THE HAKA BENCH SEAT - AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRAMPS

Lou, fantastic conversion using the ramps. You're the first, but not the last, I think.

Like Thrashie suggested, it looks like the perfect base frame. Seems like you used the straight highland model I posted the link to.

To clarify - the combined weight of 2 ramps is only 15lbs so much lighter than some of us are thinking. Really closer to 7lb each when you shave off the unneeded parts. Around 600lb carry capacity EACH. That's stellar.

Thrashie - when I saw those online I thought - Man, that would be cool with a clear or colored plexi sheet for seating. "Glass-bottom" Hakas!

Lou, the panels you are using are cool too. Come in a variety of great colors, (plus yellow).

You metal Haka guys are on a roll, but I think you're going to need something to tame those sharp edges, (Supermodels hate getting scars). There must be a nice rubrail/door threshold molding or wide 3M car molding that will finish the ends off properly. Or you could wrap the edges with a soft seatcover material, as we've seen others do.

As far as cushions goes - it's a personal choice. Pad or don't. Either way, it's more comfortable than the Missionary position. I never feel any discomfort, (till the next day).

The only real consideration, I think is that when you go with closed seating (as opposed to rails or webbing), you will forfeit the traditional Hakas wind/wave cheating properties.

We all use these boats with different goals - so any Haka design that suits your personal style and sport agenda is worth posting here. Bring it on.

BIG mahalos to everyone who has chipped in!

I do have some clear polycarbonet panels and toyed with the idea of using some, however even though the material is almost unbreakable it is softer than acrylic and would scratch to a haze quickly with abrasion. Additionally I would have to cover much of it with non skid whcih would have defeated the purpose of using it in the first place. It is also heavier and much more flexable than the alumilite.

I did use the straight Highland model from the post, and the panels do come in a variety of colors, however to get gust the right shade of papia you have to do what the panels were made for and apply some sign vinyl. After they are the right color then it is time to add the black non skid racing stripes.

The sharp edges are covered by rolling the non skid tape over the edges and adding pvc end cap strips to protect the super models [img][IMG]http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j353/louis_deluca/Hobie%20Tandem%20HAKA/IMAG0742.jpg[/img][/img]

I plan to cap the tubes with black 1" square plastic caps that I haven't had a chance to get from Graingers yet.

Thanks for all the positive feed back, I will post improvements / modifications as I develop them.

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Louis
Marietta Ga.

I can't seem to post pictures very well, here hopefully is the picture of Haka papia with racing stripes in non skid. http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j35 ... AG0741.jpg

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Louis
Marietta Ga.

Nohuhu, you may not have realized how high you set the design bar when you said that "Super models hate getting scars". I listened to the answers that Ms America contestants gave on the radio today and thought that there probably wasn't a hugh IQ difference between them and a super model. So I accepted the challenge and made these Super model proof end caps out of 1" thick expanded PVC (Sign making material) , making sure to round all of the corners and of course painting to match the color scheme, since it has to look like something that a super model would want to sit on.
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j35 ... AG0749.jpg

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j35 ... AG0760.jpg

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j35 ... AG0757.jpg

On a seperate note if some one wants to cut all the center braces out of the ramps to reduce weight, they will need to run the flutes perpendicular to the bars instead of paralell to add rigidity. Also all of the materials except the ramps were scraps I had laying around the shop, so you could save some money if you brought your ramps, my parts list and photos you could probably get your materials for a bargain.

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Louis
Marietta Ga.

I'm thinking i need to get a set of them braces from you so i can make a pair too!

Looks awesome! great job! i
I'm blown away by it!

and the best part is, they can hold a heavy or multiple passengers without fear of em bowing...like me, 6'3" 250#, which was my concern with wood.

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2019 Hobie Outback Slate Blue
2018 Hobie Compass Seagrass Green
2012 Hobie Pro Angler w/MD180 Papaya Orange

ex 2012 Hobie Tandem Island
ex 2011 Hobie Pro Angler
ex 2011 Hobie Adventure Island
ex 2010 Hobie Adventure Island

Really Nice, Lou. Now could you screenprint "Batman" logos on them and send them to Hawaii?

