I have problems like many others with my legs falling asleep. Being thin I don't have a lot of natural padding. Has any one tried those gel seats I see advertized? Bob Sitka *************************************************************************** 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 problems like many others with my legs falling asleep. Being thin I > don't have a lot of natural padding. Has any one tried those gel > seats I see > advertized? > > Bob > > Sitka Hi Bob, Yes! My problem was never with numbness, but a shooting pain that started at my butt and moved down my left leg the longer I sat. The gel pad eliminated the problem entirely. YMMV Woody *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Yes! My problem was never with numbness, but a shooting pain that started at > my butt and moved down my left leg the longer I sat. The gel pad eliminated > the problem entirely. I sleep on a Simmons air bed and it's as comfortable as any bed I've used. adjustable firmness, etc. Is there some reason I haven't thought of why someone isn't producing an inflatable kayak seat. It would seem to be an obvious solution to a lot of peoples' problems plus it could probably be designed to use as flotation device for various kayak applications. On the flotation device subject, I have a Cobra Explorer which is a poly SOT type. I have a large hatch in the front, but none in back. What I am trying to do is figure out how I can get rear flotation without cutting holes in the deck. There is one continuous space inside and I'd really like to fill all the rear with flotation and use a bag(s) in the front to fill the space that isn't being used for gear. Does anyone have experience with foaming into spaces? I'm thinking that some kind of solid foam would be good as long as it's light and I can get it in there without too much trouble, i.e. some product that can be poured in and then will solidify. The only access to the rear is thru' the front hatch and the very thin (about 1 inch) space under the floor of the cockpit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Flory, San Jose, CA. daflory_at_pacbell.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speak softly and study Aikido, then you won't need a big stick. ©1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Dave, >your question: >Does anyone have experience with foaming > into spaces? I'm thinking that some kind of solid foam would be good as long > as it's light and I can get it in there without too much trouble, i.e. some > product that can be poured in and then will solidify. No experience in kayak, but nevertheless one warning: be VERY cautious with using foam. The expansion of the foam can put terrific stresses on your boat, and it may just pop open. Filling a mast of a sailing boat with foam is equally dangerous, I know of mast heads comming off, or mast splitting up near the mast rail. Just for what is is worth, Greetings, Merijn ****************************** Merijn Wijnen Vinkenhofje 8 5613 CN Eindhoven The Netherlands Tel.: 040-2939991 (job: 040-2650539) Fax: same as tel., call before sending or try twice E-mail: Home: merijn_at_music.demon.nl Job: m.wijnen_at_ind.tno.nl Web-site: http:\\www.music.demon.nl *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Is there some reason I haven't thought of why > someone isn't producing an inflatable kayak seat. Seairsports makes a seat called Total Air that has inflatable back support and seat cushion. It's listed at $130 in the catalog I picked up at the Port Townsend Symposium. They have a website http://www.seairsports.com but the Total Air is a new product and it may not have been added to the online catalog. Karen *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Someone asked: > > Is there some reason I haven't thought of why > > someone isn't producing an inflatable kayak seat. Could be that an inflatable seat would lead to a severe case of "mushy tushy," the awkward feeling that your bottommost part is not firmly seated. I know I was not happy with a small Thermarest cushion as my seat in one of my boats. YMMV. I like my feet and upper thighs to be "locked in," and suspect that I would lose some control of the boat if I had a really soft cushion under my butt. I also think some of the forward force my body exerts on the boat is produced by the tush-hull contact, and with "mobility" down there, I might get chafing with an inflatable seat. -- 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: > > Someone asked: > > > > Is there some reason I haven't thought of why > > > someone isn't producing an inflatable kayak seat. > > Could be that an inflatable seat would lead to a severe case of "mushy tushy," > the awkward feeling that your bottommost part is not firmly seated. I know I > was not happy with a small Thermarest cushion as my seat in one of my boats. > YMMV. > > I like my feet and upper thighs to be "locked in," and suspect that I would > lose some control of the boat if I had a really soft cushion under my butt. > > I also think some of the forward force my body exerts on the boat is produced > by the tush-hull contact, and with "mobility" down there, I might get chafing > with an inflatable seat. I agree with David on the mushy feeling. Nautiraids have inflatable seats. Depending on the model, some of them feel like a water bed underneath you and can be very disconcerting; as your boat yaws to one side, so does your seat and you get a double effect of the sway. You just don't feel secure on it or sufficiently solidly fitted in your cockpit. It works better with their doubles than their singles. And an effort has been made in later years to give the inflatable seats articulated covers with the semblance feel of individual air chambers and this has helped some; a row of individual air chambers (say three or four) would work best for something inflatble under you to get rid of that mushy and swaying feeling. I have an older Nautiraid with a sling seat made of hypalon and with an inflated backrest against a piece of supportive plywood. That feels pretty solid. I had some sciatic nerve problem awhile ago and started putting a Thermarest under the sling, the type of seat that does have foam in it as well as the ability to be slightly inflated. I use it with all the air out of it I can. The nerve problem is gone and when I remember I will just remove that foam seat and see if things are okay that way. ralph -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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: > > Someone asked: > > > > Is there some reason I haven't thought of why > > > someone isn't producing an inflatable kayak seat. > > Could be that an inflatable seat would lead to a severe case of "mushy tushy," > the awkward feeling that your bottommost part is not firmly seated. I know I > was not happy with a small Thermarest cushion as my seat in one of my boats. > YMMV. >SNIP< "mushy tushy" fits perfect! :-) Many years ago, in an seemingly endless search for a comfortable seat in my folbot super I bought a type IV throw cushion. It was filled with kopock (capok?)that was sealed in a plastic bag, which was in turn inside a outer cover of naughide type stuff. After only a few paddle strokes(and I'm a pretty laid back paddler)I had to take it out. The "squisy" feeling left me so disconected from the boat I felt like I was out in a rouge boat. Besides not being able to transfer much engery to my strokes, the side to side motion was flat scary. Talk about being feeling loose in a boat. I still use that cushion or one like it in two of my folbots. The only differance is I have taken an icepick and made a couple of small holes along the edge of it, to let the air out. Now the seat cushion contures to me, kind of like a bean bag chair, and I can say that it is the most comfortable things I have tried. I use it and a crazy creek chair in my aleut. I use the stock seat in the kodiak. The bottom part seems good so far(about 4 hours is as long as I've sat at one time tho), but the back rest is worthless. I think the reason the throw cushion is so comfortable is, it molds to fit MY tush, and with out any hot spots. Not sure if you can buy that kind anymore..? James *************************************************************************** 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 problems like many others with my legs falling asleep. Being thin I >don't have a lot of natural padding. Has any one tried those gel seats I see >advertized? ....I've been using a small Therma-Rest {tm}pad. Before entering the kayak, I inflate it normally. On entering the kayak, I deflate it slowly until I fit. Not only does this solve the aching butt problem, but it gives me the best fit I've ever experienced. *************************************************************************** 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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