Builders' Forum Archives |
Re: debuggin leg numbness
Posted by LeeG on Aug 31, 2004
here's what one Chesapeake builder did. I've tried attaching grinding wheels/tools to drills but found it kind of dangerous as the minicell grabs. You can hand carve the stuff by hand with a 3" hole saw and 4" 24grit sanding disc:
I had that problem with my Chesapeake. What worked for me was getting some support under my legs - specifically, under my thighs, just in front of my sit-down bones. I used a semi-inflated paddle float. It worked like a charm. Suddenly I could spend hours in the boat without discomfort. Of course, you have to find the right amount of inflation, and you have to make sure it stays where you want it when you enter your boat. Many times my feet would pull the paddle float forward when I slid them in. And you'd better get it right before you launch, because it's virtually impossible to adjust once you're out on the water.
I recently replaced that setup with a carved closed-cell foam seat. I carved it such that there would be support for my legs, similar to what I got with the paddle float. It wasn't too hard to do. Of course, mine doesn't look very pretty, but I was learning how because I'm building a Guillemot for my wife and she'll need a seat. I try to be the guinea pig myself before inflicting my work on her. The seat wasn't perfect, but after paddling a bit I've made some adjustments - grinding it down a little here and there - and it's getting pretty darn good. The advantage (besides giving me practice prior to shaping hers) over my previous arrangement is that I don't have to worry about all those things I listed before. The position is set, there's no inflation to worry about, and I can't pull the whole shebang forward (at least, not easily.)
Vaclav at OneOceanKayak has a good set of instructions for carving a seat, if you're interested, at http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/kayakseat18a.htm
In Response to: Re: debuggin leg numbness by LeeG on Aug 31, 2004
