brace & steer footbraces

Posted by jeff wong on Mar 2, 2006

I acquired a Seda Impulse two years ago and thought kayak trippers and racers who need rudders without sliding footbraces would appreciate the modification I got with the boat. I made the rails from square aluminum stock and the crossbar from same but larger. Holes and a pin permit adjustments to bar position. Gangen twine runs from the footpedal to a fairlead clamcleat which attaches to the rudder cable. the clamcleat permits adjustment. http://www.angelfire.com/nv/wongnumber/footbrace2.jpg & http://www.angelfire.com/nv/wongnumber/footbrace1.jpg I have shimmed the stern end of the rails to permit the bar to adjust. The swaged cable which hangs freely lingers from an earlier incarnation.

Aluminum tubing from Home Depot. Stainless piano hinge from my friend. Gangen twine does NOT stretch when wet. I bought mine from a marine store which serves commercial fishermen. Fairlead clamcleat: check a search engine. I can't remember the vendor. All materials cost far less than Cascade designs' Smarttrack control system. Unlike the plastic Smarttrack footbraces, I simply cannot break the above system.

With the current we can't adjust the setup while under way. I welcome comment.

Replies:

• footbrace PIC links by jeff wong on Mar 2, 2006
• Re: brace & steer footbra by bubbacrawfish on Mar 2, 2006
• footbraces alteration by mick allen on Mar 2, 2006
• Re: brace & steer footbra by Alex on Mar 5, 2006