The spray skirt so far

Here's the partially completed spray skirt on the cockpit of the boat, supported by a cardboard box that has a yellow life vest over it.


I didn't plan carefully enough before I trimmed and glued the edges, and I had to add more material so that it wouldn't sag in the front. As a result it's uglier than it needs to be.

Next, I have to figure out what to do with the top of the tunnel. I might glue another slab of neoprene onto the back to make it as high as the front, or I could cut down the front and make some kind of zipper stop so the slider thingy doesn't get lost.

Edit, October 2011:  I put this project aside for some reason, and forgot all about it.  I was thinking recently that it would be nice to have a neoprene spray skirt for cold or rough conditions... and I finally remembered that I already have one, almost.  With any luck it will be done before winter, and I can post the details on this blog.




 
Edit, March 2013:   I really didn't know what I was doing when I started this project, and I never had enough neoprene to finish it, so the project was put aside and forgotten.  I sold the kayak that the skirt was made for (and forgot to give the skirt to the buyer), and it doesn't fit the kayak I'm using now, so I doubt that it will ever be finished, especially since now it doesn't seem to have been such a good idea in the first place.  I might use some of the neoprene to make knee pads and seat cushions for another old kayak.

Neoprene (in good condition) from an old wetsuit (or from an old pair of neoprene waders found at a thrift shop) might work as well as new material if you follow other online instructions (like these), which is what I should have done to begin with.  This skirt happens to fit one of my project boats, so I may turn it into a zippered cockpit cover.