BTW before I ask this question I just want everyone to know that I did not make the wrong purchase I bought this Kayak because I wanted a challenge and something that can really handle large waves etc. and also track really well. I’ve also noticed that my whole core section has really strengthened up since kayaking…this Kayak handles huge waves and I even ended up Kayaking the Journey 14 through a mild storm once with zero problems…aside from the massive workout with the tall waves and wind…but again I went with a touring style Kayak for this particular type of Kayaking in mind to begin with.
I just recently started Kayaking and what can I say it is changing my life for the better. I have a Jackson Journey 14 and absolutely love it. Here is my only complaint with touring style Kayaks such as the Journey…Some days when the weather is really calm my favorite thing to do is to go way out in the Lake…I mean way out. I am a bigger guy over 200 pounds but still I have no problem paddling this Kayak straight and fast. …however…when the waters are really calm and I am way out in the lake I like to just quit paddling for a while…relax and lounge back like one would on a fishing or recreational style Kayak…these Touring style Kayaks sit much lower so I kinda have to just scoot myself up into the Kayak and lay my back against the soft short back rest and cockpit…it’s okay but but it can be more comfortable for just chilling out in the water. I forgot to mention I have tanned so dark overnight since Kayaking,lol I am happy but for situations like this it would be so nice to have some kind of nice taller back rest that I can just sit back and “lounge” on…rather than the slight awkwardness of the way I am lounging now.
Is there any kind of add ons or self DIY ways that I could just either purchase or make myself a taller back rest that I can just slip between my legs when I am out really paddling and hitting the waves…and then when the waters get calm I can pull this device out and just put in behind my back somehow in order to have the feeling of being in a recreational kayak? I would imagine I would need something that sat about 3 to 4 inches higher in order to achieve this.
I noticed that right behind the seat there is a dip that goes down about 2 to 3 inches in a 90 degree angle (I’ll have to look at this again tomorrow as I was in my dark garage and just felt it with my hand) so maybe cut out a piece of plastic and adjust height and just put in right down into that area so it could catch and hold it (I could loosen the back rest all the way and put this in front of the rest so that there are no pulleys in the way…the ones that are behind the back rest). Then simply lean back up against the back of the cockpit and have a higher back rest. Not sure if this is possible but it does not hurt to ask.
Why not just roll up a big towel and put it behind you when you want to take a nap. Not to start anything, but It sounds like to me that you might be in the market for an even longer boat in the future. Have you ever paddled something in the 17’ plus size? If not, be prepared to have your world rocked.
A high backrest may seem like a good idea, but trust me, you DO NOT want one in a sea kayak for several reasons:
They encourage poor form. You don’t want to be leaning back while paddling, but a high backrest will encourage you to do so.
They make it more difficult to rotate your torso, because they rub against your PFD.
They make it impossible to do layback maneuvers, such as sculling and rolling.
They make rescues more difficult, as they get in the way when you’re trying to slide into the cockpit and you end up sitting on top of the stupid thing. That’s NOT something that you want to deal with in a rescue situation.
Perhaps you can rig up something that you slip into place when you want to relax, then stow on the deck when you’re not using it, but I’m not aware of anything like that on the market. You DON’T want to store anything between your legs that isn’t securely anchored and/or that could create an entrapment hazard.
Inflate your dual chambered paddle float and use that as a back rest when you want to stop and rest. As it’s an important safety item, will presume you have one as well as a bilge pump. When done, you can deflate and roll it up, or deflate it just a bit and attach under your stern bungies.
You don’t want a backrest. If it’s calm and you can swim just take off your pfd for the duration of your meditation and lean against it. Just be sure to put it back on.
