Re: [Paddlewise] legs fall asleep

volinjo_at_juno.com wrote:
> 
> Actually, maybe you shouldn't "spare the list the repeat."  I'll bet
> there are others besides me who would be glad to see the repeats.  I've
> been thinking of doing just that with my kayak, because I've been having
> the same problem.

OK. The repeat is below the signature.
-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
--
> Usually, if I experience the leg tinglies in one of my boats, a little
> in-the-yak flexing over the course of the first half-hour of paddling
> will alleviate them.
> 
> However, since I went to carving my own minicell foam seats, the
> tinglies have almost entirely disappeared.  (Used to be pretty bad in
> these boats.)  So, I'm not so sure your problem is solely lack of
> stretching.  I suspect some outfitting with minicell should help.  I was
> a skeptic when others told me to extend the seat so it smoothly supports
> my upper thighs, almost to mid-thigh.  Then I made my first seat.  Bam! 
> Tinglies just disappeared.
> 
> [For back support, I use a PD Designs back band in one of these boats,
> and I believe the back band is pretty universally adaptable to anyone's
> needs for lower back support.  Takes some fiddling, though.]
> 
> There was an article in Sea Kayaker in the last year or so detailing
> techniques for making your own foam seat.  Not for the faint-hearted, in
> most cases, however, because typically you have to cut out the stock
> seat.  The best commercial seat I've seen is the one Eddyline now
> includes in all their sea kayaks.  Their dealers can get it for you. 
> Out here, I use Pacific Wave
> (http://www.aone.com/~pacwave/no_frames.html).  It takes some experience
> to decide if this seat will work in your kayak, so I'd telephone them if
> you do not have a *knowledgeable* person at your local dealer.  It might
> work for you, and includes a pretty good seatback.  I bought one of
> their kayaks this spring, and glued a half-inch piece of minicell to the
> seatback, carved to fit the backside of my tush/lower back, and find it
> nearly the equal of the custom-carved foam seats. 
> 
> Ralph Diaz (folding kayak specialist) is a strong devotee of the
> Creature Comfort Seat (about $75; Chesapeake Light Craft; 410-267-0137;
> Web page: http://www.clcboats.com/).  I have no experience with this
> seat, but Ralph's description makes it sound like a commercial version
> of a custom-carved minicell seat, with integral back.  Ralph's opinion
> counts for a lot, in my book, especially since he has a back problem,
> and is very critical of seat/seatback installations.
> 
> Good luck.  If you decide to "carve your own," definitely locate the Sea
> Kayaker article.  Minicell can be had from Pacific Wave (above), Alder Creek
> (http://www.aldercreek.com/), and other full-service kayak shops.  No, it's 
> not cheap.

> I use a high-speed right-angle grinder (with 80 grit on it), instead of the
> dragon skin and/or Sureform tools others recommend.  The grinder makes a
> better surface and is REALLY rapid.  The other hot tip is to affix velcro to
> the foam (hooks) with Weldwood contact cement and the fuzzy velcro to the
> hull also using Weldwood, so you can easily remove the foam for cleaning or
> fine-tuning of the shape.
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