Important Safety Information:

Watersports carry inherent risk. Instruction, training, and practice in the conditions in which you intend to paddle are critical elements of risk management and mitigation. 

An Expedition Spray Deck can be a valuable piece of equipment, but requires that same training and practice in order to be used safely. Make sure that you practice wet exits, deep water self recoveries, assisted rescues, and other critical skills in a supervised, controlled environment before using your spray deck in conditions or remote settings. If you are not comfortable with any of these maneuvers or skills, seek the guidance of a certified instructor who is familiar with open canoes and spray decks. 

Attaching the Spray Deck

To attach an Expedition Spray Deck to the canoe:

  1. Connect the Velcro seams between the sections. 

  2. Lay the deck on top of the canoe. 

  3. Slip the bow and stern loops over the stems and lightly snug the loops with the strap adjusters. 

  4. Attach the snaps on one side of the canoe, working from one end of the boat to the other. Repeat for the other side. 

To use a partial deck (i.e., the bow and stern sections on a solo canoe or the center section on a tandem canoe), remove the unwanted sections and lay the remaining sections individually on the canoe. Then, follow steps 3 and 4 to attach them. 

Each deck section is labeled on the underside with the boat make and model, as well as the section position (bow, center, or stern).

Using the Spray Tunnel

The spray tunnel is anatomically cut and sewn so that it follows the contours of the paddler’s knees, legs, and torso, minimizing excess fabric and offering a trim and efficient fit. 

THE SPRAY TUNNEL SHOULD ALWAYS BE PLACED OVER ALL PADDLING CLOTHING, INCLUDING THE PFD. The tunnel is ALWAYS the outermost layer and should not have anything over it that would restrict or inhibit the paddler exiting the boat. Ensure that the PFD does not have snag hazards that could become tangled or snagged on the tunnel fabric. 

To use the tunnel:

  1. Insert the optional plastic battens in the pockets sewn inside the tunnel over the paddler’s knees, if desired. These battens will arch the tunnel fabric, shedding water and preventing water from pooling in the paddler’s lap. 

  2. Secure the 2-inch Velcro on the front of the tunnel, beginning at the front where the tunnel meets the spray deck and moving back to the top of the hem. The hem of the tunnel should be positioned under the paddler’s armpits and around their chest. 

  3. Ensure that the red pull tab and stitching at the top of the Velcro seam are in good condition and that the tab is out and easily accessible. Make a mental note of where the tab is located so that it can quickly be pulled if a rapid exit is required. 

  4. Gently snug the draw cord to prevent the tunnel from slipping down the paddler’s torso. 

To exit the tunnel, pull the red tab to separate the Velcro seam. After opening the seam, the paddler may need to push the tunnel fabric away from their torso and their PFD. 

To stow the tunnel:

  1. Open the Velcro seam.

  2. Remove the plastic battens, if they are installed in their pockets. 

  3. Roll the spray tunnel from the top of the tunnel toward the bottom, where it joins the spray deck. 

  4. Secure the rolled tunnel with the four toggle and cordlock assemblies by slipping the cord loop over the toggle and tightening the cord lock down onto the toggle. 

Paddle Parks

Paddles may be secured to the spray deck by slipping the paddle blade into the blade holder (bungee cord lacing on the bow and stern sections of a solo deck; fabric pockets on the center section of a tandem deck) and securing the shaft in the paddle tether tab. To close the tether tab around the shaft, slip the tab-end of the bungee over the plastic ball. To release the tether tab from the shaft, pull the webbing tab to release the bungee from the ball. 

Scramble Handles

Scramble handles at the bow and stern of the deck are made for exactly that - scrambling! They offer a quick and easy place to grab the boat while launching, landing, or handling the boat while it’s in the water. However, they are only secured by snaps and should never be used to carry a boat or bear the full weight of a boat. They are not suitable rescue points and should only be used for light boat contact and convenience. 

Map Case D-Rings

D-rings are sewn into the back edge of the bow section on solo boats and the back edge of the center section on tandem boats. These D-rings offer a convenient location to secure a map case, tether a GPS, secure a cell phone case, or tie down other accessories that should be available during a paddle. 

Painter Line Tether Tabs and Grommets

Tether tabs located at the bow and stern ends of the deck can be used to secure a painter line. To secure the line, coil it neatly, set it on the tether tab, and pass the tab-end of the bungee over the plastic ball, trapping the painter. To release the painter line, pull the webbing tab to release the bungee from the ball, freeing the painter line. 

The bitter end of the painter should be attached to a secure point on the canoe. Options might include tying off to a bow loop, a lining hole, or a carrying thwart located near the bow or stern. The bitter end of the painter should NOT be secured to the spray deck or scramble handle.

If the deck was ordered with a painter line grommet located above a carrying thwart, the painter can be tied to the carrying thwart, then passed through the grommet in the deck so that it’s accessible on the top side of the spray deck. 

Caring for Your Spray Deck

Your Expedition Spray Deck is made from marine-grade, vinyl coated Aqualon Edge fabric with solution-dyed, ripstop polyester reinforcements and rub strips. These fabrics are durable and will last many, many years under normal, regular use. 

These materials will not stretch or shrink when wet and you do not need to soak the deck before putting it on the boat. 

Always dry your deck before storing it. 

You can roll or fold the dry deck and place it in the included stuff sack for storage. 

The oval fabric scrap that came with your deck is the piece of fabric that was cut out for the cockpit tunnel. This scrap can be used for patching and repairs in the future, if needed.

The vinyl topside of the Aqualon Edge fabric can be temporarily patched in the field with a good quality vinyl repair tape or permanently repaired with a vinyl patch and vinyl cement. 

To clean your deck, rinse it with clean, cold water. 

If there are stubborn stains or dirt marks, use a cloth or very soft bristle brush to clean it by hand with warm water and a gentle detergent like Dawn dish soap, then rinse well with cold water. 

Questions?

If you have any questions that we haven’t answered here, please feel free to reach out to us. We’re always happy to help!

hello@redleafdesigns.com

+1 (906) 451-4539



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