You
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 1:26 PM EST –
were at the last GLSKS? did we meet?
Best Wishes
Roy
I ordered my Nordkapp…
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 1:58 PM EST –
...without the rails, so there were no holes to fill to begin with. You can do the same.
Edit: I've just got the standard 3" thickness of minicell cut out to the boats cross section and to fit around the pump and then some angled 'wedges' glued onto the one piece 3" thick minicell for a more comfortable angle for my feet. You've seen this before:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2941020650068902019jMdwBS
FYI please …
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 3:57 PM EST –
I have foot plate kit that allows one to unwind your hips, knees, ankles as above and lets your feet be where they evoloved to be. It is much more soild than foam to pump and brace off of.
The kit takes all of 15 minutes to install. No cutting foam, glue, or modification to the boat. Full fore / aft adjustment range of the stock foot braces is retained. Foot plate angle is also adjustable and entire kit could be pulled without leaving a mess if you wanted to put it in another boat.
EDIT .... Similar to the Westside kits ( without the pedals ) but no pic on site as I do them custom per boat. Cost is 75.00.
Is this what you mean?
Tell us more about it please. Not designed for a footpump,obviously.
Are these meant for ruddered boats only? (“These systems allow one to tune the rudder action …”) I’m sure not, just trying to clarify.
http://www.onnopaddles.com/onnoaccessories.html
My Quick Foam Installation. pics
My LV has the stock BH and I wanted to try the foam.
Moved the pegs full forward and 4" foam was too close so cut out 1" recesses and just right now.
It takes 10 sec to remove… Feels great.
http://picasaweb.google.com/BartRicky/NordBH
Pat
that looks sweet. Especially the part where you can raise it.
will be e-mailing you about this for a particular boat I have in mind.
Paul
could be…
…I paddle a red/red pintail, red dry suit, red pfd (not all by design). I met so many great folks there I’m still trying to remember. Was there Friday through Sunday; what a great weekend!
Tim
I add some hard construction foam…
…a 1" piece on top of standard minicell to make the total thickness I want. That way my feet brace against a relatively hard surface.
Why? as recommended, I push pretty hard on the pegs (or bulkhead) to get forward stroke juice. It seems to me that the 1/2" give in minicell foam underfoot is detracting from the force I can get. Yeah, that seems small, but remember that every inch at the feet translates (by leverage through hips, arms and paddle shaft) into quite a few inches of paddle blade travel in water. So losing 1/2" translates into a several inches of blade drive which, IMHO, makes a difference. (I really should try to measure the ratio someday – pretty sure it’s at least 5:1).
One disadvantage of the hard foam is that it’s brittle and breaks. So you gotta treat it kindly when it’s not snug against the underlying minicell at the bulkhead. But in there, it’s fine.
–David
HMMM
might have seen you, there were so many people there and I spent all my time teaching. so only deal with small groups all day, never really see everyone.
I was there thursday thru monday. Camped in remote storage section.
Paddled the 18 mile trip on Friday then helped teach euro classes all day Sat and taught Greenland rolling on Sunday.
yellow over yellow Nordkapp with red trim for the trip, and yellow over yellow Anas Acuta with black trim for the teaching stuff.
Best Wishes
Roy
Why do you want to remove the rails
and the pegs? I have 2 boats with custom bulkheads (Nordkapp and Avocet), both have the original rails and pegs. Sometimes other people can paddle them. The rails and pegs have never been a problem for me.
I’m a new fan…
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 8:19 PM EST –
...of foam. I placed two layers of extruded polystyrene (foam insulation) against the glass bulkhead, and then carved out a piece of minicell between them and my feet. Rather than take the Yakima footpegs out (and risk leaking, stripping bolts, etc.), I just pulled the trigger back and pushed them against the minicell. They just sit there, and feel fine. In order to get the minicell in with the footpegs in the way, I just cut the minicell in half (vertically down the middle), and put each half in at a time. Works like a charm, and is super-easy to modify if need be. I have no angle to my minicell, but I don't feel like I need one. And after long times in the boat, I still don't feel the need for more room in there. This configuration (for me) solves more problems than it creates. I paddle an NDK Romany, and the salt water on the metal and aluminum peg and track assembly make me nervous about surprises.
