This is how I make my pad eyes ,I am not sure if it i the best way but it works
I use 1 inch webbing



cut a piece 8 inches long,I burn the ends to stop it from raveling



now fold it so that you have 1 inch sticking out past the edge on top.




I always have welding rods around so I use them ,a nail or any small rod will work . Heat it on the stove


now burn a hole threw all three pieces




this does two things ,gives you a hole and melts the area aroound the hole togeter and serves as a washer

Wala you have a soft pad eye ready to bolt on your yak,




finished project


are there any better ways to do this?
Ron

That just happens to be the exact way I make my soft padeyes. I generally use 3/4" webbing, glue the tabs, and drill the holes, but it's the same thing.

I did good then Gerald, I thought you used super glue.
Ron

Yeah...I added that in an edit. I glue the tabs with super glue, then spot a drop of super glue on each side where I want to drill the hole. I like your hot welding rod idea. I'll try it.

I've seen other soft padeye methods but most of the suck. Some of them sucked real bad--including the way the "premier" boat builder does it (don't get me wrong--he really is good). This way, I think, is the best all around of all the soft padeye methods.

Sure...you did good!

+2 on the welding rod. That's what i do also.

Guess great minds think alike.

But now i have to redo mine

Mike

That's slick. Good thing the photos were there because I would have gotten lost with just plain old instructions.

Not really. Just look at your boat. There they are!

When you say bolt, is it really a bolt or maybe a pan head screw? What do you seal it with?

I've got lots of aircraft rivets left in my plastic boat rigging kit. I guess they don't really have a place in wooden boatbuilding?

Pepper
I have used small bolts, and pan head screw ,all stainless and I use a stainless washer on top
The best is to drill an oversize screw hole ,fill with epoxy and then drill the correct size in the center. That seals the wood when installing put a dab of silicone or caulk in the hole.
Ron

But you did those for me. I didn't do anything physically to my OI. All I did was make one suggestion on my OI and that was the seat. Your skill and innovation to try different ways to rig things makes you a teacher in the field of boat building. You inspire others. By inspiring others, they in turn will become teachers who will teach others and so it it goes, on and on. This is your legacy in boat building and what a legacy to have. I am one of your biggest fans.

While not a boat builder.....just quite YET , I use that nylon webbing around the place all the time. It's what lots of my tack is made out of. I ride horses down at the local stockyards once a week pennning cattle back, and I don't like taking my really nice and expensive leather bridles and reins and other odds and ends to get torn up.

The webbing works great and is strong. The best way that I've found to make holes, cut, burn ends, and all those other necessary things is to use a soldering iron. I have one that is a pistol type with a trigger that controls the heat to the end.

I've got a cheap one that has exchangeable ends on it. It has a flat attachment that is great for cutting and burning the ends. The straight end is great for burning holes. The advantages are that 1)The wife doesn't holler about the smell in the house, 2)I don't have to leave a project and come in the house to cut, drill, or burn, 3)NO chance of me dripping melting nylon into my supper on the stove 4) I think it does a little cleaner job. You don't have to quit to re-heat a rod, screwdriver, or nail, and 5)With the gun/trigger set up, it's pretty darn accurate and easy to work with. You're not trying to hold a rod or nail with a pair of pliers or ruining a small phillips head.

I really like the pad-eyes by the way. I may steal the idea and make some to put on my saddle to use. I have metal rings on it right now that use to hang my water jug, lunch, and all the other crap I carry for a day of working horseback. I think I like the kayak pad eyes better.

Night wing
I agree completely. Gerald has forgotten more about wood boats than I will ever know
When I post something like this I am looking for the comeback from the Gurus to help me improve.
Just sort of throw it out there and see who takes the bait.
Ron

Paddle trucker
I have a small cab over camper, I use the stove in it to do my burning. A soldering iron works great ,but I can never find it and when I do use it and later I need to solder something my tip always needs cleaning up.
I do some repairs on bows ,building arrows, making strings for folks, the cabover is my mini shop for that kind of stuff.
Ron

Pogo (Kurt) is another great boat builder. In fact, if it has to be built from wood, I think Pogo can build anything.