Doug's post reminded me of an earlier question asking what Maligiaq Padilla (sorry, didn't check the spelling but I think that's close) used for a backband in his skin boat. Never saw a response --- again, sorry if I missed one --- but I watched him carefully several times when he was getting in and out of that incredibly fine boat. There was no seat or backband in his kayak, but he had a roll of (nominally) half inch quilted foam, something like Ensolite, that he unrolled, placed in the area that a seat would be, and rolled the rest up and out onto the back deck. He slid into the boat over the foam on the deck, and then rolled it into the cockpit behind him, at least partly up against the vertical coaming ring, and leaned back against it. The after deck on his boat was very low, probably well below waist height, so there was no back or even lumbar support, although it appeared that he used it in leveraging some of his rolls. For what it's worth. Jack *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Jack: Forward your message to John Heath. I'm sure he will be able to address this issue, particularly about Maligiaq's roll, as well as have some interesting commentary about the necessity of a back support. Robert > From: JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com > Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 07:48:31 -0500 (EST) > To: dlloyd_at_telus.net, paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Foam and Back/Greenland > > Doug's post reminded me of an earlier question asking what Maligiaq Padilla > (sorry, didn't check the spelling but I think that's close) used for a > backband in his skin boat. Never saw a response --- again, sorry if I missed > one --- but I watched him carefully several times when he was getting in and > out of that incredibly fine boat. There was no seat or backband in his kayak, > but he had a roll of (nominally) half inch quilted foam, something like > Ensolite, that he unrolled, placed in the area that a seat would be, and > rolled the rest up and out onto the back deck. He slid into the boat over the > foam on the deck, and then rolled it into the cockpit behind him, at least > partly up against the vertical coaming ring, and leaned back against it. The > after deck on his boat was very low, probably well below waist height, so > there was no back or even lumbar support, although it appeared that he used it > in leveraging some of his rolls. > *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
At 07:48 AM 1/20/00 EST, JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: >Doug's post reminded me of an earlier question asking what Maligiaq Padilla (sorry, didn't check the spelling but I think that's close) used for a backband in his skin boat. Never saw a response --- again, sorry if I missed one --- but I watched him carefully several times when he was getting in and out of that incredibly fine boat. There was no seat or backband in his kayak, but he had a roll of (nominally) half inch quilted foam, something like Ensolite, that he unrolled, placed in the area that a seat would be, and rolled the rest up and out onto the back deck. He slid into the boat over the foam on the deck, and then rolled it into the cockpit behind him, at least partly up against the vertical coaming ring, and leaned back against it. The after deck on his boat was very low, probably well below waist height, so there was no back or even lumbar support, although it appeared that he used it in leveraging some of his rolls. Hello Jack, Sorry, I missed the earlier post. Maligiaq stored his boat at my house for about six months and let me use it for practicing rolls during his visit, so I am quite familiar with it. Other than the nylon skin/hypalon coating, his kayak is a fairly traditional SW Greenland skin boat. The deck beam immediately behind the cockpit rim, on which the back of the coaming rests, is the back support. This provides solid support, low on your back and does not interfere with techniques that require you to lay on the afterdeck. Some Greenlanders make the back support wider than a normal deck beam and slightly curved to comfortably cradle the back. Although I doubt that the back support is a contributing factor, Maligiaq leans well forward for his normal paddling stroke. Maligiaq used the foam pad to make it easier to enter and exit the kayak (which was less than 6" deep) and to make a comfortable seat. The pad helps prevent your heels from snagging on the ribs during entry and slides forward as you wriggle in. The pad also helps to prevent sand and grit from getting into the framework and lashings. Getting into this boat was like putting on a narrow leather boot that was two sizes too small. You have to lift up on the coaming and wriggle hard and just when you start to panic that you will get hopelessly stuck halfway in, you "plop" comfortably into place. Other than the lack of foot room the boat was quite comfortable. Getting out was fairly easy. The 18" beam was more stable than you would expect and this was partially due to the extremely low seating position. Greg Stamer http://www.magicnet.net/~gstamer/QK.html *************************************************************************** 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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