Re: [Paddlewise] Custom Cockpit update

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_seasurf.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 07:07:59 -0800
Bob Denton wrote:
> 
> How critical is seat placement? I just replaced the seat in a Falcon
> 16 [18 ?] and the handling is now terrible...it no longer tracks properly.
> I have adjusted the seat an inch forward but it's too cold to get
> near the water (65F) to test it.

Ah, 65 F water -- last time I was in/on water that warm, I was in my
bathtub! <grin>

> Will an inch make any difference or should I be trying larger
> increments?

An inch can make a substantial difference -- remember, the paddler is by
far the largest load increment in a yak.  To see the effect of moving a
180 lb paddler's body an inch fore or aft, try a 10 lb weight 18 inches
fore or aft of the CG of the system.  A bag of lead shot is a good way
to find how much/which way to move the seat.  The CG is probably pretty
much directly under the center of your butt, when you are in the yak.

Mariner (in Seattle) makes yaks with seats which can be moved an inch or
two fore or aft to get the trim you need.  With a custom seat
installation, you can achieve pretty much the same effect if you use
Velcro to fix the seat in place, per comments Craig Olson made the other
day.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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Received on Tue Feb 10 1998 - 07:06:06 PST

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