Builders' Forum |
|
| ↓ Scroll to Last Comment ↓ | Forum Guidelines | Builders' Forum |  RSS
|
Hi, I just finished a wood duck 12 hybrid. I'm happy with the boat but am having a real issue with the seat. I used the Creature Comfort seat and can only paddle for a short time before I have to get out and walk around to stretch. It's too nice of a boat to get left on the rack! Would appreciate any feedback/recomendations from anyone with similar problems. Thanks
5 replies:
RE: Comfortable Seat
I have had good success with the inflatable seat cushion and thigh support that CLC sells. Previously, I had to get out of my 17LT with Happy Bottom Seat every hour. Now, I can go 3 hours betweenstretch breaks. Your mileage may vary.
RE: Comfortable Seat
There are a handful of companies that make bean bag chairs for marine use, very popular here in FL with the off shore sport fishermen. I had a small cushion made and it works well for me. Easy to adjust by adding/removing beads for the right height and firmness. Makes a good cushion/pillow for camping too.
I have a trick back and chose the WD12 for it's huge cockpit, with this cushion I can change positions whenever I need to. We're usually on the water for 4-6 hours and I'm good. Well, I suppose I should mention that getting out of the boat after a long paddle is an adventure but that's a different issue...
RE: Comfortable Seat
You've built your kayak and if none of the good options listed above work for you, can build your own seat.
Do you have a beach chair with stretched canvas or nylon you like? Could you duplicate that shape with wood and have an upholstery shop make the seat and back for you out of a weather resistant fabric?
Do you have a comfortable wood lawn chair you like? Could you adapt that shape into a chair for your kayak and put a couple of seat cushions on it?
Custom chair builders often start with some cheap materials, like OSB and scrap styrofoam, and build mockups for their customers. Once the customer finds a comfortable setup, the builder then builds the seat. A good design doesn't need tons of cushioning.
Build a mock-up in your shop, drag it into your den, watch a few TV programs tinker with it until it feels good and then build your seat out of good quality stuff that will look and feel good in your kayak.
You can always adapt things like yoga mats for cushions, or have upholstery shops make you cushions or sew canvas into a frame for you.
Good luck.
RE: Comfortable Seat
» Submitted by twofootartist - Mon, 9/2/13 » 2:42 PM
If you can built a hybrid boat, you can make your own seat. It takes about an hour to carve one out of a 3" foam block from CLC. See how I made mine at: http://twofootartist.com/merganser-construction-notes/ Scroll down to June 10, 2010.
-Wes