HOW MUCH PRESSURE?
How much pressure can you put against the bulkhead when paddling?
I guess that would be my other concern. The bulkhead in my Nordkpapp LV is somewhat thin. I put a lot of pressure on my pegs when I paddle (pumping legs while paddling, using foot pressure during turns, etc)
I would be afraid to put as much pressure on the bulkhead I think.
Matt
net modification behind seat?
how did you do that…?
A lot!
Valley boats’, and most other decent composite sea kayaks, bulkheads are glassed in. You can put a whole lot of pressure against the bulkhead. Many very strong paddlers have been doing so for years.
Rails and pegs
Actually, if Valley sends it with custom bulkhead and foam block they’ll send it without the rails and footpegs. Matt may not have caught up to that yet.
As to having them or not - I agree that they can be shoved out of the way and it’s easier than bothering to remove them. I kept 'em in my Vela and the footpegs sit between the layers of my very poorly cut foam blocks and help make up for the lousy job I did of shaping it. Perhpas a winter project - finally giving the Vela a decently cut block. But they were already installed.
When we picked up my Explorer LV, Tom handed me the rails and pegs and asked if I wanted him to install them. He was ready to do it right then and there. I hefted them once and that was it - they are sitting in a cabinet still in their original wrapping.
I took the second three inch block and sliced it into two segments so I have widths of 3", about an inch and about two inches. I can switch out blocks to handle anyone else who’ll make it thru the cockpit. The only problem is that I have to ask someone with oval hatches to carry home any unused blocks.
blocks and pegs
As reflected in the fact that Valley builds kayaks this way, there is no problem with force up against the bulkhead–a lot of people foam out the bulkhead on glass kayaks and I’ve never heard of anyone blowing out a bulkhead. Be curious if anyone has?
As for the pegs and rails, they are separate questions. I typically take them both out, but it is easy to slide out the pegs and leave the rails in place if you want to go that route.
- it actually reduces issues
Exactly my experiance.
Quickform installation
I’ve got the artic tern as well.
I like the footpegs and having my legs slightly bent at the knees (it’s way easier on my back than having the legs straght out)
I tried a adjustable full footrest and ‘that went south miserably’ (wobbled like hell)so this year I’m looking to incorporate mnicel with the knotches cut in (once I grind out the center slide I epoxied in…grrr)but found Elmos idea of building up th outside of the brace with additional foam affording a full pad I can push off on and one I can relax against. That would allow the slide in technique.
Some good thoughts here…thanks !
Yeah - if I had a rudder.
Seen your system on Hex’s EFT and it’s really nice.
If I ever decide to retro a rudder onto the 700 - and want to mess with something DIY for fun - it could be just the ticket.
Without rudder, foam rules! It need not have a soft/mushy feel. Mine’s quite stiff - with very little give at all (just enough to not feel like you’re on a hard surface). I put the stack of minicell I used in the floor and stood on it before installing and it hardly deflects at all under my full weight (which is considerably more than than force I can generate to drive the kayak forward via paddle in water)
Similar, without the pedals, which you
could add if switching to a ruddered boat anytime down the road.
Sorry, forget the model, but I have had guys mount a pump directly onto the kit. The Foot plate is plenty strong and EZ to modify if need be.
The beauty of this is you can still adjust the whole thing fore or aft just like you normally do with foot pegs.
As above, i don’t think people realize what they are missing by being ‘stuck’ with just the skimpy footpegs until the change is made. Then you wonder how you ever did without it. There is a huge difference in performance, handling ease and comfort to be had in every boat.
If you wanted less cockpit or more forward of bulkhead space you could always make a simple bracket to hold this in a fixed position or switch to shorter rails and fill the one hole per side then switch your as stock bulkhead position too. Hope this last part makes sense.
: )