Catherine Veraghen wrote: > > Elaine Harmon wrote: > > Also, I have seen recommended this trick: put something like a long narrow > > drybag, or just a rolled-up anything, under your legs at the knees. Of > > course don't overdo it or you might have a problem wet-exiting (?) e > > It's not a matter of moving the footpegs, but a matter of cockpit height. The > top of the cockpit is too low to allow my knees to bend enough. I have tried > adding padding to the seat as well, to in effect reduce the "rise" in the > seat front, but found that I end up sitting uncomfortably high in the boat. > It puts my balance off. I have a Sealion, which is supposed to fit larger > paddlers well. I have also paddled several versions of the Looksha line, and > found that they have a higher cockpit, and fit better. I guess I'll just have > to start shopping for another boat, and reserve the Sealion for "guests". > Damn;)!! The problem of insufficient depth in the cockpit ... an issue for those of us guys who are big folks in the cockpit area (not bragging) -- is best resolved by yarding out the existing seat and replacing it with custom-carved minicell foam (not as bad as it sounds). Most commercial seats do not put your butt directly on the inside of the hull -- in some cases there is up to an inch of space. Believe me, an extra inch of depth can really make a tight thigh situation disappear fast! (So will laying off pizza -- but that's a personal choice!) So far, I have replaced two commercial seats and am about to do a third one. There was an article in Sea Kayaker a year or so ago by a guy from WAKE (Hagen's neck of the woods) which detailed the process. My addendum is to use a high-speed right-angle grinder with 80 grit on it -- makes sculpting tush/thigh recesses easy as pie! -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dave Kruger wrote: > There was an article in Sea Kayaker a year or so ago by a guy from WAKE > (Hagen's neck of the woods) which detailed the process. My addendum is to > use a high-speed right-angle grinder with 80 grit on it -- makes sculpting > tush/thigh recesses easy as pie! Here's the URL for an online reprint of the same article: http://www.isomedia.com/homes/gadfly/kayak2.htm Shawn *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dave Kruger wrote: > Catherine Veraghen wrote: > > > (snip) I have a Sealion, which is supposed to fit larger > > paddlers well. I have also paddled several versions of the Looksha line, and > > found that they have a higher cockpit, and fit better. I guess I'll just have > > to start shopping for another boat, and reserve the Sealion for "guests". > > Damn;)!! > > The problem of insufficient depth in the cockpit ... an issue for those of us > guys who are big folks in the cockpit area (not bragging) -- is best resolved > by yarding out the existing seat and replacing it with custom-carved minicell > foam (not as bad as it sounds). Most commercial seats do not put your butt > directly on the inside of the hull -- in some cases there is up to an inch of > space. Believe me, an extra inch of depth can really make a tight thigh > situation disappear fast! (So will laying off pizza -- but that's a personal > choice!) > > So far, I have replaced two commercial seats and am about to do a third one. > There was an article in Sea Kayaker a year or so ago by a guy from WAKE > (Hagen's neck of the woods) which detailed the process. My addendum is to use > a high-speed right-angle grinder with 80 grit on it -- makes sculpting > tush/thigh recesses easy as pie! > Does this work for adapting a kayak specifically for leg length? I don't have a problem with width, being rather slim (she said humbly), but I find that my legs are too long to allow them to bend enough to clear the seat front comfortably. It sounds like eliminating the seat entirely could be a good solution. However, I am new to kayaking, and am not real confident "remodeling" a boat at this point, so I could use a step-by-step guide. I'll do an internet search for the article you mention, and post a link if I find it. Thanks for the tip!! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
-----I have had the problem of legs falling asleep in a kayak, but never in a surf ski (sit on top). Also, I had more of a problem with a tightly fitting cockpit, as well as with leg length shortened. It makes me wonder if the problem isn't related to constriction of the thigh interfering with venous blood return from the legs, or otherwise interfering with circulation. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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