What are the dimensions of the ramp interior/cut panels?

Those sheets come in 4x8' I think, so the 72" Hakas are going to yield 2x 24" wide benches at best.

Can you confirm?

Great job with the ramp haka there Louis -it looks like it was professionally made. Has to be the best looking of the ally haka so far.
Did you bend up the clips or are they an off-the shelf item?
To post a pic directly you need to copy the 'img' link. Mouse over the pic in your album and left click the bottom 'img' link. Look closely and you will see a copied notice briefly appear. Then you can right click and paste directly into your post. Don't add the extra 'img' from the button on the forum posting page.

Thrashie and Louis,
Like Chris, I am sorry for any confusion. It certainly wasn't meant as being dismissive of your idea.
The only ramps I dismissed were the ones I first looked at in the autoparts store I visited. They were folding ramps, very heavy and had lots of extra steel bolts, hinges etc. They were also double the price of the ladder I ended up with.
We don't have the product variety here downunder that you have available in the US. ATV ramps are hard to source here and very expensive.

Yes, I can send you cut vinyl Bat Man logos that you can apply, I do not think you want to pay the shipping on the panels.

My panels are 12 5/8" wide by 66" long, the width may vary by 1/16" from ramp to ramp doe to the way they weld them.

Your supplier may be limited to 48" wide but we can get 60" wide stock here that would make 4+ Hakas the size of mine.

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Louis
Marietta Ga.

Stringy,
thanks for the complement, and I took it as a challenge vs a dismissal. I bent the front clips myself, you can do it with a paint removing heat gun, piece of metal or wood pipe 1 1/2" in dia. and patients. takes a little practice to get the temp right, the bending point is just shy of the scortching and melting point. So expect to mess up one or two before you get it right.

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Louis
Marietta Ga.

Those frames are perfect then. Mine are 9" - Batmans are 12".

That's a hell of a laboratory you have there.

Some of Lou's product shots so far:

Louis, Very well done, very professional job. I use two different types depending on who's going with me. My wood ones for fast sailing and fishing and the SUP boards for extra comfort for Lady's and children. The wood one's weigh 19 lbs each and the SUP boards weigh 48 lbs each. The look of your makes the rest of us look like hacks!!!! Again great job. And when you go in to production let me know and I buy the next pair.

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“Remember life is short- eat dessert first.”
The world is 70% water – So that means we should spend 70% more time sailing than mowing lawns!
Larry

I have been in contact with http://www.sureweld.com.au/atv-loading-ramps.html, and discovered they have a smaller straight ramp not shown in their website.
till 2.1 metres long, each one weighs 6kg, so reducing the length and maybe deleting some rungs could get that down further. Most dimensions are about 10mm smaller than the smaller one on the website, and they are rated at 125kg each. He is sending an email with more details, but the price is looking like about $300 the pair.

He asked me what they would be used for, and suggested that maybe they could come up with a bench specifically meant for Islands, rather than needing to modify and adapt an ATV ramp. He is thinking that the surface could structurally replace the rungs, to help with lightness without sacrificing strength. Hmmm

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

Tony,
These also look good. I wish I'd seen them before I got the ladder!
With the alumalite available downunder (thanks Chrisj) you could make your haka look as good as Louis's!

dunno if this helps ya'll down under or not, at least worth a call..

http://whipps.com.au/

looks like they can make something by request too? if thats the case, then yer set if the price is right! and i assume they are in yer area of NSW as listed on the site (I have no idea if thats a city/town/county/region, sorry for my geographic ignorance)

_________________
2019 Hobie Outback Slate Blue
2018 Hobie Compass Seagrass Green
2012 Hobie Pro Angler w/MD180 Papaya Orange

ex 2012 Hobie Tandem Island
ex 2011 Hobie Pro Angler
ex 2011 Hobie Adventure Island
ex 2010 Hobie Adventure Island