Changing a backrest

[tannys]

I have the older style perception Carolina with the bucket seat (same colour as and part of the kayak with drink holder thingy) and high backrest - fitted into small slots at the side of the seat and screwed with a 1 inch strap

It can get rather restricting feeling like an armchair

I have also just been given a dagger back band with 50mm strap
http://www.aswatersports.co.uk/shop/pro ... 582f242321

If I wanted to fit the back band what would be the best way -

cutting the strap on the band so it fits through the slots?

unpicking the 50mm strap and resewing the 1 inch strap in the same places?

Making the slots on the kayak bigger?

Don't really want to spend any money on this, just thinking of how to utilize something that was free

Any suggestions welcome
Tan x

[Jim]

I would be slightly concerned about cutting the slot wider lest it weaken the seat, yet I wouldn't want to mess around with the straps themselves.

How about getting a couple of 50mm stainless, I think they call them tri-bars - things you can thread a strap through and back on itself to lock it, and some 25mm webbing, push a short length of webbing through each slot and then laying the ends parallel thread the around one of these buckles/ladderlock things so you can create a 50mm anchor point just behind your original 25mm slots, fit the backrest using the third bar to pass the 50mm strap around. If the 50mm buckle slides up an down in the 25mm webbing you could maybe use a stainless triangular ring such that the 25mm strap ends up in one of the points and the 50mm webbing is supported by the opposite side.

If you want to be able to remove the backrest for access you could use side release buckles instead, which have a built in ladderlock - one half stays with the boat, the other half is on the backrest.

[tannys]

Thanks Jim going to try your suggestion x

[parafinn]

Tannys,

Saw the system on the latest Tideraces and copied it by

Cutting a strip of plastic out of a bucket. Slip through back rest.
Get 4 stainless steel screws & washers and fit to boat. Simple.

I have an image - but not able to upload.

Do I get a Blue Peter badge?