today. This addition makes it a much more versatile boat, since I can now use leg drive when paddling seated, rather than kneeling. My knees can’t handle too much kneeling. I tried it out and it’s much appreciated.
I used a silver aluminum Wenonah sliding footbrace that I riveted in to the kevlar hull. I didn’t use any silicone RTV or other goop on the rivets to seal the edges of the holes that I drilled, but I don’t expect that to be an issue, since the rivets are about 6.5" above the bilge.
I mounted it so that the end of the rail closest to the paddler is a little forward of the nearest edge of the front thwart, so that it won’t interfere with most freestyle maneuvers. With the rails in this position, the brace bar is about 2" from the end of the rail for me, so it wouldn’t accomodate a paddler with much shorter legs. It had been suggested to me previously that if I installed a footbrace in the Lady Bug, which is often used for freestyle technique, that I put the brace rails as far forward as possible to be out of the way of the paddler’s knees when travelling forward in the bottom of the boat for certain techniques.
I’m pleased with the results.
Ready, Set, Go!
Your creek boat should be ready for Stoney the next time it is up.
Should be ready, however
I wouldn’t use on the Stony when it’s up until I get to know how it handles on moving water, and I’ve only used it on lakes, so far. I’ll use the kayak on Stony if I do it again when it’s as high as it was last time. I really am not fond of thos portages through poison ivy, nettles, private property and fences.
Find Your Grail
"poison ivy, nettles, private property and fences."
Keeps out the riff raff but not the C/U kayakin’ yuppies. Sumpin’ ain’t quite right 'bout dat peekchur.
Good info
I’m having Dave Curtis put a Wenonah footbrace in a used SRT I’m buying from him.
I hadn’t thought about the possibility of the rail coming so close to the paddling station as to interfere with kneeling maneuvers. I’ll keep that in mind.
I have been puzzling over the proper height of the crossbar, since I have never paddled with one. I take it that you set yours 6.5 inches above the bottom center of the boat. Do you think that was right height for you?
Cross bar height is about 6.5".
That seems to work pretty good, so far. My feet are size 8.5.
My Wenonah Advantage bar is about 5.5", IIRC.
The brace that I installed in my royalex Bell Wildfire/Yellowstone Solo is a little over 7" and seems to work fine.
For me, it seems that a range of heights is acceptable.
Thanks
The boat is 300 miles away and I’ve been sitting in my bedroom with a tape measure against my foot. It seemed like the 5"-7" range was about right.