: Yeah- but it doesn't say what sort of plastic it is. The price is
: sure better than the days it took me to make virtually the same
: thing of wood and SS rod, but how does the epoxy hold the
: material?

: m

Hello Mike,

I have been pulled under surfing waves in tropical storms and had the board pull so hard on the leash that the leash broke, but the leash cup on that board is still in use today. I am not really sure what the plastic is. It looks like nylon, but epoxy definately sticks to it. Similarly, fin boxes are made out of plastic and you glass them in just like you do these.

Typical installation requires sinking them 5/8" into the board. Since most kayak decks are not quite that thick, I suggest using an epoxy putty and wrapping it around the base of the leash cup, then smashing it into the hole. Fill the rest from the deck with a mixture of resin and cabosil, color to taste, and then sand down flush. You have a lot of room to sand. They put the metal rod very low so you can have a lot protruding from the deck and sand flush without hitting the rod. I will be installing some probably this weekend. I will get some shots of the install. I'll use epoxy putty under deck wrapped around the base of the cup and smashed into the hole, followed by resin and cabosil to fill the gap on the side folks will see. These will actually be on a deck hatch for use in tying down a Kayalu light, so I can get good shots of both sides since it's a hatch. Personally I prefer black cups with black tinted epoxy, but they come in collors. http://greenlightsurfsupply.com/finsandaccessoriesbio-plasticleashplugs.aspx has them in mahogany color if you prefer that. They also are some sort of eco-friendly plastic. Made of plant starch or something like that. Just a note: The vented leash plug they sell is specifically for wood surfbaords and EPS boards that need to vent air pressure that builds up during temperature changes. You don't need that for a kayak unless you just really want to ensure a good venting on your tightly-sealed hatches. Personally I don't think that's nescessary on a kayak. I've heard some folks that put pinhole vents in bulkheads. Me- I have never gotten one to seal 100% anyway!!! :)

Cheers,

Malcolm