Juro, unfortunately the tear was long enough (about two inches) that I could fold up the patch, get it inside, line it up, apply glue through the tear, and get it on...
Third, and final, patch was applied this morning...all systems go, so far.
A little off topic, but I posted this on a different website, and wanted to share it here, too...this is a story that I think everyone should hear:
"...the frame was built by XStream Outdoors, which is about as local as you can get...about four miles from my house. Soos, the Cambodian gentleman who built it, is the dude who gave me the glue and patch material yesterday.
Side note: Soos is damn near broke. It's not because he doesn't make good stuff, because he makes some of the best 'toon frames, gear bags, fishing vests, and fishing accessories that you will ever see...and that's saying something coming from me, 'cuz I like to point out the deficiencies in all the junk out there intended to catch fishermen, rather than fish.
Soos is damn near broke because every nickle he makes goes into buying fire trucks for villages in Cambodia, and several other asian countries, and a few in S. American...villages that have the vile habit of burning to the ground every few years, with no firemen, no firefighting equipment, and no firefighting skills.
He buys used trucks, and then cons firemen to take their vacation time to travel with the trucks to these villages and instruct the villagers how to use them and all the gear that comes along with them.
These U.S. firemen donate all their vacation time to do it, and Soos buys the trucks and pays to have the whole shebang...trucks, gear, and firefighters...shipped over, set up, and classes to use use them.
His office is full of pictures of smiling villagers in full firefighter gear, with proud teachers among them, standing on and around their new trucks and hoses.
It is truly a sight to behold...one that has doubtless saved countless lives and property from the devestation of previously unfought fires.
If Soos manages to have two dimes left after these expenses, he spends them on desks and school equipment for the kids in those same villages.
So...that's the type of guy I deal with at XStream Outdoors. If anyone wants to go down and see what he has to sell, knowing that they will be paying top dollar for top quality gear, and that all the profits go to stuff like that, then ask me, and we'll go down together...you can never buy enough stuff from a guy like Soos.
Anyway...after looking at my 'toon yesterday, Soos shook his head and gave me the patch material and the glue, and showed me how to do it right. The final patch was put on this morning, and hopefully it will take better than my amateur attempt earlier in the week that ended up with my boat missing the last weekend of fishing on the Sauk."
Juro, I think I'll post that on the general board, too, but I realize that it is advertising for a non-sponsor, so I'll wait for the go ahead from you, and if you this post needs to be edited, go right ahead...I understand, seeing as how you have sponsors to take care of.
Fish on...
Todd