Folks, Yesterday I tested the Sea Seat, the inflatable life raft mentioned in the last two issues of Sea Kayaker. It is too bad that it does not come with a satisfaction guarantee, because I would send it back right now. I got out of my boat and, following the instructions, I tied the sea seat to my PFD. I found out later why that is necessary. I took me 3 minutes to inflate it, which is the time the instructions say it should take. Then I tried to get on it, and *&^%!!! there is nothing to grab on. I would try to grab onto it by pinching the seams with my fingers (warm water, my fingers were not numb), and then jumb on it. The sea seat would slide up my chest and jump out of the water to a distance of 5 yards away. That is the reason why you need to tie it to your PFD, if you do not you will loose the sea seat for sure and be left floating in the water without any help. Back in my kayak, I tried towing the sea seat. It adds an incredible amount of drag, and my kayak would hardly move. The square shape of the sea seat makes it very difficult to tow. Now I am stuck with the Sea Seat, so I can only improve it to make it acceptable. I am going to make a fabric cover for it with handles and a line that goes around it. That should make jumping on it very easy. My final suggestion to you folks is to not buy the sea seat, and get a truck inner tube instead. A truck innner tube can be modified with a valve for inflation by mouth, get it out of any inflatable pool toy. The inner tube material is probably more puncture resistant, and its round shape makes is very easy to tow. The hole in the middle should make is easier to rescue a disabled paddler (hypothermia, dislocation, etc). Then make a fabric cover with lots of rigging. Most inflatable devices have the serious problem of lack of rigging. We already talked about the paddle floats in that respect. What a shame. - Julio *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Julio wrote; (Large snip on the Sea Seat) I have no experience with the Sea Seat but this is scary business. Julio tried the thing out first but will everyone. I re-read the article and it seemed so easy to use and such a worthwhile device. Now I wonder if this isn't another one of those devices that works just fine when conditions are right but is fatally flawed when conditions are wrong. Meanwhile, the poor unsuspecting user doesn't have the knowledge or experience to know when it won't work. Of course, those who find out the hard way won't be around to sue. Cheers to Julio for trying the thing out and providing a different perspective. Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft http://home.ican.net/~735769/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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