Well a higher seat back in my kayak would give me lower back pains. If you got a higher seat back you’d be taking on a characteristic of a “drifter” , “paddle dipper”, SOT fishing lounge chair, not a touring kayaker/seakayaker. I have a member that lays back on the rear deck and takes a nap. A higher seat back would prevent that. I couldn’t find a picture of the Greenland paddler taking a nap, but I did find this one. Not the same but the idea is there…
lol that picture had me laughing for some reason…awesome advice everyone thank you. I was not talking about actually putting a taller seat in my Kayak but just some kind of device that is taller so that I could stop and lounge up against when I am not paddling and then remove once I got back to paddling…however the next time I am out on the water I am going to try both my PFD and (which I actually have not purchased yet) the paddle float and simply jam it behind my back with the back rest loose and I would imagine something that simple would be enough just to give me a little more comfort as there would be more cushion for my back while leaning back and work out perfect. Awesome thanks again everyone.
Not for harpoon throwing or rolling but rather I carry one all the time when taking groups out as it often happens that on a tour newer kayakers over tax their core stamina and start the slouch. A Norsaq, or other wood slat often fits between the seat back and adjustment band with the end shaved all the way to the floor behind the seat pan. At about 14" long this creates a supportive brace against the back of their pfd. While not ideal for paddling performance it is an easy experiment to fiddle with while on the water. It’ll also make Paddleless rolling easier if you want something else to challenge yourself with.
(Other uses - sand stake tie out, jam cleat to secure a painter into a crack of rock, gear splint, shovel, spanker)
Sounds awesome…could you point me in the right direction as which one and where to buy one from? I am finding it a little hard to find on google for purchase. Thanks. See I am new and my core is still developing. Also I am heavier over 200 pounds (stocky weight lifter who needs to burn more belly fat off) so I have this habit of just paddling far far out in the Lake when it is calm not realizing that I have to turn around to come back,lol…not to mention I would love to just lounge once in a while to just sort of take it all in ya know? I’ll get there I mean I have only been Kayaking a very small amount of times and already even being heavier I can do more situps than ever. I plan to lose about 25 more pounds and Kayaking is definitely a fun (not always) but much more fun way of losing weight than a treadmill or elliptical machine.
Not for harpoon throwing or rolling but rather I carry one all the time when taking groups out as it often happens that on a tour newer kayakers over tax their core stamina and start the slouch. A Norsaq, or other wood slat often fits between the seat back and adjustment band with the end shaved all the way to the floor behind the seat pan. At about 14" long this creates a supportive brace against the back of their pfd. While not ideal for paddling performance it is an easy experiment to fiddle with while on the water. It’ll also make Paddleless rolling easier if you want something else to challenge yourself with.
(Other uses - sand stake tie out, jam cleat to secure a painter into a crack of rock, gear splint, shovel, spanker)
Yes this looks like a solid piece of wood that would definitely support me when I decide to lounge back and want good support…the only thing is looking down right behind the seat pan it drops down in a 90 degree angle all the way to the seat floor (the part that the Norsaq would brace againstz)…in the middle of the seat floor is a barrel shaped area piece from the seat holder that is right in the middle. I guess I would just have to do some self work and carve the bottom of the Norsaq in order to have a half circle cut out in order to allow the Norsaq to sit all the way down on the seat floor…or at least to the lowest part of the seat holder.
I am still going to just try my Paddle Float inflated behind my back first (I just ordered a NRS dual chambered) and see if that does the trick for me when I start to really feel taxed and want to sit back and relax…the Norsaq is $90.00 which is a lot and I really wish I was good at woodworking…unfortunately I have no labor skills in my genetic makeup it seems.
Here is a picture of what I am talking back and maybe you can see what I am talking about…I am going to have to take some measurements on how far down that 90 degree seat holder goes down…it feels like it is about 2 and a half to 3 inches of a drop but I’ll have to check it later…the small barrel shaped part is about an inch wide.
Just for the heck of it I went and found a big piece of foam in my garage and just jammed it in front of my back rest with the back rest loose…a much better improvement so I may not even need this contraption…but I’ll think about it.
I have a Jackson Journey 14 and absolutely love it. Here is my only complaint with touring style Kayaks such as the Journey…Some days when the weather is really calm my favorite thing to do is to go way out in the Lake…I mean way out. I am a bigger guy over 200 pounds but still I have no problem paddling this Kayak straight and fast. 