit end
now. Repeat the above process for the opposite cast. Allow to dry for the minimum
time recommended on the label.
Heating the plastic...This takes as long or longer as all the previous steps. Remove the tape and cardboard from the center pillar (if any). Loosely set the casts into their respective positions in the boat (your boat is still standing on its bow). Slowly heat one side. As the plastic gets hot and pliable, push down on the cast while continuing to apply heat. Do this gradually and be careful not to force the cast into place or you may put a hole in the plastic. Keep the heat gun moving or it's possible to liquify the plastic. Use caution not to bump or gouge the soft plastic. I used a shop light behind my boat to backlight the cast. This allowed me to see when it was all the way against the bulkhead. Repeat for the other side. You can cool the hot plastic with water which may help to reset its "memory". Otherwise allow it to cool overnight. Remove the casts and try it out. You may have to enlarge the casts and repeat this last step until the bumps are the right size.
The bumps are barely perceptible in this picture. But, it greatly increased my comfort level...even with NRS booties on.
Good Luck
