I too am 6’4" with big feet
(size 13) and I weigh 230 lbs. So your seat setup may be right for me! I have a Cooke “T” kneeling pad and I love it.
not sure what your paddling style is but
I personally find pedestals confining in terms of being free to change body angles for fine tuning maneuvers and forward travel. As Kayakmedic mentioned earlier this can increase effeciency greatly through increased mechanical advantage. My solution is a 3" or 4" kneeling thwart. This allows contact with the butt and not under the thighs. It also allows more foot room especially when entering and exititng. One can be more comfortable as it allows for shifting around vs a pedestal which locks in the legs. HTH
My Blackhawk Nighthawk
My Nighthawk came with a pedestal(stock)mounted in it too.
My Lotus Caper came with a stock, adjustable, bucket seat.
Apples/oranges…
As the restorer of my Chestnut Pal said when I asked his opinion of keeping it the stock green color, or going with a change from green to red?
Says he, “Well some people like green canoes, and some people like red canoes”. Mine is now red.
I think it’s the same thing with pedestals vs seats. Some people like pedestals, and some like seats.
The OP asked about lowering his “seat”; NOT about installing a pedestal.
:^)
BOB
P.S. Tilley hats & bent shaft Zaverals aren’t the only hat & paddle that will work either.
I was wondering that too
Being “locked in”, or “one with the boat” is not the best seating method for all paddling situations. Just the opposite is closer to the truth, and don’t forget that you won’t EVER see distance racers use pedestals. I kneel nearly 100-percent of the time, but if there was only one place where my feet could go, or if I couldn’t comfortably shift my butt a few inches one way or the other, I wouldn’t be happy in most paddling situations.
Here’s an analogy, one I chose since cars always generate more input on this forum, and more enthusiastic input, than any subject having to do with boats. All except the crudest home-made racing cars have seats that are specially made to really lock the driver in place. The driver’s control is excellent because he doesn’t have to put much effort into resisting the lateral forces on his body. WHO thinks that this would be a good seating arrangement in the average car?
The MarketPlace
Some early BlackHawks were designed by Pat Moore and featured pedestals. Phil put “sugarloaf” pedestals in the NightHawk and Kitty Hawk after Par left to do the Reveries on his own.
Eventually, BlackHawk dropped pedestals entirely, as has every other manufacturer of flatwater solo canoes. The marketplace has spoken.
Nothing wrong with putting a pedestal on one’s boat, just realize that the vast majority of the market has chosen otherwise.