My dad recently required an old 2000(I believe) Dagger Animas. Bought it from a guy for a couple hundred, the yak itself is in great shape for its age.
The only real issues are the foam in the inside is coming apart.
But more importantly, the seat inside and the knee braces are hard plastic, and the minimal seat back is virtually non existent. Any suggestions on what kind of new seat(preferable) or cushioning I could put in to help make this comfortable?
I also have an old Animas.
Where is the foam breaking down? The foam walls in the front and back are important because they support the boat against collapsing in a pin.
My Animas came with a back band for torso support. I removed it and built up the rear wall so that, when not paddling hard on the flats, I could relax back against the support. When paddling actively, I sat up without torso support, held in place by the sides of the seat and by the thigh braces.
Stick on seat pads are widely available. Hip pads can be made from minicell foam and installed with contact cement. Sometimes thigh braces need added foam, and some paddlers like knee braces made of foam, stuck onto the inside hull at about the ten o’clock and two o’clock positions, so the knees don’t loll outward.
I’m very tall, and while my Animas is a bit tight for entry and exit, once in, it is the most comfortable kayak I own by far.