Where should the bulkhead be located, in relation to foot and leg position, when foaming out a bulkhead in order to eliminate the need for foot pegs? For example should the feet be just touching when the legs are extended (in order to stretch) or should the knees be up under the coaming and then the feet touch as when paddling? Combination of both? Thanks for any advice anyone is willing to share.
your call
I generally leave enough room to put 2 pieces of foam, about the size of my foot, thicker at the bottom, about 1-1.5" thick on the b/h. this leaves about enough room to stretch out me legs, one at a time, in the space that is left un-padded.
great idea for someone who doesn’t loan out your boat. I’ve found it limits my ability to ‘loan’ the boat to prospective ‘customers’. 
steve
thanks flatpick but…
– Last Updated: Apr-19-07 9:56 AM EST –
pardon me for probably asking the obvious but what does b/h mean?
I did this post because last night I got to sit in a Romany LV and it fit peeeerfect in the cockpit. I never sat in a boat that fitted so good. This kayak didn't have rails or pegs and had the foam seat that moves around. With the seat pad at the rear bulkhead I had a good 2 inches before my heels touched the front bulkhead. This gives me room for foam but now I'm a little concerned if there is enough room if the seat pad requires to be moved forward before I put it in place.
Does anyone know if the seat pad is intended to be moveable for paddler comfort, spray skirt fit, boat trim, or a combination of all the above?
This kayak had a cable skeg with the slider on the left, isn't this typically located on the right? Judging from posts about NDK skegs I would bet to guess that the rope skeg would be a better choice anyway.
Bulkhead placement for bracing
I like having the bulkhead placed so I can fit 1-2" of minicell and have the balls of my feet hit the foam when I’m locked in and be able to have my feet flat against the foam when my legs are flat on the bottom of the cockpit.
15 degree angle per bnystrom
if you are going to place the whole foot against the foam which is against the bulkhead but the foam at a 15deg angle for comfort…i think bnystrom has some info on this.
See the issue
First b/h means bulkhead.
BUT I see your issue. You are sitting in the Romany LV and with the NDK FOAM seat pushed all the way back you have a couple of inches in front of the bulkhead to your feet. My guess is that isn’t the correct seat position. In order to be able to move correctly in the boat, you can’t be all the way back against the cockpit coaming/rear bulkhead. (You can’t lie back, rotate or anything).
Here’s the deal, you can buy the boat and play around with it as it. I do think that being all the way back isn’t good. Move the seat to a place that is similar to a stock fiberglass seat - try the boat that way with just a wee tiny sheeth of foam in front of the bulkhead and see if you are too tight.
If you like how the boat paddles and you aren’t sitting too low in the water (weigh too much for the boat), you might be OK as is.
If you find you need more leg room, it costs somewhere about $100- 150 to move the bulkhead or you can do the job yourself. I will warn you, I had help moving mine on the Explorer (OK, I watched and passed tools)and it is tight in there when you have to cut it out, sand it down and then reglass the new one in. Truthfully, it might be better to just pay to move it now that I remember!
Suz
Thanks for the replies everybody
Thanks for the replies, I’ll keep all your suggestions in mind when I get to see the boat this weekend again.
Do not move the seat
Do not move the seat to make your feet reach the bulkhead.
Seat movement will alter the trim of the boat, and its behavior in wind. Move the seat to get the degree of weather cocking that you like, want, can tolerate. Then build up the bulk head to get your feet comfy.
Like Flatpick, I leave a space in the middle to allow leg stretching.