Posted by Mike Field on September 26, 2006 at 01:59:47 from 203.129.43.131 user mikefield.
In Reply to: Re: Splatchers posted by Mike Field on September 26, 2006 at 01:32:08:
Sorry Andrew, couldn't resist. (I'm getting like Peter H in my old age.)
Yes, I had a go at making some about five years ago. I happened to have a spare bit of marine ply that I thought I could squeeze a pair from.
They were elliptical, about 18" x 9" from memory. Because they were to be of a solid flat material I had visions of their sliding across the mud like dinner-plates out of control were I to leave them like that, so I fitted a few 1/2" cleats in both directions to the undersides. On top was a heel chock to take the after end of each sea-boot, while a leather strap fitted across the toecap to hold the boot in place (passing right through the ply, and lying between two cleats on the underside for protection.)
I have to report that the splatchers weren't really very satisfactory, although with practice I might have got better results from them. In the firmer mud around Sanderling's berth they weren't too bad, but further out into the creek where the mud was softer I found that their plan area wasn't great enough to support my weight properly; and despite the cleats on the underside there was a tendency for them to slide downwards and sideways under the surface. So I'm afraid I rather gave up on them.
Were I to try making new ones after the same design I'd go for a larger area (making them a good deal wider and perhaps a bit longer as well,) and I'd also use deeper cleats. On the other hand, someone with some basket-weaving experience might well find that cane or willow-wand would be a better material to use. (I suspect the Mastodon's splatchers were made like that, and I've always thought that a Dick-type drawing of them would have made an excellent addition to the illustrations in "Secret Water.")
If by any chance you give them a go, please do let us know how you get on.