Bill Leonhardt wrote: > At 12:03 PM 1/14/99 -0500, Michael Daly <mikedaly_at_interlog.com> wrote: > SNIP > > >further aft. At the same time I replaced the sliding > >rudder pedals with pivoting ones from Seaward. I had > >to do the pedal switch to allow the bulkhead to be moved > >in tight; as the sliding ones wouldn't have clearance. I put a > >shelf above as well. > > > Michael, > > I would like to learn more about the pivoting rudder pedals. Does Seaward > have a web page and/or can you provide any other info? Try: http://www.seawardkayaks.com/features.html Scroll to the bottom of the page and they have a photo of the pedals. There is also a review of a Seaward kayak in Sea Kayaker a while back from which they take a quote. When I bought them by mail direct from Seaward, they were about C$110 (US$65) plus tax and shipping. I think the price they quote is US and adjust for other currencies accordingly. The pedals are much better than the standard sliding pedals that you find in most kayaks. There's a little play in them - the axis on which they turn is not a super tight fit on the plastic bearing. However this slack is superficial. It's taken up buy the pressure of your foot resting on the pedal. In bracing there is negligible flex. With the rudder deployed, turning requires a sort of toe-point action if your feet are as big as mine (12+). Smaller feet may find simple rotation easier. I'd say they are ideal for folks who rarely use a rudder and prefer solid bracing footrests. If you use a rudder all the time, they may be awkward, though you definitely benefit from the rigid bracing. I'd like to hear from someone who uses them with a rudder deployed frequently. The surface of the pedal is curved, not flat. That may take getting used to. There is a flat section under the ball of your foot, but your toes rest on a section that curves away from you. I like it, but a kayak guide that paddled my boat for a few minutes didn't. If you reposition the pedal for another person, you have to adjust the length of the nylon straps that connect the pedals to the rudder cables. The length adjustment is with a Fastex type ladderlock. The reviewer in Sea Kayaker claimed that they slipped occasionally, however, I think the problem is stretching of the nylon webbing due to it getting wet. I've not had any problem with this and can't remember ever having to adjust the straps due to slip/stretch. But I also haven't ever used the rudder (except to test the system) so it may not be relevant for me. Mounting the pedal track is straightforward. I suppose it's unlikely that the holes in your kayak will match the length of the Seaward units, so you'll have to drill at least one hole per side and fill the old one to match everything up. If you're ambitious, you might consider tapping the track for a new hole and make it match you existing kayak holes instead. You have to either tap, since the supplied bolts thread into the track or replace them with bolts and nuts. Hope this helps! Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Jan 18 1999 - 08:41:32 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:03 PDT