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From: Mike Wehrman <itchy_at_ev1.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 10:17:03 -0500
A canoe store owner replaced my yoke with a center seat in my tandem..  At one
point during the installation, he got the bow and stern mixed up, so I'm
wondering if he got the center seat installed on the wrong side of the old
yoke position.  He put it on the bow side of the old yoke position.  Is this
correct, or is it just a matter of personal preference?  Also, it is placed
just under the gunnel, while my other seats have long spacers.  Should he have
used spacers to lower the seats the same depth as the bow and stern seats?
(I'm a canoe newbie so I'm pretty ignorant--does that make me a canoewbie?)


Thanks!





Mike Wehrman


itchy_at_ev1.net






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From: Steve Cramer <cramer_at_coe.uga.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 12:56:05 -0400
Mike Wehrman wrote:
> 
> A canoe store owner replaced my yoke with a center seat in my tandem..  At one
> point during the installation, he got the bow and stern mixed up, so I'm
> wondering if he got the center seat installed on the wrong side of the old
> yoke position.  He put it on the bow side of the old yoke position.  Is this
> correct, or is it just a matter of personal preference?  

The yoke was probably at the balance point of the canoe. Since he got
bow and stern mixed up, I'm assuming the canoe is symmetrical, so which
ever way you face can be the bow. If he drilled two new holes to bow
side of the old yoke position (to save drilling more holes?), just sit
on it backwards facing the former stern and go paddle. Someday, when you
begin to care about such things, you might want to decide how you want
the canoe trimmed and put the seat there.

> Also, it is placed
> just under the gunnel, while my other seats have long spacers.  Should he have
> used spacers to lower the seats the same depth as the bow and stern seats?

I think so, yes. To do it right, the front edge of the seat (after you
figure out which one that is), should be a little lower, so you can
kneel more comfortably. You do kneel, right? ;)

> (I'm a canoe newbie so I'm pretty ignorant--does that make me a canoewbie?)

Steve (canewbie dewbie dew...)
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From: Kirk Olsen <kolsen_at_imagelan.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 14:48:36 -0400 (EDT)
On Thu, 5 Oct 2000, Steve Cramer wrote:

> I think so, yes. To do it right, the front edge of the seat (after you
> figure out which one that is), should be a little lower, so you can
> kneel more comfortably. You do kneel, right? ;)

kneel?  I thought sliding bucket seats made that obsolete ;-)

kirk
Canoeing with padded sliding bucket seats, thigh pads and straps on the 
footbrace. (no foot straps in whitewater)

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From: Steve Cramer <cramer_at_coe.uga.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 14:55:43 -0400
Kirk Olsen wrote:
> 
> kneel?  I thought sliding bucket seats made that obsolete ;-)

Maybe so. I only paddle WW and QW freestyle. The only sliding bucket
seats I own are in Hondas. :)

Steve

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From: Jeff Bingham <jbingham_at_amerijet.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 15:20:50 -0400
At 10:17 AM 10/5/2000 -0500, Mike Wehrman wrote:
>A canoe store owner replaced my yoke with a center seat in my tandem..  At
one
>point during the installation, he got the bow and stern mixed up, so I'm
>wondering if he got the center seat installed on the wrong side of the old
>yoke position.  He put it on the bow side of the old yoke position.  Is this
>correct, or is it just a matter of personal preference?  Also, it is placed
>just under the gunnel, while my other seats have long spacers.  Should he
have
>used spacers to lower the seats the same depth as the bow and stern seats?
>(I'm a canoe newbie so I'm pretty ignorant--does that make me a canoewbie?)
>
>Thanks!

Mike,
I have a We-no-nah Solo Plus 16. It is designed as a large single or light
tandem.
The center (single position) seat is just aft of the yoke pins. Meaning
that the 
forward edge of the seat is in line with the trailing edge of where the
detachable
yoke is.
The seat is actually dropped a little lower than the tandem seats while the
forward
edge of the seat is dropped 1 inch lower than the trailing edge. This is a
very 
comfortable arrangement for solo paddling.
It would seem that if the seat is forward of the old center yoke the stern
may wander
a bit in a breeze.
Brgds, Jeff
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From: Richard Kemmer <rkemmer_at_home.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 17:15:29 -0500
Mike wrote:
> I'm
> >wondering if he got the center seat installed on the wrong side of the
old
> >yoke position.  He put it on the bow side of the old yoke position.  Is
this
> >correct, or is it just a matter of personal preference?  Also, it is
placed
> >just under the gunnel, while my other seats have long spacers.  Should he
> have
> >used spacers to lower the seats the same depth as the bow and stern
seats?
>
Mike,
Assuming the yoke was at the canoe's center of balance and the canoe is
symmetrical, it makes no difference whether the new seat is ahead of or
behind the yoke position.  For soloing, you need to position yourself just
behind the center of the canoe.  With your current setup, you should paddle
with the canoe reversed -- the stern becomes the bow.
(Paddling "backwards" has always been the canoeist's refuge when there is a
headwind, because the bow seat is somewhat closer to the center than the
seat in the stern; the person who installed your seat probably had that in
mind when installing the seat.

As for the length of the extenders, there are two factors to consider.
First, will you sit or kneel?  If you plan to sit, the seat should be as low
as you are comfortable with.  If you plan to kneel, it needs to be high
enough to accommodate your feet underneath and positioned at a height that
is comfortable for your butt to lean against.  It's a question of comfort
and function, not of where the other seats are positioned.  In fact, this
suggestion applies to all three seats.

Unless your canoe is dramatically asymmetrical, don't be wedded to which end
is the bow and which the stern:  They're usually interchangeable.

Rick



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From: Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe <aldercreek_at_uswest.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] center seat positioning
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 16:50:33 -0700
What kind of canoe?  Unless it's homemade it will have an Id plate or registration numbers on the stern.

Seat height is a personal preference.  He should of asked you how high you wanna be. As in "Canoewbie seat wannabe how high?"  

Steve
Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe
Website: www.aldercreek.com


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