RE: [Paddlewise] sliding seats

George has modified the seat in his Mariner II to suit himself (and his very
out of the ordinary behind) to such an extent that it really isn't the same
seat anymore. I tried to call him to see if he hasn't also blocked it in
place on purpose, as I suspect he has, but I only got his voice-mail. I'll
try to get back to you with what he tells me later. I would assume that if
it was still free to slide that he would have told you how to move it to the
trim position at least. I suspect that it is easier for him to just block it
in at the trim position and not have to teach one customer in a whole group
how to work their particular seat. He cut the backrest down so far that
getting into it already in the trim position should not be at all difficult.
The sliding seat usually requires some instruction so the paddler
understands just what to do to get it to move. It sometimes takes a minute
or two to teach someone how to get it to move at all the first time. Since
you were given no instruction at all on how to move it it would be quite
understandable that even if it wasn't blocked you might not figure it out on
your own. It is a little like the Eskimo roll in that you have to coordinate
several movements and push in the right way on the pedals or the seat to get
it to move. Someone who has learned the tricks and practiced a little can
jump it over a foot in one motion but most first tries get nowhere. After a
little instruction most folks can hop it an inch or two with each "jump".

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert C. Cline [mailto:rccline_at_swbell.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 6:35 AM
> To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] sliding seats
>
>
> Matt:  The sliding seat is an excellent innovation.  What a great way to
> change the balance of the boat as you need to.
>
> I believe it was a Mariner II.  You might even know the boat, it
> was the one
> George Gronseth uses.  I used this boat in his Highwinds training
> course in
> the Colubia River Gorge, and again in his Deception Pass tidal currents
> training.
>
> I was scooting and struggling with it and only managed to get the seat to
> shift slightly.  I was also paddling a Capella in that course and since I
> wasn't spending all day with it, gave up on it.  I looked down at
> the slide
> wondering why it was all jammed up, but abandoned the thought of working
> with it since there was much else to be doing... like keeping up with the
> class.
>
> That's the sum of my experience.  George obviously hadn't a
> problem with it,
> or he would have either called you or fixed it himeslf.  Your
> presumption of
> operator error could indeed be correct.
>
> Robert
>
> > From: Matt Broze <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
> > Organization: Mariner Kayaks
> > Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000 03:48:25 -0700
> > To: Paddlewise <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
> > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] sliding seats
> >
> > Robert, please let me know how the sand and grit stopped the
> sliding seat
> > you were using. I suspect you hadn't learned how to slide it
> yet during your
> > tryout. I have been paddling sliding seat kayaks for more years than I'd
> > like to admit. Sometimes when playing in the surf a steep shore
> break can
> > dump lots of sand and grit in the cockpit once I've popped my
> spraydeck to
> > exit but in all these years I have never not been able to slide the seat
> > because of sand or grit even once. I have also never had anyone
> else tell me
> > it has happened to them either until just now.
>

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