i broke my ass a few years ago, and lately my left hip has been a pain. after a few hours on the water in my bell rob roy, i can really feel it. i have a sliding wenonah seat in the boat but was thinking about putting a cane seat in to kneel and hopefully not bother the hip/pelvis as much. i’m guessing i’d just have to mount some horizontal wood pieces for the seat to set on? anyone know of an adjustable cane seat, either back and forth or up and down? any input would be appreciated.
Placid canoe
has this item on their website:
http://placidboatworks.com/Seatopt.html
It’s an optional cane seat for those wanting to kneel in the pack canoes.
Swift
– Last Updated: Mar-29-06 3:41 PM EST –
Swift has a slider that sounds like what you are talking about.
http://www.swiftcanoe.com/canoes/catalogue/osprey.htm
The Wenonah seat in the Voyager I tried seemed very comfortable for kneeling. It was sort of like a whitewater pedastal with a tractor seat on top. Somewhere between 7 and 9 inches high. Is that the seat you have now?
Hanging a seat in a Bell Rob Roy.
Hey there Chad!
You may wish to check with Bell before trying to hang a seat in your Rob Roy. Hulls designed and built for a bottom seat usually do not have sides strong enough for a hanging seat.
It seems that sometime back we had a discussion about the weakness of the gunwale or combing near and around the rear of the Bell Rob Roys. If I remember right you reinforced that area. If you go to hang a seat I believe you will need further reinforcing, probably similar to putting Kruger Sea Wind style seat hanger/hull braces in.
There are sliding seats out there like you asked for. I forget where, but if I can come across them again I’ll post or e-mail you. I think that the narrow space inside the Rob Roy may present a challenge to go back and forth between sitting and kneeling.
Hope that helps.
:^)
Mick
Pack Canoe Seating
– Last Updated: Mar-29-06 8:31 PM EST –
The cane seat in the foto is not for kneeling, but an alternative to the standard carbon seat. Both are on the floor of the hull and do not lend themselves to kneeling. BTW: I tried both of these and other seats as well. I personally think the carbon seat is the best choice in these canoes as it is more comfortable, requires zero maintenance and is lighter as well.
Placid BoatWorks used to offer a hanging in their canoes. But I did not see that option when I looked this time. It was only for the lighter paddlers as the sidewalls in a Pack Canoe are built very thin. Before my hull was built I talked the hanging seat option over with Charlie Wilson several times and finally decided that even with the additional layer of Kevlar, making my RapidFire an expedition version, there was not enough strength for my weight. I believe they originally meant the hanging seat option for paddlers of less that 140 pounds. You just can not have the extra light weight this design gives you and the heavier construction required for hanging seats in the same hull. BTW: Last I spoke with Placid the SpitFire is now down to around 17 pounds total weight.
In addition I do not think even lighter paddlers would like a hanging (higher) seat in one of these canoes. I tried paddling with a 4" thick cushion on top of the installed seat, or about 6" off the bottom. Even with all the years of paddling narrow canoes I have I found these narrow canoes to have an uncomfortably quick and unstable balance when that high off the bottom. These canoes were designed as bottom sitters and that is where they shine, really shine!
Hope this is of use.
>:^)
Mick
Thanks Mick
for clarifying the post on Rapid Fire. The site says the canoe can be paddled in kneeling position and offered the two seat options. Must have misunderstood.
I remember that when I was looking at the Rob Roy the drawback to it and the sit on bottom canoes was that I could not kneel. I also asked about a seat hanger and as you said the hull is too thin and cannot take the stress. That is what the dealer and Bell told me too.
Thank you for confirming.
I was making an educated guess about the Rob Roy from exchanges with Chad in the past and what I learned from Placid. Thanks for relating that Bell did say sides were thin.
Yes, I can see where the seat page of Placid BoatWorks is confusing, especially since they did offer a hanging seat in the past. Placid is trying to explain the advantages to both bottom sitting and sitting higher or kneeling. Explain there design, function and intended use. It can be confusing if the paddler does not have the experiences that help to relate.
Glad I could help some and thanks for assisting me.
:^)
Mick
Sawyer sliding seat?
Mick, do you know if the new Sawyer company is still using the old Sawyer sliding seat design? If I remember correctly, it had three height adjustments as well as the fore and aft adjustment. That sounds like something that Chad could try out if he could get it with a bench-style seat.
White water foam seat
I think you migh be better to go to a white water foam saddle designed for kneeling rather than try to do all the modifications to hang a seat in your boat.
Maybe it is just time to trade your boat for a more comfortable one that is made with seats that can switch from sitting to kneeling
you’re probably right
probably not strong enough. oh well, i’ll see how the hip goes.
kind of
i had wenonah take out the cross bars under the seat and just glass the smaller kevlar seat to the frame. i’ve tried kneeling, but with the pedistal and tight quarters, it’s a bit tight.
You have the skills and experiance to
– Last Updated: Mar-30-06 11:48 AM EST –
strengthen your Rob Roy's sides. After all you strengthened the gunwales didn't you.
The easiest way is install hangers, Kruger style. The seat hangers are not there primarily to hang a seat on. You can hang a seat on almost anything. The primary reason is to provide the triangulation to strengthen the side hull and deck structures, and to transfer the paddlers weight to the bottom where it is more efficiently supported. This setup provides good strength without the weight that would be present without the triangulation.
So, now you must determine if this setup or something similar will leave you the room you need inside to do what you want and need to accomplish.
>:^)
Mick
Hey Matt. Maybe I need to look at that
site again and see what has changed. What other goodies are new.
:^)
Mick
little of this, little of that
always trying to add new stuff. You wouldn’t believe the headache of trying to get more plywood kits set up and not have the price be rediculous. But that’s falling together finally.
Also finally getting shipment on a seat-related project today. Should have the first 3 pieces of hopefully normal production next week.
Forgot to add, e-mail or call me if you
need more info Chad.
:^)
Mick