Re: [Paddlewise] Sea Seat

Lucky you. In the test I did, if you do not tie the sea seat to your
PFD, you would loose it as it slips up your chest and jump several yards
away when you try to jump on it. Maybe you are very good at jumping out
of the water.

The sea seat does not have any means of emptying the air out of it quickly.
It took me a lot longer to deflate it than to inflate it, more than five
minutes. 

You might think that deflating the sea seat should not be an issue because
you can tow it, right?.
Wrong. The squarish sea seat shape makes it almost impossible to tow,
even with no one sitting on it.

If you use it to aid on a rescue you would be forced to abandon it
if you need to clear the area quickly, like when getting away from rocks.
It is a single use rescue aid device (it does not have what it is required
to be in the safety devices group).

If I was to design a rescue raft for sea kayaking, I would make it with
the same shape that the inflatable kayaks have, only smaller, and with
lots of rigging and loops to hold on to.

There is an equivalent device like the sea seat that costs less than $20.
It is an inflatable ring with which  kids play in the water. Any toy store
should have it. Its round shape makes it better than the $67 sea seat.

- Julio (also in the SF bay)

> 
> There is nothing on the sides to grip with.  It has a tether that you can attach
> to your PFD.  That way, at least, it can't sail away from you.  I felt pretty
> solid sitting in it.  Again, I need to try it in rough water conditions.
> 
> Keith Kaste
> 
> pbaum_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:
> 
> > On 06/07/98 12:57:17 you wrote:
> > Keith,
> > The previous post on the Sea Seat complained about the lack of any gripping
> > surfaces or handle on the seat seat sides.  If you can get up on top of it,
> > is there anything at all on the sides to help you maintain your position if
> > it gets rough?
> >
> > Phil Baumgaertner
> > Bremerton, WA
> >
> > >
> > >Also, I got a chance to try out the Sea Seat for myself on the SF Bay.
> > >I think it works great.  Getting into it after blowing it up means
> > >springing out of the water on it until your pelvis is centered over the
> > >center indentation.  Then simply twist your body around so that you are
> > >sitting in the middle.  This is less difficult than a paddle float
> > >rescue.  It feels stable once you are sitting in it.  I will want to
> > >take it to the "soup zone" at Ocean Beach to really test its stability.
> > >I tried paddling it with a paddle and with my hands.  Both succeed in
> > >making forward progress.  The Sea Seat folds up small enough to fit into
> > >a bail out pack or some PFD pockets.  I am glad to have this in the
> > >safety arsenal.  As with all safety equipment I must practice with it in
> > >the kinds of conditions that I might have to use it in.
> > >
> > >Keith Kaste
> > >
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